Erika Lamarre was hired as Director of Student Development and Conduct and began work at the beginning of this semester, Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer said. The Director of Student Development oversees the University Board on Student Conduct, a "student-faculty panel that hears cases of alleged student misconduct," according to the Division of Student Life's Web site.

Assistant Deans of Student Life Jamele Adams and Alwina Bennett have jointly filled the position since August, when Shawn McGuirk resigned to take a position at Fitchburg State as Director of Judicial Affairs, Mediation and Education.

Lamarre wrote in an e-mail to the Justice, "[I am] optimistic, energized by the level of student involvement and confident in the people I have the opportunity to work with."

Sawyer said he was surprised by the number of qualified candidates interested in the position.

Once the applicant pool was narrowed down to three, Sawyer said the University invited the candidates for on-campus interviews and eventually hired Lamarre.

Sawyer wanted to hire someone with a master's degree who had spent significant time doing judicial work in a campus setting.

"We were looking for candidates who showed either past experience on a similar campus with a campus culture or a campus community like ours," Sawyer said.

Lamarre previously served as Assistant Dean of Students/Judicial Affairs at Endicott College.

"She was able to hit the ground running," Sawyer said.