Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions James Nondorf officially announced his departure today after accepting his position as vice president and dean of college admissions and financial aid at the University of Chicago, effective July 1. The position will entail responsibility for all aspects of student recruitment and admissions processes, as well as financial aid policies and practices.
Nondorf has served Rensselaer for nearly three years, working in the admissions department. Before coming to RPI, he worked for six years at Yale University, where he served as director of student outreach and associate director of admissions. Nondorf earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale and a master’s degree with a concentration in ethics from Valpariso University. He also invested himself in a charter school in Tampa, Fla., as a founding teacher prior to working at the Institute. He has also done significant work in the field of technology, both founding and running start-up web companies.
Recently, students have associated Nondorf with the Residence Life debacle involving reduced resident assistant compensation. Some members of the community questioned his involvement in the decision to modify current student pay. To address these concerns, he published a response following the “Uprise at Five” demonstration, saying he was “disappointed to see a protest on this topic.”
His major goal before he departs to the University of Chicago, however, lies in finishing a strong year in admissions. He said that Director of Undergraduate Admissions Karen Long and Director of Graduate Admissions George Robbins have been “absolutely wonderful” with admissions and financial aid, and he feels confident they will continue to support a strong admissions process.
Nondorf also said he will be working with President Shirley Ann Jackson to make the transition process as easy and smooth as possible. He is planning to document much of the new admissions and financial aid processes that have been incorporated since he began at RPI, and will continue to reach out to his colleagues before he leaves. In addition, he will be continuing to implement his portfolios Performance Plan for the rest of his tenure here at RPI.
Nondorf would like to thank those who have worked with him in the past few years and supported his efforts. He happily reported, “It has truly been a team effort, and I have enjoyed my time here.”
One of his main incentives for accepting the new position at the University of Chicago entailed his childhood in Hammond, Ind. He is excited about going back to a familiar place, where all of his family lives within one hour of the UChicago campus. He added, “I am more of a liberal arts guy,” clarifying that the University of Chicago’s core curriculum would simply attract a group of students he is more attuned to. “The University of Chicago’s students are known for their unwavering dedication and devotion to academics,” Nondorf said, inspired and excited to work with a new group of students. “I’m looking forward to talking with the brightest students in the nation about the University of Chicago. Chicago has an amazing story to tell prospective students and their families, and it will be an honor to work with our faculty, students, alumni and staff to ensure students hear that message.”
The University of Chicago is excited to have Nondorf stepping in, citing both his background in the liberal arts and general past life experience near the university as supplements to his passion for admissions at the school.
In an e-mail sent to the RPI community list, Jackson stated, “While I will miss [Nondorf’s] unwavering enthusiasm and commitment to Rensselaer students both present and future, I wish him the best as he anticipates this exciting new career opportunity.”
