When Loftus students returned for the spring semester, many were surprised by the absence of their former RHD Keith Johnson. Johnson left the staff immediately after the end of the fall term, and, while many students asked questions regarding the terms of his departure, they were not able to be answered due to school policy. According to Assistant Vice Provost for Residential Life, Derek Zuckerman, the policy regarding confidentiality for past employees is very similar to the policy of not disclosing any kind of student records. Zuckerman stated, “it’s really up to the staff member or employee to disclose their situation.” Zuckerman spoke highly of Johnson’s great work for the college, stating “the thing that was really good about Keith was his commitment, and he certainly showed over and over that students came first.” Both the Loftus residents and Resident Assistants are certainly saddened by Johnson’s departure, but they are more concerned by the future of Loftus.  This explains why the office of Residential Life moved forward quickly in placing a new RHD in Loftus Hall. Shortly after Johnson’s departure, they posted a job listing on popular higher education employment websites, and quickly proceeded with looking at applications. During the first week of the closure of the residence halls, the office conducted half hour phone interviews with applicants, which resulted in the selection of three finalists. At this point, these finalists were invited to the Iona campus and interviewed by many members of the Iona faculty. The decision was an easy one, although Zuckerman stated that if they had not found the right person, they would have not hesitated to take the entire semester if necessary.  Their selection was Charlene Kasinski, who comes to us from Canisius College. The staff believes that, coming from a Jesuit college, Kasinski will have a good idea of how things are run at an institution such as Iona. When asked what traits really stuck out about Kasinski, Zuckerman cited her enthusiasm, stating “students are going to see that she is very excited about getting involved.”  While the transition to the new RHD will take some time, the office seems confident about the fact that Loftus will stay strong during this time of change. Kasinski begins her employment on Jan 30.