Saint Anselm has faced several recent departures from faculty and staff, alongside organizational restructuring of different faculty positions. Different circumstances have provoked the recent departures which will lead to periods of transition for these positions to be filled. 

Director of Campus Ministry, Gregg Cecoccni left the Hilltop on Feb.14, and his departure was mentioned to the college in an email sent by Dean Susan Gabert, the Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Development and Mission.

Gabert’s message to the college read that Cecconi was “stepping down as Director of Campus Ministry, with his last day at Saint Anselm on Friday, February 14th. Gregg will be taking a medical leave and, after much reflection, has decided to seek a position closer to family and friends.” 

As a significant loss to Campus Ministry and to the college as a whole, Gabert also wrote in her email that “we are deeply grateful for Gregg’s leadership and his dedication to fostering faith and community on our campus,” and asked Saint Anselm community members to “please join me in thanking him for his service and in wishing him health and success in the next chapter of his journey.”

Following Cecconi’s leave, the role of Campus Ministry Director will be temporarily filled while the college searches for a permanent replacement. “Fr. Francis, the Assistant Director [of Campus Ministry] is going to serve as the Interim Director while we work through the administrative process of posting and putting a search together to hire a new director,” Gabert said. 

The administrative proccess’s timeline varies, “and this is actually a good time in higher ed. for administrative hires,” Gabert said “because it’s when people tend to start looking [for positions].” Gabert is hopeful that when the administrative hiring process starts, a new director will be hired starting July 1 since “this tends to be a better time,” Gabert said.

Serving as the Director of Campus Ministry for “about a year and a half,” Gabert said, Cecconi’s work for and with the college will be remembered by many with his departure from Saint Anselm. “It’s always difficult when you have somebody move along and not stay, especially at a place that really values stability,” Gabert said. Valuable faculty in valuable positions are hard to say good-bye to, and Cecconi is no exception. 

“He contributed a lot, and a lot of students were in Campus Ministry wishing him well, so he certainly had an impact on the community while he was here,” Gabert said. As tough as it can be to lose an important element of the community, “one cannot predict what’s going to happen in people’s lives, what their needs are, and how best to meet those needs. I certainly wish him all the best and am grateful for all the contributions he’s made, and I’m glad that we can support him in this transition,” Gabert said.  

Along with the departure of Gregg Cecconi, there has been restructuring of staff positions at Saint Anselm, changing the roles and responsibilities for some of the college’s staff members. 

Scott Dunn now serves as the Director of Campus Safety and Security, and “he was the Assistant Director, but when I was moved into my new position I did some restructuring,” Gabert said. “Rob Browne used to be the Director of Campus Safety and Security, and Scott was the Assistant Director,” Gabert added. 

With Dunn’s role change to the Director of Campus Safety and Security, “I moved Rob Browne into a full-time conduct position, and Scott was promoted to the director position,” Gabert said. Other areas of staff and faculty include Sue Weintraub, “who was the Director of Residential Life and also a dean, was moved to a full assistant dean position,” Gabert added. 

“We did some shifting around, promoting people, just trying to use our team as best as possible when we kind of restructured, figuring out the division with Dr. Finn’s departure,” Gabert said, and the movement is “all with the idea of best serving the college and the students.” 

Though Saint Anselm has had to say good-bye to some of its staff members, others are being welcomed into their new roles, to best serve the college and the community here. Best of luck to those who have departed their roles and are taking on new ones.