As students wander in and out of the WSA office everyday to collect their program funds, a stable presence welcomes them—Sadie the dog, Bob the cat, and Cari Macdermott, the WSA administrator. When the year ends, however, Macdermott will pack up her things (pets included), and begin her retired life after 28 years as the WSA administrator.
Starting the job in 1977, Macdermott has been in charge of the budget allocation from the Student Budget Committee, bookkeeping, and bill-paying ever since. With the number of bills to be paid amounting to about 50 every week, this is no small task. Looking back at her Wesleyan career, however, Macdermott is grateful for her opportunities to closely work with the student body.
“I’ll miss the students, absolutely,” she said. “I think they really appreciate whatever you do for them. They’re so smart, so energetic, and they have such wonderful program ideas. They like having their own space here, too. It’s not the cleanest or the neatest space, but they always appreciate it. And I think they love having a dog and a cat.”
The dog Sadie, a sixteen-year-old blind Rottweiler, accompanies Cari to work every day, making herself at home on a tattered pillow in Macdermott’s office on High Street. The cat Bob is a permanent resident of the WSA office, and sleeps by the stairs of the front entrance. This home-like atmosphere extends beyond the pets.
“Cari is really good at bringing the community together,” said Brittany Mitchell ’07, WSA treasurer, who has worked closely with Macdermott all semester. “She’s cheerful and welcoming and makes students feel comfortable. A lot of students come who miss their pets from home, and they’ll just hang out and talk to Cari and play with the animals.”
Replacing someone who has made a home out of her office has proven to be a challenge.
“Something that Cari specifically provides is her knowledge of the institutional history for the school, and particularly student groups,” Mitchell said. “She’s been here long enough for her to know a lot that students can’t know due to the high turnover rate of college.”
Nonetheless, in working to find a replacement, the WSA has narrowed the applicant pool down to three candidates who will be interviewed within the next week. After choosing a replacement, Macdermott will work to train the new administrator in her final weeks.
Despite her fond memories at Wesleyan and appreciation for the students, Macdermott is ready for the change of pace.
“I’m over retirement age,” Macdermott said with a laugh. “By three years.”
“Also, it’s time to really and truthfully try new things—read all the books I haven’t read, and work on the house I just bought,” she added. “I want to just explore.”
To commemorate Macdermott’s departure, “The Cari Macdermott Fund” has been established. This endowment fund is designed to go toward equal funding of both student programming and financial aid. The first fundraiser for the Cari Macdermott fund took place last Thursday at the Center for Film Studies, where “Ghostbusters” was shown for a $4 admission, and included $100 of raffle prizes. Around 80 students attended, for a combined $400 sum for the fund.
In the future, the WSA Vice-President will be responsible for an annual Cari Macdermott Fundraiser to contribute to the fund.
“She’s been such an important resource to us, because she knows so much more about our history than we do,” Mitchell said. “She’s also been very good at working with students and developing relationships that foster the students to be the leaders of those relationships. She lets students try out their own style instead of playing the dominant role.”
In leaving, Macdermott recognized the importance of continuing to fund student groups.
“I think we’re kind of unique here at Wesleyan in that the students are the ones in charge of creating these activities,” Macdermott said. “The students here have the autonomy that’s necessary to control their funds in the way that they see fit. I think that’s a really important thing to carry on.”
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