Williamstown – Williams College President Morton O. Schapiro announced several administrative-level job changes in an Aug. 24 letter sent to members of the college community. The changes are bringing two new posts to the college’s senior-level administrative tier while also eliminating the title last held by former college Vice-president of Administration and Treasurer Helen Ouellette.
The changes came as a result of a review of the college’s “organizational structure†that followed the resignation of Ouellette earlier this year.
"When reporting to you the interim arrangements after Helen Ouellette’s leaving, I pointed out that such an opening at a senior level afforded an opportunity to think about our organizational structure and whether it was as efficient and effective as it could be,†Schapiro wrote.
The “vice-president of administration and treasurer†will become “vice-president of operations,†according to Schapiro’s letter. Responsibilities associated with the new position include overseeing conferences, dining services, facilities, human resources, and additional non-financial business functions.
College Provost Catharine Hill was named the college Chief Financial Officer, and the college Office of the Controller will report to Hill under the restructuring, Schapiro said in the letter. Previously, the Provost’s Office handled budgetary matters and the post held by Ouellette handled financial duties including financial management and accounting; those responsibilities are being consolidated and will now fall under Hill’s purview.
Other responsibilities handled by Ouellette are being divided among several existing positions, the letter stated.
College officials are launching a national search for qualified applicants for the Vice-president of Operations post as well as applicants for a newly-created Vice-president of Investments post.
Search committees for the two jobs are being formed. The chairwoman for the vice-president of investments committee is Hill, while Thomas Kohut is heading the committee seeking a vice-president of operations.
Jo Proctor of the college’s Office of Public Affairs said that the changes reflect a shift in the administrative structure of the college.
“It’s a reorganization of responsibilities,†Proctor said during an Aug. 25 interview. “This is a management decision, not a financial one.â€
Ouellette’s resignation was announced on May 12. Ouellette had served as Williams College Vice-president of Administration and Treasurer since 1998, and said at the time of her resignation that she had no definite plans for the future but was considering several options.
Susan Bush may be contacted via e-mail at suebush123@adelphia.net or at 802-823-9367.
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Pittsfield Council Passes $232.7M Budget
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council unanimously approved a $232.7 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
It is a modest, almost 2.9 percent increase from FY26.
"I do want to give the community kind of a heads up as we move forward on budgets. What we see coming out of the federal government that's trickling down to the states, it's going to be harder and harder for us as a community to meet our needs under the Proposition 2 1/2," Councilor at Large Alisa Costa said.
"We're going to have challenges, as we've seen communities across the state trying to override the Proposition 2 1/2, because we have dwindling amounts of money coming from the state and federal government."
She pointed out that, at the same time, utility bills are going up for both residents and the city, as are the costs of pavement and other items.
The amended budget of $232,777,720, down from the $232,782,090 originally proposed, includes cuts to the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the restoration of funds for councilors to attend the annual Massachusetts Municipal Association conference.
The Pittsfield Public Schools' $86,855,061 budget includes $68,886,061 in state Chapter 70 funding and $18 million from the city. With $345,000 in school choice and Richmond tuition revenues, it totals $87,200,061 and is an approximately $300,000 increase from the Pittsfield Public Schools' FY26 budget of $86.9 million.
The district's budget will fund 13 schools, as Morningside Community School will retire in the fall, and includes the middle school restructuring.
Councilors also approved the use of $2 million in certified free cash to reduce the tax rate, and appropriated $450,551 for parking-related expenditures.
Cassidy Flynn scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in the circle as Lenox upset top-seeded Hoosac Valley, 3-2, in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament. click for more
Brayden Durant struck out seven and walked one in a complete-game effort on the mound Saturday to pitch the Drury baseball team to a 6-0 win over Keefe Tech in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field. click for more
Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
Gracelyn Wright struck out eight, and Genevieve Lagess went 3-for-5 with four runs batted in as the Hurricanes beat Monson, 17-3, to claim their first Western Mass title in four years. click for more
For the boys, Ward Bianchi helped lead the way with a win in the shot put and a second place in the javelin as the Mounties finished 16 points ahead of runner-up Pittsfield (pending the results of the pole vault, which were unavailable at 11 p.m. Friday night). click for more
