By KARLEIGH YANCY/Editor in chief
On Tuesday, Sept. 16, Dr. Julie Philley, president of the University of Texas at Tyler, sent out an email stating that effective immediately, three members of the Division of Student Success are “no longer serving in their roles.”
The staff relieved of their duties are Senior Vice President for Student Success Ona Tolliver, Associate Vice President/Dean of Students Andrew Pettee, and Director of Student Conduct and Intervention David Hill, according to the email from Dr. Philley.
No reason for the dismissal was given in the email from Dr. Philley’s office.
According to the UT Tyler website; “The University of Texas at Tyler Student Success Division creates an engaging student experience and supports student success and the mission of the University through high-quality, effective services, and programs that encourage student engagement and cultivate civic responsibility.”
In a post made to his public Facebook account, Hill stated that his tenure at UT Tyler was “a good run. Well, except for the unceremonious butt-first exit at the end.” He later went on to disclose some of his areas of expertise, including campus administration, investigation, and Title IX.
Sam Ferguson, the current director of athletics, will serve as the interim vice president for Student Success, while Dr. Maggie Ruelle will serve as interim dean of students. Dr. Ruelle also currently serves as the associate dean for student affairs for the School of Nursing. At the time of publication, there is no information on who will be assuming Hill’s role.
Talon Student Media reached out to UT Tyler for comment. They have not responded at the time of publication.
I hope I don’t get fired for this comment. It would be helpful if faculty and staff knew a reason behind the firings, so that we could make sure we don’t make the same mistakes. Let this be a teachable moment, not a distracting excuse to speculate.