<p>While picking up my son yesterday after semester finals, he told me there was an e-mail several days ago that Jim Larimore is leaving to work with retiring president Al Bloom at NYU Abu Dhabi. I haven't seen this information yet on the Swarthmore web site. I was surprised since Larimore is completing only his third year at the college.</p>
<p>Just confirmed that with my son, who just got home after his sophomore year. His reaction was that he had heard Larimore was leaving, but didn’t really know what he did. That’s not unusual, I guess. Unless you’ve got major problems perhaps most students don’t know what the Dean of Students does. </p>
<p>It’s too bad Jim Larimore is leaving; I like him and thought he was a very good hire for the college. I wonder what the inside scoop is?</p>
<p>What I’ve been hearing is that Al Bloom was very persuasive about the Abu Dhabi job. </p>
<p>I like Larimore too; I’m sorry to see him go. And I’m not thrilled about having a new president and new dean of students start at the same time.</p>
<p>From talking to professors, it seems there is some debate about whether Al Bloom courted Larimore or Larimore courted Bloom for the position. And we are all dying to know more of the story.</p>