[Image courtesy of sbu.edu]
By Joe Pinter, @JPinter93
Rick Trietley has worn many different hats in his ten years at St. Bonaventure University. Through different job titles, one thing was always certain: his commitment to Bonaventure students.
Trietley, an Olean, N.Y. native and 1986 Bonaventure graduate, has been named vice president for Student Affairs, where he will report directly to university president Sr. Margaret.
“I view the new position as an expansion of my previous position as vice provost for Student Life,” Trietley said. “…With the change in report structure I will now have regular and consistent communications with Sr. Margaret which will provide her with a more in depth understanding of the issues, trends and best practices that are important to our student body.”
“Having more regular and direct engagement with Rick will enable me to better understand and articulate the opportunities for support as I interact with our alumni, donors, and external funding organizations, as well as a better understanding of the trends, issues and best practices that are important to our current students,” Sr. Margaret said.
Trietley’s past jobs at Bonaventure:
- U.S. Army ROTC Professor of Military Science (June 2003-June 2008)
- Director of Safety and Security (July 2008 – February 2009)
- Vice Provost for Student Life (February 2009- August 2013)
Trietley’s wife is also a Bonaventure graduate.
Additionally to reporting directly to Sr. Margaret, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is now under the Student Affairs Division, Trietley said. Student Affairs now consists of the Career and Professional Readiness Center; Safety and Security; Center for Student Wellness; Center for Activities, Recreation and Leadership; the Damietta Center; and Residential Living and Conduct.
“The vast array of services, educational opportunities and co-curricular opportunities provided by all seven of these departments will enhance the overall student experience and contribute greatly to student success,” Trietley said. “The Student Affairs staff and I welcome the Athletics Department to our team and look forward to the opportunities that this change provides.”
Trietley’s colleagues praised the promotion.
“In all of the roles he has played at the university, he has demonstrated tremendous leadership and collegiality,” said Emily Sinsabaugh, vice president for university relations. “He is highly organized, extraordinarily student-focused, and eager to take on a challenge.”
“I was particularly impressed, while he was director of safety and security, by the way he brought together our region’s law enforcement and emergency response personnel and organizations to create a Memorandum of Understanding that established an unprecedented level of coordination and support for St. Bonaventure University in terms of crisis management, training, and preparedness. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude for that and for his leadership in creating our crisis response plan.”
Sinsabaugh said Trietley either created or helped create various organizations such as the CPRC and the Wellness Center. He also co-chaired the team that created Bonaventure’s strategic plan, Your Teams – Our Extraordinary Future. Sinsabaugh also praised him for his work in strengthening Bonaventure’s Student Government Association.
Trietley attends every SGA meeting.
Abby Harrington, SGA’s executive vice president, has worked closely with Trietley.
She said Trietley often goes out of his way to be helpful to students and if she emails him, he almost always gets right back to her. She said she believes he truly has the students’ best interests in mind.
“Our university should be thankful having such a great person working alongside its students,” she said.
intrepidsbu.com 