MSU will bid farewell to two more prominent administrators who are retiring or taking on new opportunities.

Gordon Stanley, assistant to the provost for Enrollment Management and director of Admissions will become director of counseling at Marist School, a private secondary school in Atlanta.

Barbara Steidle, assistant provost for undergraduate education is retiring, but will still be working as a consultant with MSU.

Donald Straney, a zoology professor and assistant to the provost for faculty development, announced his departure earlier in the summer.

Straney ended his 23 years of service at MSU by making a career move to California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, Calif., where he will be the dean of the College of Science.

“We’ve been blessed with extraordinary stability,” Provost Lou Anna Simon said. “Each in their own way has made great contributions.”

But Simon said their absences won’t create any kind of problems.

“Obviously there will be new people in these roles so, it will be different,” she said.

No replacements have been decided, but Simon said she hopes the positions will be filled by the fall.

Steidle’s position will be filled by two people. Registrar Linda Stanford has been named to take over Steidle’s assessment and academic services commitments. The other person has not been determined.

Replacements for both Steidle and Straney will be found internally, while candidates for Stanley’s position will be posted outside of the university.

Stanley ended his four years with MSU on July 11 and will begin his new position Aug. 11.

“This brings together different aspects of my background,” Stanley said. “And it gives me a chance to counsel students over an important period in their lives.”

Stanley received his masters in guidance and counseling and his doctorate in counseling psychology at Duke University.

MSU President M. Peter McPherson said Stanley’s interest in directly working with students will be beneficial to his new career path.

“He’s careful, and he’s very interested in students, as reflected by the career path he’s taken,” he said.

Steidle said she has seen significant changes in her 31-year tenure at MSU.

“I think one of the clear changes in the student body is the focus on careerism,” she said.

While working at MSU, Steidle said she hasn’t had time to do many things she wishes she could.

“I have lots of personal interest things that I’m going to be able to do now,” she said, especially since her daughter had a child last week.