Barrows to oversee student affairs

Paul W. Barrows, associate vice chancellor for academic services and campus diversity, has been named the university’s chief student affairs officer, Chancellor David Ward announced Monday, June 14.

Paul Barrows

The new position is an expansion of Barrows’ current responsibilities and carries the working title of vice chancellor for student affairs. He begins the new post July 1.

“This is an exciting opportunity for me, and it is a vote of confidence in me from the campus administration,” Barrows says. “I’m excited about the opportunity to provide leadership for the university in this very important area.”

As vice chancellor for student affairs, Barrows will continue to supervise the Registrar’s Office, the Office of Student Financial Services, Undergraduate Admissions and student diversity, and he will also oversee the Dean of Students Office and University Health Service. Previously, the Dean of Students reported to the chancellor, while UHS reported to the Dean of Students.

One of Barrows’ first tasks will be to assist the chancellor in selecting the next dean of students. The current dean, Mary Rouse, begins a new position Thursday, July 1, as assistant vice chancellor in charge of strengthening and expanding programs that connect classroom and service learning. Rouse will continue as dean of students until a new dean is named, which Barrows says should occur sometime this fall.

With Rouse’s job change, Ward says he decided to reorganize the university’s student-related functions under one vice chancellor. There are currently no plans to replace Barrows’ associate vice chancellor position.

“We have been an anomaly for many years, in that we are one of the few universities in the country that does not have an integrated office of student affairs,” Ward says. “Paul’s exceptional ability and experience will serve us well in this new administrative post. With his leadership, the university will be able to bring even more coordination, cooperation and focus to the key units that impact student life.”

As before, Barrows will report to Provost John Wiley, the university’s chief academic officer.

“Paul is a skilled administrator with a proven track record, and he has a strong management team working with him,” Wiley says. “We are fortunate that he has accepted this new challenge.”

Barrows began his career at UW–Madison in 1989 as a special assistant to former Chancellor Donna E. Shalala, providing campus leadership for the Madison Plan and other areas. He was named an associate dean in the Graduate School in 1991 before being promoted to associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and director of academic services in 1994. He was given the responsibility of campus diversity in 1997.

Barrows also is a faculty associate in the departments of history and African studies and teaches courses in both subjects.

Before joining UW–Madison, Barrows was executive director of the Committee for the Collegiate Education of Black and Minority Students at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Prior to that, he worked as a special assistant to the dean of the Graduate School at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Barrows earned a bachelor’s degree in Afro-American studies from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a master’s degree in African history and politics from the State University of New York at Albany, and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Barrows’ proposed salary for the new post is $126,500.