Berquam makes a big place seem smaller

Lori Berquam has served as interim dean of students since July 1, working on issues as varied as the university’s response to students in crisis, the Madison Halloween celebration and parental involvement in cases of dangerous drinking by students.

Berquam sat down with John Lucas of University Communications to talk about student affairs, serving as an “interim” and her goals for the remainder of the academic year. Part of the conversation follows.

Wisconsin Week: Comparing this year to your past experiences, how is this job different? What do you like and dislike?

Berquam: I think it’s a very pivotal position, in terms of really being an ear to students, an ear to faculty and an ear to staff. The dean of students is at the apex for all of them to cross. I serve in that capacity, and I feel like it’s a big responsibility. It was easy as the assistant or associate dean to allow that responsibility to go to the dean. I certainly did my job and loved my job, but this job has a lot more responsibility. I hope that I take that seriously and use the opportunity to advance the mission of the office and reconcile and work with our students, staff and faculty to engage in a better institution.

WW: Is it hard carrying an interim title? Does it make any difference to people around campus?

LB: You know, I feel very respectful of wanting to say that [interim], because I don’t want to misrepresent myself, but I don’t feel like it changes anything. It could change how people view me — not quite as valuable or whatever — but it does not change what I do.

WW: As far as the rest of the year, can you talk about what you hope to focus on?

LB: Having a safe year, being compassionate with our students, both students in crisis and our students who are doing well and are aspiring leaders, making sure we have contact with them and acknowledge and appreciate the contributions they have made to our institution. So a couple of things that we’re doing — we send congratulations to our students who have done something amazing — we may learn about them through a faculty member, staff member or the newspaper.

There certainly is some healing that needs to take place with the number of transitions that our office has gone through, so I’m trying to be a steady spirit in the office — being steady and being an anchor. There was something in one of the (student) newspapers about us being a rudderless ship, and I’m not so sure it’s rudderless. I really want to have an anchor and be grounded. With the services we’re providing, looking at the opportunity to integrate in and out of the classroom learning. Really trying to impact the campus in good ways and recognize some of the wonderful, amazing things that are happening, coupling that with being compassionate about student issues in crisis.

WW: Dating back three or four years, there has been a perception that the office has been in a state of flux. Does that trickle down to students? Does that have an impact on their day-to-day lives, or are they just name changes in Bascom?

LB: The first thing that comes to mind is that our student body is always changing, so they’re more used to change than we are. What has proved to be disconcerting to staff are the changes in leadership. Any time the captain of the team leaves for another team, I think it does leave the team a little unsettled. It’s not necessarily something that the team can’t manage or deal with, but it’s that feeling of impending uncertainty.

I hope I’m not going out on a limb here, but it’s good to be a familiar face in this job. I’m not entirely new, people know what to expect from me. I’m pretty upfront and honest, and I don’t pull punches. I’m genuine and authentic, and a successful person in this role needs to be those things. You can’t be all things to all people, but you have to be true to yourself.

WW: Are there ways the university could be doing a better job managing student affairs?

LB: My take on it is that we’re often reactive. We respond to a crisis, which we need to do. There’s a crisis with the number of detox transports, there’s a crisis with Halloween, a crisis with Mifflin, a crisis with a student suicide. What do we do that’s proactive to engage faculty, staff and students from a student life perspective? We’ve tried a couple of things — the leadership record, freshman interest groups — we’ve certainly tried some things.

But we don’t talk about them enough. Crises seem to sell newspapers. I really see us championing the effort to talk about learning outside the classroom. What we need to look at is more ways to do service-learning. How can we build better alliances with our faculty colleagues? I think there’s a lot of bridging and crossover that can be done that could be mutually beneficial for our students and faculty.

WW: What got you into student affairs?

LB: Originally, I was an athlete. I ran track and played field hockey so I wasn’t able to be an R.A. I got involved in student orgs and witnessed firsthand how in and out of the classroom staff and faculty had an impact on my life, so I wanted to have something similar. I coached field hockey at UW-La Crosse and did my grad work there. I really feel like athletics is an example of integrating in- and out-of-the-classroom learning. My involvement in the student life field wasn’t planned, but I think I witnessed firsthand the impact that staff had in my life, so that’s what turned the corner for me.

The University Housing program here is very strong, and one that I was excited to be a part of for seven years. From there, the position came open in the dean’s office, and that was another way to have impact on students’ lives.

WW: You’ve always been open about your sexual orientation. Does it come into play in the way that you do your job?

LB: The institution has been receptive to my thoughts and feedback as a lesbian — representing what my thoughts are personal — not representing all gay people or anything. But the institution has been open. They’d certainly like to expand domestic partner benefits.

Honestly, it has been a good experience, and I’ve felt like people are open to it, they’re welcoming, they ask questions. It hasn’t been something that’s been concerning or something that’s restricted me. I’ve tried to incorporate it in conversations funny ways — I’m a straight shooter for a gay person, or whatever. It also helps give our students permission, whether they may be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning, that it’s OK to be what you are.

WW: You’ve also been really open and willing to be a public face of the administration with students and in the media.

LB: I have to tell you, this is a wonderful job, and I love coming to work every day. I am often here or at an event late in the evening. That’s a critical component to the job, not to be available 24-7, but to spend time with students when they are learning or when they are having fun. It is through these interactions that I can encourage them to e-mail me or stop by if they have a question and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll find someone who can figure it out.

I have to tell you, talking to the roommate [of a student who recently died] was one of the hardest things. Nothing you ever do prepares you for that. All you can do is be sincere, deliver the message clearly and be there to listen. You can’t change the situation. I still have that student’s number in my cell phone. I e-mail her occasionally to check in. How important is this job? This job is important for those situations. This is a big place; making individual connections helps to make it feel a little smaller.

WW: Other best parts?

LB: The staff are fantastic; they’re fantastic people who believe in students and are here for students and have dedicated their entire lives working with students. We have a fantastic staff. They contribute to making the UW a richer place.