Marlene Hall began her tenure Monday as Syracuse University’s new director of the Department of Public Safety.

Hall was officially announced on December 19th, ending a nationwide search that began in May. In early November the search was narrowed down to four candidates, including then-acting chief William Ferguson as well as former Villanova Public Safety Chief Jeffery Horton and former Truman State University Public Safety Director Lisa Sprauge.

“Syracuse was on my high priority list,” Hall said. “I was very anxious to hear their decision.”

Each candidate spoke at their own open student forum and was interviewed by a board of students and faculty who then made a recommendation to Vice President of Human Services and Government Relations Eleanor Ware. She then decided on Hall.

Ware was not available for comment.

Although the ultimate decision was up to Ware, Dean of Students Anastasia Urtz headed the search committee and explained its choice.

‘What the committee found was that Ms. Hall represented broad support from the campus community and struck up a good rapport with the students she interacted with,’ Urtz said.

Hall was deputy chief of the LaVergne, Tenn., police department and head of the Crime Prevention Division of Vanderbilt University and Medical Center.

She said she looks forward to getting to know the campus and the community as well as prioritizing the needs of the Public Safety department.

Also announced with Hall’s hiring was the appointment of Ferguson to deputy director of Public Safety and Drew Buske to captain of patrol and investigation. Buske had been acting as deputy director.

Hall said she has only had one brief, “pleasant” conversation with Ferguson, but looks forward to working with him.

The position originally became vacant when former Chief Robert T. Robertson left for personal reasons in January of 2001. Ferguson was named acting chief that same month. He was previously the deputy chief.

Ferguson is out of the country and was unavailable for comment on Monday. He is expected to return today.

Student Association President Colin Seale, who also assumed his position over the winter break, has not yet met with Hall but looks forward to setting an appointment. He said he thought the appointment of a permanent chief was needed.

“Having an acting chief looked really bad on the administration,” said Seale, a sophomore computer science major.

SU spokesman Kevin Morrow cites Hall’s 19 years of experience in a similar position at Vanderbilt as proof that she can excel at her new post. He met with Hall on Monday and said he has confidence she will have little trouble in adjusting to life on the Hill.

“Marlene is very sharp,” Morrow said. “I have no doubt that she will do well at SU.”

Asst. News Editor Shawn Anderson contributed to this report.

Published on January 14, 2002 at 12:00 pm