The Office of Admissions will experience major administrative changes this fall with the arrival of a new dean of Admissions, Mark Spencer, and the departure of Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy, according to e-mails to the student body from Eddy and University President Jehuda Reinharz.According to Eddy's e-mail, Spencer previously served as director of Admissions for the Cornell University College of Engineering. He was also the associate director of Admissions at Vassar College prior to his time at Cornell.

The previous dean of Admissions, Gil Villanueva, resigned from his position on July 1, 2009. Eddy explained in an interview with the Justice that the optimal time for universities to begin searching for a new dean of admissions is typically January or February. In January 2010, the University hired the search firm Spelman and Johnson to help conduct the search for Villanueva's replacement.

Dean of Academic Services Kim Godsoe chaired the search committee for the new dean of Admissions after its former chair, Assistant Vice President for Students and Enrollment Frank Urso, left the University. The other members of the committee were Prof. Steven Burg (POL), Prof. Susan Lovett (BIOL), Dean of Financial Services Peter Giumette, Students and Enrollment staff member Doreen Quinn, Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa '90, Alexandra Kriss '11 and Nathaniel Rosenblum '10. Student Union Secretary Herbie Rosen '12 replaced Rosenblum after graduation in the spring.

In an e-mail to the Justice, Godsoe wrote, "We were looking for someone who recognized what a wonderful institution Brandeis is.We wanted someone who could continue to recruit outstanding students to our community, who valued academic excellence, and who is committed to social justice."

Eddy explained that some candidates for the position visited campus late in the spring but that none were offered employment. In July, three more candidates were brought to campus, including Spencer.

"We were moving fairly quickly to bring people to campus because we felt that it was very important to have someone here to start the year," she said.

Eddy praised Spencer's qualifications.

"[Spencer] has both the liberal arts and the research background. He was very impressive in the interview process. . He's a wonderful match for us. When Mark Spencer came here, there was no contest. Every group that met with him loved him," she said.

Godsoe also noted Spencer's accomplishments at Cornell and Vassar.

"In both places he increased the number of applications and developed new initiatives to recruit a diverse student body. In addition, he is a genuinely warm and caring individual who is highly committed to students," she wrote.

After Villanueva resigned, Eddy took over as acting dean of Admissions in addition to continuing to serve as senior vice president for Students and Enrollment.

In an e-mail sent to the Brandeis community Aug. 16, Reinharz announced that Eddy will leave Brandeis at the end of September to serve as the senior vice president for Students and Enrollment at the Rhode Island School of Design, saying, "[She] has done two jobs better than most people can do one."

Discussing the upcoming transition from her leadership to Spencer's, Eddy remarked, "Mark is a seasoned admissions person. . He has 15-plus years of admissions experience. We are blessed with a great admissions staff here. . He's a very quick study, I have no worries about him at all."

Spencer will begin serving as dean of Admissions Sept. 13, according to Reinharz's e-mail, and Eddy will leave Brandeis at the end of September.

Eddy, a native of Rhode Island, explained that her decision was linked to her attachment to her home state, saying, "I am very familiar with RISD. I was born in Rhode Island and people who live there think of it as a treasure. I've always kind of kept my eye on it as a place that is interesting and premier at what it does."

Discussing her time at Brandeis, Eddy said, "I'm at a fantastic institution: I love it here, I love the students here, but I really feel as though Brandeis is in a great place. It's everything I could have hoped for, . so if there was going to be a time [to leave], this is it.