After retiring at the end of last December, former Dean of Student Financial Services Peter Giumette has returned to Brandeis in a new role. Serving as Senior Advisor to Interim President Lynch, Giumette has a new set of duties he seeks to accomplish.

“I am responsible, along with the Director of Special Programs Orla O’Brien, for the Board of Trustees on their daily operations,” Giumette shared with The Brandeis Hoot in an email, serving as a liaison between the president’s office and the board. “I will also be involved in President Lynch’s initiatives on diversity and sustainability, as well as the everyday operations of the Office of the President.”

Giumette has already begun work on the sustainability initiative, after talking to members of the undergraduate divestment movement at Interim President Lynch’s first Town Hall meeting Wednesday night, Sept. 9 in Levin Ballroom. After one student asked Lynch her thoughts on divestment and the university’s portfolio as an economist, Lynch directed the student to speak with Giumette. He is putting together a group of students, faculty and staff who are interested in the divestment issue.

After his position in Student Financial Services was eliminated at the end of last year, Giumette decided to retire. Lynch later came to him asking if he would be interested in helping with the administration, in a position that holds a one-year commitment. Giumette will finish with his commitment at the end of June 2016, coinciding with the end of Lynch’s term.

“I frankly jumped at the opportunity to work in her administration and play some small part in helping her to accomplish her goals,” Giumette stated in his email. “It also gave me an opportunity to return to the place where I had spent over two decades in various roles to make a Brandeis education possible for so many students and their families,” in reference to his time at Student Financial Services.

Giumette looks back on his service in Student Financial Services with great fondness and cited it as a major reason why he was willing to return. “Returning to Brandeis provides me with an opportunity to work again with the amazing students, faculty and staff which make up our community.” He also hopes that his prior experience working at Brandeis will be a “benefit” to his new role as senior advisor, yet he acknowledges that this position will present new challenges. “This position provides a much different perspective on the university,” since he will be working in a different office with a different team.

While his only regret is “occasionally my commute,” Giumette reiterates that his goal for the upcoming year is “to help President Lynch achieve her goals and to have my past experience inform my current position.”