Interim Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students

Dear Laurentian community,

I am pleased to share that we have worked with the Registry to hire Dr. Gail DiSabatino as interim vice president for student life and dean of students. She will be moving to Canton and beginning her duties in early August.

Gail has extensive experience serving as the senior student life administrator at multiple institutions and most recently as Interim Vice President for Student Affairs at SUNY Old Westbury. During this interim appointment, she was responsible for Athletics/Recreation, Services for Students with Disabilities, Residence Life, Center for Student Leadership and Involvement, Career Planning and Development, Health Center, and Counseling. She has also provided consulting services to several liberal arts institutions, including Elon (NC) and Dillard (LA). 

Her energy and excitement for St. Lawrence was noticeably evident during her interactions on campus. The breadth and depth of her experience in student life as well as her expertise in strategic planning will be an asset to St. Lawrence. 

Previously Gail served as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and Vice President for Student Affairs and Adjunct Professor of Higher Education Leadership at Clemson University. Gail graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Delaware, a Master of Education from Colorado State University, and earned a Doctorate of Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

I want to thank students, student life staff, and senior staff for participating in a very targeted search process to identify our interim vice president for student life. As I previously communicated, to ensure time to discern the qualities we desire in our next sitting vice president, and to ensure student engagement, we will begin the search for the next vice president of student life and dean of students shortly after Labor Day. I expect to name a search committee at the beginning of the new school year. 

Please join me in welcoming Gail DiSabatino to the Laurentian community.

Sincerely,
Kate Morris