Dean of Admissions Mark Spencer will leave the University to become director of college advising at Deerfield Academy, a four-year college preparatory school in Deerfield, Mass at the end of the academic year.

According to Senior Vice President for Communications Ellen de Graffenreid, Spencer has not yet been replaced.

"We are carefully looking at every position that comes open as part of efforts to best serve our students and community with the best possible use of resources," wrote de Graffenreid in an email.

"[Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel] and Associate Vice President Carolina Figueroa will be working with the admissions team this summer to review the leadership roles within the team and determine how best to build on their track record of success," she continued.

De Graffenreid did not provide any details about Spencer's departure, but did write that "Deerfield Academy is one of the top prep schools in the nation."

Flagel declined to comment on either Spencer's departure or the process for selecting the dean's replacement, saying in an interview with the Justice that "personnel discussions have to go through [de Graffenreid], and that's just University policy ... Comment[ing] on personnel issues, as you can imagine, can become challenging in other instances."

Spencer declined to comment beyond confirming that he is leaving the University and taking the position at Deerfield Academy.

Spencer began his tenure as dean in fall 2010, replacing Jean Eddy, who had been serving both as dean of admissions and as senior vice president for students and enrollment. He presided over a mixed period for the University's admissions, which saw class sizes rise while the number of applicants fluctuated; applicant numbers both rose and fell in subsequent years.