Sincerely, Lori: Restructuring of Housing & Residential Education
Dear Student Affairs Staff,
I want to share an important update with you regarding Housing & Residential Education. As the University of Utah continues to grow—welcoming more students and expanding our campus—we are making strategic adjustments to ensure we continue to provide the best experience for our students while also improving how we operate.
One of these changes involves the restructuring of Housing & Residential Education to better align with the university’s growth and evolving needs.
Finalized by July 1, 2025:
- Housing operations—including room assignments, facilities and business operations—will transition to Auxiliary Services, aligning with other campus housing functions. This will continue to report to Associate Vice President Sean Grube.
- Residential Education—including student programming, community development, conduct, and resident engagement—will remain in Student Affairs, ensuring a continued focus on student well-being and success. This area will report to Associate Vice President Jason Ramirez.
Although the transition will be finalized by the beginning of the next fiscal year, the planning and preparation will take place immediately. Throughout this planning process and after the change goes into effect, I want to assure you that we will maintain a strong and collaborative relationship between these two areas so that students continue to feel supported in all aspects of their on-campus living experience.
I know that with change comes uncertainty, and I want you to know that your questions, concerns, and insights matter. While many details are unknown, please bring your questions forward so we can do our best to answer them, and they may also help inform the process moving forward. You can submit questions at StudentAffairs@utah.edu or reach out to me directly.
I truly appreciate your patience and cooperation as we navigate this transition together.
Sincerely,
Lori McDonald, PhD
Vice President for Student Affairs