Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

This past year has been a year of transitions with Fr. O’Brien’s departure and the subsequent leadership shifts to accommodate our new reality. To help clarify some of those transitions and announce a few new reporting lines, I summarize some updates below. The beginning of the new fiscal year is a good starting point when several of the updates go into effect. 

• We are very excited to welcome our two new vice presidents, Shá Duncan Smith, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, and Alison Benders, vice president for mission and ministry, this summer. Shá will begin her appointment on JuIy 1 and Alison on July 15. Both Alison and Shá will report to me and will have offices in Walsh Administration.

• As was planned with the new vice president for mission and ministry position, Campus Ministry and the Ignatian Center will now report to Alison Benders as part of the Division of Mission and Ministry. Both units had been reporting to Chief of Staff Molly McDonald in Fr. O’Brien’s absence. 

• Effective July 1, the Department of Human Resources will report to Molly McDonald who will continue her duties as chief of staff and take on the strategic planning and oversight of the operations for HR. Molly has extensive experience in HR, having served as the assistant vice president for human resources for eight years at SCU prior to her appointment to the President’s Office in 2011. With this organizational change, Molly also will be the administrator to which the Staff Affairs Committee and Benefits Committee will be reporting. I am grateful for the input from HR leadership, the Staff Affairs Committee, the Benefits Committee, and others across campus who informed the decision to make this change. 

• As I wrote earlier in June, John Ottoboni will conclude his appointment as chief operating officer (COO) and will become senior legal counsel and special assistant, effective July 1. John will be reporting to me as Acting President and his office will be in Leavey Center.

• As the COO position comes to an end, several reporting lines will also change. Bob Owen, chief information officer and also a direct report to the COO, will report to Michael Crowley, vice president for finance and administration. Michael will report directly to me and will remain as the administrator to which the University Budget Committee reports. Bridget Colbert, interim general counsel, will also report to me, as will Jim Lyons, vice president for university relations, and Renee Baumgartner, athletic director, who previously reported to John Ottoboni during Fr. O’Brien’s leave.  

• Kate Morris and Ed Ryan will remain as Acting Co-Provosts while the search for the next president is underway. Jeanne Rosenberger, vice provost for student life, and Eva Blanco Masias, vice president for enrollment management, will report to me until a permanent president is hired, after which they will report to the provost. Each will coordinate closely and regularly with the Provost’s Office given the interconnectedness of their areas to the Jesuit academic enterprise. 

• With all the changes mentioned above, the following people will be reporting directly to me as Acting President: 
• Alison Benders, vice president for mission and ministry
• Renee Baumgartner, athletic director
• Eva Blanco Masias, vice president for enrollment management (while Acting President)
• Bridget Colbert, interim general counsel
• Michael Crowley, vice president for finance and administration
• Shá Duncan Smith, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion
• Jim Lyons, vice president for university relations
• Molly McDonald, chief of staff 
• Kate Morris, acting co-provost
• John Ottoboni, senior legal counsel and special assistant
• Jeanne Rosenberger, vice provost for student life (while Acting President)
• Ed Ryan, acting co-provost

• While not directly connected to the University organization structure, the Santa Clara Jesuit Community will also see a change in leadership. Art Liebscher, S.J., will conclude his appointment as rector of the Jesuit Community on July 31, and Luis Calero, S.J., will succeed him. The Santa Clara Jesuit Community is a wonderful presence for Santa Clara University, and its members serve as faculty, staff and ministers for the University. We are grateful, too, for their ministry of hospitality as they have welcomed so many University colleagues and friends with generosity. We thank Fr. Art for his service to his brother Jesuits as rector these past 5 years, and congratulate Fr. Luis as he takes up this important role for the community. 

• As John M. Sobrato announced in his June 9 Trustees message to campus, Larry Sonsini will succeed him as chair of the Board of Trustees (see the press release here). I want to express my personal thanks to John for his generous leadership these past three years and welcome Larry as our new board chair. I am looking forward to working with the Board as we navigate through our new reality, part of which will be strengthening the connections between the trustees and our faculty, staff and students.  

As summer begins, we break from the heaviness of a challenging year and reflect on the many transitions before us. A beautiful meditation was shared at our recent Cabinet meeting. The prayer was anchored on a scriptural passage from Ecclesiastes: “There is a season for everything, a time for every occupation under heaven...All that He does is apt for its time; but although He has given us an awareness of the passage of time, we can grasp neither the beginning nor the end of what God does.” To close out our year and prepare for the next, I hope these words might inspire us to make time to reflect and be thankful for what is ending; be grateful for what was learned and what was accomplished; make time to celebrate the new beginning and what we have to look forward to; and remain optimistic and hopeful for what is yet to come and the new relationships that new beginnings may bring.  May you find rest and assurance for a hope-filled year ahead.  

Have a restful summer!

Sincerely,

Lisa A. Kloppenberg
Acting President