On July 1, Lasell University named Chief of Staff and General Counsel Jennifer OKeeffe as the Interim Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Athletics. This news came after Lasell decided to liquidate the Athletic Director position after the Spring semester of 2023.
Athletics is not the only program being restructured, however. Due to the hire of former provost and current president Eric Turner, former sports management professor and Vice President of Graduate and Professional Studies Chrystal Porter became the university’s new provost, while former dean of enrollment Chris Gray moved into a new role with the admissions office as associate vice president of enrollment management.
This shift affected many individuals, including Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs Dave Hennessey. Hennessey, who is currently overseeing the athletics department, credits much of the sports teams’ success to OKeeffe.
“Jen [OKeeffe] has done a phenomenal job keeping track of everything in our department,” said Hennessey. “We have seen tremendous success from all our administrators.”
While the athletics department has one of the largest staffs and budgets on campus, there has still been an increased workload for coaches and trainers, according to Hennessey.
“I have respect for all the workers,” Hennessey said. “Every time you get involved in something [new], you gain respect for it.”
As for the candidates to fulfill the AVP of athletics position, the department interviewed several individuals but has decided against an immediate hire. As part of the hiring process, meetings have been held between student organizations and the search committee to gain student perspective on the type of person best fit for the role.
Of the attendees was junior psychology major Caitlyn Smith, who serves as Vice President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Also a member of the field hockey team, Smith said that the meetings were very beneficial for her as a student athlete.
“As we met with the outside search committee it allowed for us to understand who we may be getting in the AVP position and also allowed for a group of student athletes to voice their opinions on what is important for the candidate to know as well as what our school needs,” said Smith.
She also said that she appreciates the efforts being taken to incorporate students in the decision-making process.
“I’m happy the school took into account the student opinions because I think it’s important for us to have a voice,” Smith said.
The university’s goal remains to have someone in that role before the end of the semester.
“I anticipate a new leader of athletics,” Hennessey said. “Athletics are very important here….The search is continuing.”
While Gray believes that there might be some future dilemmas that come with not having an athletic director, he sees no reason why it may immediately clash with the needs of coaches and players. Further, Gray believes there will be no negative influence on future student-athletes who consider applying to Lasell.
“I don’t think the athletic director vacancy has any impact on the coaches or on the prospective students' perception of the athletics department or the institution,” Gray said. “If the coach has a good relationship with the student, they’re going to understand that an athletic director, or any coach for that matter, can come in and out at any point in time. These changes happen all the time. It doesn’t stop the progress of the team, the program, or the department.”
When the department does decide on a final candidate to become the AVP of athletics, the main priority will be creating opportunities for student-athletes, and there will be a strong emphasis on recruitment. Meanwhile, promoting the Lasell brand and earning name recognition within and beyond the athletic realm is a mission that continues to define the university.
“Building those pipelines only grows the program and attracts more students…certainly a level of competitiveness as well, and at the same time, expands their reach,” said Gray. “You see coaches like Jeff [Vautrin] go all the way to Hawaii and California. It’s always amazing when students coming from that far away want to play volleyball for him. Just imagine the level of support that team provides a player who’s 3000 miles away from home.”
Regardless of their roles, both Gray and Hennessey have always made it a point to put the students first and improve the university as a whole.
“My goal is to make this a more active and vibrant community,” Hennessey said. “I want students to have a more enjoyable time on campus.”