Dean of students search begins

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Paul Barrows has announced the appointment of a search and screen committee to select a new dean of students.

After receiving applications and nominations and reviewing candidate materials, the committee will conduct interviews with a select group of candidates before narrowing the field to three to five unranked finalists. The list of finalists will be forwarded for consideration to Barrows and Chancellor John Wiley, who are expected to select a new dean sometime this summer.

The new dean will succeed Alicia Chávez, who left the office in January to return to the faculty. Roger Howard, associate dean emeritus, is serving as interim dean until the selection process is completed.

Julie D’Acci, professor of communication arts and women’s studies in the College of Letters and Science, will co-chair the 15-member search and screen committee with Jessica Miller, chair of the Associated Students of Madison.

The committee will be organized in the same manner as the dean search in 1999, with equal representation of five students, five academic staff members and five faculty. The other members include:

• Students Fatima Ashraf, Alexander Conant, Darren Martin and Emily McWilliams.
• Academic staff members Sara Hinkel, LGBT issues coordinator in the Dean of Students office; Linda Newman, chair of the Academic Staff Executive Committee and a senior student services coordinator in the School of Education; Kathleen Poi, executive director of University Health Services; Mercedes Ramirez-Fernandez, advisor in the College of Letters and Science; and Papa Demba Sarr, advisor in the Dean of Students office.
• Faculty members Colleen Capper, professor of educational administration in the School of Education; Stanlie James, professor of Afro-American studies in the School of Education; David Nelson, professor of biochemistry in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences; Stephen Quintana, professor of counseling psychology in the School of Education.

David Musolf, secretary of the faculty, will staff the search committee. Wiley and Barrows met the committee Feb. 26 and outlined its charge.

The dean of students oversees student life and services for the university’s 40,000 students. Among the many responsibilities of the position are fostering a healthy and diverse campus climate, advocating for student needs and providing support services for students.

The deadline for applications and nominations will be April 1, but later applications and nominations may also be considered. The salary range for the new dean has not yet been set.