If Paul Wolansky could, he’d bring more than just memories of Northwestern to his new job at Oberlin College in Ohio this summer.
“If I could pick up Northwestern and drop it on the shore of Cleveland, I’d do it in an instant,” said Wolansky, associate director of campus activities and programs. “But the reality is it’s not going to happen.”
Wolansky has worked at NU for three years as the head of the Campus Activities Office, which helps student groups plan events by scheduling venues and signing contracts for speakers and bands. The only student-planned events his office doesn’t have a hand in are those coordinated by Hillel Cultural Life, For Members Only and Latino, Asian and Asian-American groups, he said.
Some student groups have criticized the office for taking too long to process contracts. A&O Productions Sen. Neil Shah said A&O would have liked Wolansky to appeal to the administration about speeding up the process.
“He can only do so much, I guess,” said Shah, a Weinberg senior. “In his position he has to enforce timelines equally between all groups.”
Wolansky said his office sometimes hits snags.
“With programming there’s a problem every day because there are so many details to manage,” he said.
When Wolansky came to NU in 1999, he focused on three goals: strengthening programming in Norris University Center, helping the Associated Student Government become more effective and developing leadership programs in campus activities.
“The day I walked in the door I saw that there were changes to be made,” he said. “That’s the beauty of campus activities – there’s always something to change.”
Since then, Wolansky has helped start Fast Break Fridays and Norris Days and has helped revive dormant programs such as Winter Carnival and Sibs-‘N’-Kids Weekend.
As ASG’s co-adviser, he worked to change senator training from a four-hour session on campus to a weekend retreat that gives students time to build a sense of camaraderie. He said he is impressed by the professionalism of senators, especially since they are students and not politicians.
“The student government here is really stronger than they know and stronger than the student body knows,” he said.
Rachel Lopez, ASG president, said she admires Wolansky’s dedication to student government. The ASG Senate plans to introduce a resolution commending him for his work at NU.
“He is wonderful in every way,” said Lopez, a Weinberg junior. “He always makes sure that we are doing our jobs to the best of our abilities.”
At Oberlin, he will become director of alumni regional activities and electronic communications when he takes over in July. Instead of working with students, he will be helping alumni set up local chapters and creating a Web site.
Wolansky, who grew up in Cleveland, said Oberlin is just 20 minutes from his home, and taking the position will let him spend more time with his family, including his 10 nieces and nephews.
