Following the restructuring of a large division of administration when the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs (VCSA) stepped down from his position Nov. 4, University of Wisconsin announced a new position in the Offices of the Dean of Students.
Elton Crim, Jr., will serve as interim associate dean in the office until a search-and-screen committee is formed to find a permanent person for the position.
According to a UW release, the position will supervise several student organizations, including staff and advisers of the Associated Students of Madison; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center and the Multicultural Student Center. The position will additionally oversee internal operations of the division, the release stated.
After VCSA was disassembled, the office’s responsibilities were shifted to other areas on campus. The new position will help alleviate the added duties to the Dean of Students office.
“The reorganization has changed my job … We wanted to make sure [student programs] were not hurt in any way,” said Dean of Students Luoluo Hong, adding they ensured “top-level officials” were in leadership positions. “I hope the change makes sense to students.”
However, some students disagreed with some aspects of the reorganization.
Executive member of the MultiCultural Student Coalition Marla Delgado said she is frustrated that many of the VCSA’s responsibilities will be going to two different offices.
“[Dean Hong] is put in a tough position. She’s going to have less and less contact with students … because of her role,” Delgado said. “A lot of responsibility will be put on [the new position] … I think because a lot of students don’t know him, it will be more difficult.”
Delgado said administrators should have contacted students before reorganizing.
“Students weren’t involved, and they should have been,” she said, adding a Wisconsin statute gives students the right to be consulted with anything dealing with student life. “Nobody was ever told anything.”
The office VCSA previously oversaw departments including Undergraduate Admissions, Student Financial Services, Dean of Students, Registrar and several diversity initiative programs.
