After less than a year at Tufts,Tanya McGinn Paolo is no longer the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, the Greek community learned last month.
Jamie Engle, the coordinator of orientation and administration in the Undergraduate Orientation Office, will serve as interim director of fraternity and sorority life until the university fills the position permanently.
Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman announced Paolo's departure in a meeting on Feb. 17 of Greek council and chapter presidents, as well as Engle, but he did not give an explanation for Paolo's departure, according to Panhellenic Council President Dana Traub, a senior.
"They made it very clear that they weren't going to tell us if she was fired or if she resigned," Traub said. "They felt it wasn't their place to give us the reason, but they wanted us to know she was no longer with the university."
Reitman said he expects to hire another director by the end of the semester, but said Paolo's permanent replacement would not begin working until the fall.
"I think the likelihood is that somebody will be named and announced well prior to their joining the university," Reitman said, adding that he has already received a number of inquiries about the job.
"We actually have tons of interest in the position," Reitmansaid. "I've been getting applications and letters of interest from all over the country."
Reitman said students seemed disappointed that Paolo had left but were glad that the search for a new director has already begun.
Paolo did not respond to repeated requests for comment, and Reitman would not comment on the reason for her departure, citing respect for her privacy.
"I have no information as to why she left, and, as a council and as a community, we're just moving forward beyond that," Inter-Greek Council President Eric Swanson, a junior, said.
The university hired Paolo in the summer of 2010 following a one-year period — after the resignation of her predecessor — in which there was no permanent director. The vacancy occurred during a flexible hiring freeze imposed amid the economic downturn, preventing the university from hiring a new director until that summer.
Reitman served as interim director during the 2009-10 academic year. Engle was also involved with the position's responsibilities during that period, according to Reitman.
During that time, the Greek community was largely student-run, according to Traub.The Greek community is in a better place now than it was the last time a director left the position, she said.
"We're more organized as students ourselves, having for a year had to do everything pretty much alone," Traub said."We're much stronger in our leadership positions."
Traub called Engle a good fit for the job, adding that her familiarity with Greek life will allow for continuity, she said.
"When Jamie takes on the responsibilities, she doesn't take it on casually, and she's there as Greek director twenty-four seven even though she has another job going on," Traub said."She is taking on the position as if she is the full director. It doesn't feel like much has changed," she added.
Greek chapters will be able to continue any projects they had planned despite Paolo's departure, Traub and Engle said. They will continue to work on programming for the semester, including Greek Week and a new-member education program, according to Engle and Swanson.
Engle has worked to strengthen communication among the Greek community's chapters, Traub said.
"She was looking into different online technology to bring us all together, be more open and communicative and just working on building up the councils," Traub said.
The Greek community also hopes to improve the structure of the Fraternity and Sorority Judiciary Board by working with Judicial Affairs Officer Veronica Carter, Engle said.
"Even though it's easier when you have a Greek director that's there, everyone is still really on track and on board for all those goals," Traub said.
Engle expressed optimism that she will be able to facilitate cooperation within the Greek community this semester.
"They're very willing to work with me," she said, "and I'm looking forward to working with them throughout the semester."
