The Hamline community was notified of the departure of CFO and Vice President of Finance and Administration Brent Gustafson’s departure from campus via email from the president’s office on Nov. 3.
Gustafson says that there were personal and professional reasons he chose to leave Hamline at this time.
“My family and I felt like this was the right time and the right opportunity for a relocation, but it’s a nontrivial change, and not an easy decision, of course,” Gustafson wrote in an email.“ As a Hamline alum, I have a great deal of affinity for this institution, its amazing students and my great colleagues here. I’ll miss it for sure.”
Along with the announcement of his departure, President Miller announced that Kathy Mann Arnott and Steve Rose would be filling in for Gustafson until a new VP for Finance and Administration is found. Mann Arnott declined The Oracle’s request for an interview on behalf of herself and Rose, but Mann Arnott shared that both of them are ready to step up to the interim role.
“The two of us will provide support to the University and President Miller until a new Vice President for Finance and Administration is appointed,” Mann Arnott wrote in an email. “ We expect to work closely with the President, her leadership team, members of the Office of Finance and Administration, faculty, staff and students in the coming weeks toward that goal.”
Interim Provost Andy Rundquist works closely with the office of Finance and Administration and sees the need for this important position to be filled responsibly.
“Having Brent Gustusfson leave is a hit, and we have to figure out, how are we going to manage until we can get a new person in that position?” Rundquist said. “We knew that the main players of that were gonna be the people who were already reporting to Brent and anyone else who really is right in the midst of the conversations around finance and budget and all of that leadership stuff.”
Rundquist has worked closely with Mann Arnott over the past two years. His office created her current title, Director of Academic Finance, and has been impressed with her work in the academic side of finance.
“What’s so great about [Kathy Mann Arnott] and Steve [Rose] taking over is that at least some of the areas of the institution don’t have a lot of learning curve,” Rundquist said. “So, I think that recognizing what the two of them are able to do, to help us get through until we have a more permanent Vice President of Administration and Finance, I think it’s a great place to be in.”
Brent Gustafson shared similar sentiments in his email to The Oracle of confidence in Rose and Mann Arnott’s ability to step into the new responsibilities.
“Kathy Mann Arnott and Steve Rose have been terrific colleagues of mine in my time here, and they are both deeply knowledgeable and experienced on a wide range of financial matters at Hamline,” Gustafson said. “The University is fortunate to have their skills and expertise, even though some of the duties they’ll be picking up will be new. We’re working closely on a range of topics to try to ensure a smooth transition.”