Bill Burger, associate vice president for communications, is leaving Brandeis at the end of December to begin work as Middlebury College's new vice president for communications.
Burger-who has been running the Office of Communications since the departure of Senior Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Andrew Gully in June-will begin at Middlebury on Jan. 1.

A search is currently nearing its end for a new senior vice president, but it is still unclear who will be handling the daily operations of the Brandeis Office of Communications in the interim. "It's very much to be determined," said Burger in an interview with the Justice.

University President Frederick Lawrence announced at this month's faculty meeting that he has interviewed the final two candidates and a decision is expected in the next few weeks.

"It just felt like a good fit," Burger said of Middlebury.

"A great group of people and a terrific institution so it just felt like the right move, the right career move."

Burger will manage and develop communication strategy for Middlebury and for the Monterey Institute of International Studies, a graduate school of Middlebury College in Monterey, Calif.

Burger said that his portfolio at Middlebury would be similar to his roles at Brandeis, including directing news, publications and crisis management, "but with a real emphasis on brand and identity."

Middlebury President Ronald D. Liebowitz said in a press release: "Bill's primary charge as vice president will be to develop and implement an integrated communications strategy that meets the needs of the college and each of its individual schools and programs, clarifies our internal communication processes, and enables the institution to represent its collective identity to the wider world."

Burger began working at Brandeis in March 2010. It was his first position in higher education.

Burger said he is most proud of improvements in Brandeis' Web presence while he has been at the University. These include improving BrandeisNOW, revamping the undergraduate admissions site and redesigning Brandeis magazine with a website.

"I've worked with a lot of really terrific people and people who care deeply about the place and so I think it's been good preparation for Middlebury and I have nothing but good feelings about [Brandeis] and I wish everyone [at Brandeis] all the best."

Burger worked for 14 years as an editor and writer for Newsweek and has since worked in telecommunications, online publishing and information services, before moving to Brandeis.

"We're working on a transition plan for how the department will be organized and operate during from the time I leave until the new person is hired and so I'm working with [Chief of Staff] David Bunis '83 and people in our department about creating that transition plan," said Burger.