Dean of Students Kathleen MacKay has announced she will be leaving Iowa State for personal reasons.

Associate Dean of Students Pete Englin will be acting as interim dean of students upon MacKay’s resignation, which is effective June 30.

However, MacKay said she will stay at Iowa State until July 11 to help Englin get situated with his new position.

“It’s a really hard decision,” MacKay said. “I will really miss the students and some of the faculty.”

MacKay, who has been dean of students at Iowa State for the last five years, recently applied but wasn’t selected for the position of vice president of Student Affairs at University of Wyoming, Laramie.

“I wasn’t a good match for that position,” MacKay said.

First on MacKay’s list of things to do is to visit her aging parents who live in Colorado.

“I am going to do personal things and also look for a job,” she said.

MacKay said she’s certain Iowa State will have very qualified candidates to fill her position.

“One of the great things about the job is being involved in almost everything,” MacKay said of being dean of students.

Vice President for Students Affairs Thomas Hill said MacKay was a very involved administrator.

“She started some things we need to pick up on and continue,” he said.

Most importantly, MacKay had an excellent rapport with ISU students, Hill said.

“She’s developed a relationship with students and student groups,” he said.

“She’s played a key role in a number of different initiatives.”

Hill said he is optimistic about Englin’s assuming MacKay’s role.

“He’s a good choice for the interim,” Hill said. “He has a good working knowledge of the students at Iowa State University.

“He’s had the opportunity to work with Kathy. He know what she has started, and he’s in a position to keep things going,” Hill said.

Englin said it will be a definite change to be in charge of every aspect of the university that encompasses students.

“The success of students has always been and will always be the No. 1 priority in the Dean of Students Office regardless of leadership,” he said.

He also said he’s looking forward to his new responsibilities.

“Serving in a leadership role on an interim basis will be a pleasure because of that staff group,” Englin said.

Englin said he has no plans to apply for the permanent position as dean of students.

Hill said Teresa Branch, the new assistant vice president for Student Affairs, will chair the search committee.

“She’s not scheduled to be here until Aug. 1, but we’ll get her input as to how to proceed,” Hill said.

The search will be nationwide, Hill said, but the committee won’t rule out candidates originating from Iowa State for the position.

“I would think optimistically by the spring semester, we’ll have a new dean,” Hill said.