Dear Class of 2021,
Greetings from the New Normal.
I hope that everyone is safe, healthy, and relatively sane. In light of the challenges of learning and working remotely, and the ever-changing circumstances both broadly and on campus, I’m writing with some updates about the hiring process and beyond. Please bear with me, there’s a lot to cover.
You may have heard that the University has just determined there will be no campus programming or housing this summer, which effectively means no on campus summer jobs. While campus may reopen at some point, given the nature of our work it would be irresponsible to hold information sessions numbering in the hundreds, and to hold interviews in offices with students visiting from around the country and the world. This decision by the University, announced yesterday, was the confirmation we needed to alter and update our plans.
We are extending the deadline to accommodate anyone who was unable to file an application as a result of Covid complications, and moving the interview process to the last two weeks of May, after finals. We will do some online training (paid) during the first week of June. Because there will be no on-campus programming and no housing, we are not hiring summer SI’s, and are pivoting to a new model to engage with students. Rather than hire 6 SI’s to live and work on campus, we hope to have a cohort of summer SIs, which can be much larger, to co-host virtual information sessions with deans and conduct informational conversations (as opposed to evaluative interviews) with prospective students via Skype/Zoom/Slate (our multi-faceted database). This would obviously be remote, virtual, and paid at the SI rate, and will allow all interested SIs to participate.
When we return to campus in the fall (frankly I’m not emotionally ready to consider an alternative, and I’m working remotely from the beach…) we will complete our training, focusing on the actual on-campus interview and office responsibilities, and hopefully be in a position to welcome visitors at that point. If not, you will continue to co-host virtual info sessions and do evaluative interviews by Skype et al.
The new deadline for the Senior Interviewer application is Monday, May 11, at 8am. I hope the extended deadline and better understanding of how we plan to utilize the Senior Interviewer corps during the crisis provides the opportunity and information you need to apply. Here is the link once again: https://forms.gle/MZPN2rXNE7mMDSza8
I appreciate your flexibility, patience and interest (and peace, love and understanding) as we adapt on the fly. Please feel free to reach out directly if you have any questions or concerns, and be well.
Chris
CHRISTIAN LANSER
ASSOCIATE DEAN OF ADMISSION
Wesleyan University | Office of Admission
70 Wyllys Avenue | Middletown, CT 06459
P. 860 685-2983
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“What a lucky man, to see the earth before it touched his hand.” – Neil Young