ohn Zajicek, former assistant director of Student Programs and Leadership (SP&L) at RWU, is no longer employed at the university.

When asked about the reason for his departure, John King, Vice President of Student Life, could not share any details “out of respect for [Zajicek’s] privacy.”

Students who work in SP&L found out suddenly after an email was sent out to the staff on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

Junior political science and journalism major, Noah Ashe, works as a shift leader at SP&L and said he was very surprised when he heard the news.

“I was shocked and surprised for sure, and I still am,” he said. “He was a big presence on this campus, and his departure was seen as a shock to many around him and those working in the SP&L office.”

Zajicek had quite a few responsibilities within SP&L, one of the main pieces being a coordinator for orientation. According to King, the other staff members in SP&L will be taking on these duties collectively.

Carol Sacchetti, director of SP&L, “is going to take the lead on working with a campus-wide committee including academic affairs on coordinating orientation for this January which is a small orientation, only about 30 students,” King said.

More importantly, she will also be heading the Orientation Advisor selection process for the university’s main orientation sessions, which will happen five times over the course of the summer.

Zajicek was also an adviser for the Campus Entertainment Network (CEN) and the Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA). Sean Ballard, assistant director of SP&L, and Rach Pozerski, coordinator of residence education for Willow Hall, will be co-advising SAGA.

King said that there are no concrete plans in place yet for the advisement of CEN, but guessed that Adrianne Harris, associate director of SP&L, and Gordon Wood, manager of event operations, would co-advise the organization.

The university is planning to move forward with a recruitment plan for his position, however the new hiree may not have the same responsibilities that Zajicek had collected during his seven years at the university.

“We do plan on bringing another person on board probably at the end of spring or early summer, if possible,” King said.