Director of Residence Services Judy Sargent speaks during the 2012 National Residence Hall Honorary induction ceremony. Sargent’s position with UND was terminated on Sept. 20, 2013. Photo submitted.

Residence Services at UND, may have a new look in the coming months and years because of personnel and structural changes.

Effective Sept. 20, Director of Residence Services Judy Sargent was released from her position. The action was in accordance with a UND policy that allows the university to release nonacademic employees whose contracts are terminated without cause, was the case with Sargent.

“The university is grateful for the years of service of Judy Sargent,” Associate Vice President of Health and Wellness Lori Betting said.

As director of Residence Services, Sargent managed on-campus housing (both residence halls and apartments), dining, facilities and the University Children’s Center.

Until the university hires a full time replacement, Betting will take over the duties for the dining, facilities and children’s center. Associate Vice President for Student Services and Dean of Students Cara Halgren will be dealing with the housing and residence life services.

Vice President for Student Affairs Lori Reesor made the decision to terminate Sargent’s position in order to “take housing and dining to the next level.”

“These decisions are not made lightly,” Reesor said. “We will be making structural changes to the organization to advance the institution.”

Sargent started at UND in 1980 as the assistant director of housing. She stayed in that position for 10 years before taking on associate director of housing and director of apartments. After spending eight years in that role, she assumed the role of director of residence services.

“I knew her on a professional and personal level,” Betting said. “She has immense character and ethics. She has advanced the work of residence life area greatly. She was a valuable member of the staff.”

Sargent’s future with the university is unknown at this time. She will be meeting with Reesor on Sept. 27 to discuss the possibility of staying with UND in some other capacity.

Structural changes

The extent of the changes to Residence Services is not known, but Reesor hopes that whatever changes are made will benefit students.

“We have a lot of great staff,” she said. “The students won’t feel the changes at all right now. We want to ensure that students who live in on-campus housing, and who use the dining facilities have the best service and experience.”

Part of the process to begin those structural changes will start in mid-October when Peter Englin, the director of the Department of Residence at Iowa State University, will be making a visit to campus. Reesor asked him to come in and review the residence services organization’s structure. He will provide recommendations to Reesor sometime in November.

Because all universities have different ways of organizing their residence services, UND will be surveying other schools to see what works for them.

“We will be looking at a number of different campuses,” Reesor said. “We will be looking at organizations that will work for us.”

After Englin’s visit and recommendations, Reesor will begin a nationwide search for a new director of Residence Services, although with potential changes, the position could be different than what it is now.

“This is an opportunity for the housing area and campus to have input in the organization and make it stronger,” Betting said

Megan Hoffman is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at megan.hoffman@my.und.edu.