Completing another step in the search for a University of Wisconsin dean of students, dean candidate Donald A. Schutt Jr. visited with students Wednesday night.
Schutt’s interview was the last in a series of four interviews with the candidates.
Paul Barrows, vice chancellor of student affairs, will help Chancellor John Wiley chose among the four finalists. He expects a new dean to be chosen by November.
Dean candidates met with students in the Multicultural Student Center to discuss campus issues.
“We’re looking for someone compassionate and genuine who is a good manager,” Barrows said. “This is one of the toughest jobs on campus.”
The talks with students ended the day for the candidates, who spent the morning and afternoon in interviews with faculty and staff.
“I want to keep this process moving right along,” Barrows said.
Barrows will act as the interim dean of students after the departure of interim dean Roger Howard.
The Candidates
IVOR EMMANUEL
Ivor Emmanuel has been the director of the Office of International Student Affairs at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign since 1987. During his Aug. 19 discussion with students, he called that job a microcosm of the dean-of-students position.
“It’s an applicable skills set to a larger population,” Emmanuel said.
He said that his experience with international students would be especially relevant given the events of Sept. 11.
“After 9/11, the landscape has changed in this country in respect to recruiting international students,” Emmanuel said. “[The University of Wisconsin] needs someone with a background in dealing with these issues.”
Emmanuel claimed he would bring much-needed energy to the dean position.
“There seems to be a lot of talk and not much action,” Emmanuel said. “This university needs a dean who will actively solve problems.”
RANDI SCHNEIDER
Randi Schneider, director of University Health Services at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, said the best part of her job is making an impact on students’ lives.
“People need to take the opportunity when they can to reach out to students,” Schneider said.
Schneider identified visibility as one of the most important challenges facing the new dean.
“It’s clearly a position that’s asking the future dean to be active and visible on campus,” Schneider said. “Whoever takes the position will have to accept that they do live in a fishbowl, but it’s better for students to know that we don’t spend all our time in an office.”
Schneider said her leadership style is relationship-based, and one of her priorities is getting to know all types of students and their needs.
“We tend to listen to the person who’s talking the loudest, but we need to pay attention to the students who aren’t talking,” Schneider said. “They may represent a larger portion of the student population.”
LUOLUO HONG
Hong, assistant vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Shepard College in West Virginia, called on her Chinese background to illustrate her capabilities for the position.
“The Chinese character for crisis comes from danger and opportunity,” she said. “I think it’s important not to shy away from conflict.”
This former student leader said she “craves direct contact with students” and would strive to make the dean of students’ office, known by many UW students as primarily a disciplinary area, more accessible for students.
“I don’t think I would necessarily represent students,” she said. “That would be arrogant. I think I’d be an advocate for students.”
Hong said she relies on her support network of friends and family to keep from getting stressed.
“And I need eight hours of sleep every night,” she added.
DONALD A. SCHUTT, JR.
Donald, A. Schutt, Jr., the only finalist who has worked at the University of Wisconsin, focused on understanding students in his discussion.
“Dialogues with students would allow me to hear student points of view and decide what’s within the realm of possibility to aid them,” Shutt said.
Schutt outlined his goals for the dean position. These included management of a large office, creating relationships with student groups, supporting student endeavors and long-term planning.
“I would ask myself, ‘What direction will our office need to take in the future to meet student needs?'” Schutt said.
Schutt also expressed concern over issues of campus climate.
“This should be a place where both white and colored students feel comfortable and at home,” Schutt said. “I’ve devoted a lot of my life to understanding the complexity of diversity issues.”
