Two houses to get new deans

The beginning of the new semester is always a time of transition, but students and faculty living in Hill and Gregory college houses will have to adjust to more than just moving back into their rooms and starting new classes. Former Hill College House Dean Tracy Feld and former Gregory College House Dean David Shengold both stepped down from their posts in December after announcing their resignations last fall. A search committee tapped Amy Pollock, the director of student development at Ramapo College in New Jersey, to replace Feld, effective February 1. And Anabelle Pelta, a Temple University staff member, will take over for Shengold January 18. Feld, 30, resigned after serving as assistant dean in residence for three years and as house dean for the fall semester. Hill Faculty Master Jim O'Donnell explained that Feld and her husband Steven -- who teaches in the Graduate School of Education -- decided to move on and buy a house of their own after she had the couple's first child last year. Neither Feld nor her husband could be reached this weekend for comment. Pollock worked at Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J., for eight years after earning her master's degree in Student Personnel Administration from Columbia University in New York. At Ramapo she worked with students and administrators as the assistant director of residence life and later as the director of student development. Pollock is also serving as the program director of Ramapo's study abroad program in London, a job that will keep her overseas until the end of the month. Until then, Hill Graduate Fellow Paul Grant and his fiancZe, Amy Singh, will serve as co-acting house deans. Grant said his duties will include recruiting upperclassmen to live in Hill, a mostly freshman dormitory, and assessing prospective graduate associates for next year. He also indicated that there are several "special programs" that he and Singh hope to implement, but would not elaborate on any details. Officials said they foresee no problems in the transition from one house dean to another and expect the interim house deans to ease into their new positions without a hitch. Director of College Houses and Academic Services David Brownlee expressed confidence that the transition period will be a smooth one. "The new deans are both very highly qualified people with huge amounts of experience," he said, adding that Feld left her residence in "apple-pie order." "We are counting on these people to hit the ground running." O'Donnell added that "the interim deans are keeping the lid on the building, making sure that the business gets done and that no problems arise." Several Hill residents said they consider Feld's resignation a big loss to the house. "Tracey had a huge presence in that place," said College senior Dave Futer, who worked as Feld's assistant. "She had this amazing talent of managing people and showing a huge amount of care and empathy," he added. Shengold, 39, said he resigned in order to focus on writing his doctoral dissertation in Slavic Studies. He is pursuing a degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Shengold's residents said they are sorry to see him go. "He's really there for you," said Jasmine Maldonado, a College freshman who lives in Van Pelt Manor, one of the two buildings that compose Gregory House. "He knows your name and always has a smile on his face." And College sophomore Arthur da Silva, a Modern Language House resident, said, "He's a really intelligent guy and he's very interesting to talk to. I'm going to miss having him as a neighbor." Although the students said they will miss Shengold's accessibility, they are hopeful about the future of Gregory College House. "It's not fair that I'm just getting here and he's leaving, but I don't think it'll affect me in any negative way," Maldonado said. "It's just a new experience -- that's what college is all about." Pelta, 43, Gregory's new house dean, earned her master's and doctoral degrees in art history from Penn. She then gained administrative experience as director of the Italian Studies Institute in Florence, Italy, and as the registration specialist for Temple University's music preparatory division. Pelta said she is happy to be returning to Penn because it is "a chance to come back into the academic community." She stressed her desire to become more involved in student services and academic advising while at the University. "Dr. Pelta seemed to me and the search committee to have especially strong qualifications for working closely with students, faculty and administrators in a community context," Gregory Faculty Master Robert Lucid said. Lucid said that while he and Pelta would discuss new house initiatives over the next few months, the major activity of a college house during the spring semester is to plan for the following year.