MSS assistant director position opening next spring
Minority Student Services had a failed search in June for a new assistant director, but hopefully another search will get on the way next semester.
There were three possible candidates narrowed down from about 40 to be interviewed by MSS. But the search barely got under way.
“While we were in the middle of scheduling these visits, other things started happening in the candidates’ lives,” said MSS Director Traci Guinn.
One candidate withdrew to pursue educational goals, while the second candidate had personal problems, she said.
“Within a week of scheduling, two canceled and when those situations happened, we did not want to continue the search with that one person,” Guinn said.
Interim assistant director After the failed search, Canton graduate student Lester Booker took on the position as interim assistant director.
Guinn said she offered the job to Booker who was already familiar with the job, which he started Aug. 10.
Booker worked in the office as a graduate assistant prior to getting the new position.
“I still needed lots of things to get done with that position, and the most promising person at the time to ask was the person already in that position for the past year,” Guinn said of Booker.
Booker will have the position until late May, where there is a hope to permanently fill the spot. Booker said he feels he is a good fit for this position, while still preparing for his next move.
“I am keeping my options open and I have not made any decisions yet. And I plan on finishing off strong professionally and academically,” Booker said.
Booker’s Responsibility The assistant director is responsible for different levels of academic support, student retention, diversity advocacy programs and a plethora of other types of promotion at CMU.
MSS Assistant Director Sean Novak is in charge of the search for a new candidate and said he is appreciative of Booker stepping in.
“I’m glad that we had someone working in that capacity already, and Lester went above and beyond his duties, and it is nice to have that to fall back on,” Novak said.
As of now, Booker has been responsible for the heading up of the first MSS activity, Get Acquainted Day. Booker will also be in charge of Hispanic Heritage month, which started Sept. 15.
As a graduate student working for MSS in the fall 2008, Booker was in charge of cultural programs.
“I worked closely with Dr. Guinn and I still coordinated most events, working 20 hours per week,” Booker said. “Now my job is more concentrated and added responsibility, I work on more specialized projects that I am assigned. And aside from cultural programs, I delegate some tasks and I work with students overseeing some of their activities,” Booker said.
