September 5, 2019


Greetings,

Last week, I shared with the Spelman community changes in the Division of Business and Financial Affairs. This week, I bring news of changes in the Division of College Relations.

When I arrived at Spelman in the fall of 2015, I invited Dr. Jane Smith, C'68, to assume the role of vice president for College Relations.

Dr. Smith had been serving as director of Spelman’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement for many years. She accepted the invitation to become a member of the College’s Senior Team, but she confided that she could only commit to the role for five years. This week, Dr. Jane informed me that she intends to retire at the end of this calendar year.

As many of you know, my predecessor, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, invited Dr. Smith to Spelman 15 years ago with a mandate to develop a leadership program. Prior to joining Spelman, Dr. Smith enjoyed an impressive career as the leader of several organizations. She was CEO of Business and Professional Women/US and president and CEO of The National Council of Negro Women. Prior to these positions, she held a program development position at the King Center and a managing director position at The Atlanta Project, a community development initiative at The Carter Center.

Dr. Smith obtained her masters degree in sociology from Emory University and her Ed.D. in social policy analysis from Harvard University. Her dissertation is titled, "The History and Traditions of Historically Black Public Colleges and Universities, 1834 to 1965."

As director of LEADS, she designed her programs to teach women to lead with grace and power. During her tenure she launched the nationally recognized Leadership and Women of Color Conference, the Women of Excellence in Leadership program, Spelpreneur, the Coca-Cola Intergenerational Leadership Mentoring Program and many other initiatives that created leadership opportunities for Spelman women.

I know that you join me in thanking Dr. Smith for her years of dedicated service to Spelman.

Dr. Smith’s decision to retire has caused the College to take a careful look at the programs organized under the Division of College Relations. We have determined that the current set of programs organized under one division is not optimally efficient for Spelman. Between now and the end of the year, the College will distribute the programs to other divisions and, with the departure of Dr. Smith, eliminate the Division of College Relations.

Revised Organizational Structure

Below is the planned reorganization of programs that now reside in College Relations:

1. Relocate the Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development to Student Affairs. The office will report to the Dean of Students, led by Dr. Darryl Holloman, vice president for Student Affairs
   
   
2. Relocate the Office of Alumnae Engagement to Institutional Advancement. The office will report to Jessie Brooks, vice president for Institutional Advancement, effective December 31, 2019.
   
   
3. Assign the management of Commencement to the Office of the Provost led by Dr. Tiffany Watson, associate provost, effective December 31, 2019.
   
   
4. Place the Office of Event Operations, which manages major campus events such as Homecoming, the Christmas Carol Concert, Founders Day and Reunion, as well as special guest visits, in Enrollment Management under the leadership of Ingrid Hayes, vice president for Enrollment Management, effective December 31, 2019.
   
   
5. Geneva Lane and Renita Mathis will both move to the Office of the President. In addition, Tomeka Watkins and Shantoria Vance will transition to Enrollment Management.

Again, please join me in thanking Dr. Smith for all that she has contributed to making Spelman the center of excellence it is today.

Sincerely,