Hong leaving UW-Madison for Arizona State campus

Luoluo Hong, dean of students at the UW–Madison, has accepted a position at Arizona State University beginning Aug. 1, Chancellor John. D. Wiley announced today (June 13).

Wiley has appointed Lori Berquam, associate dean of students since May 2003, as interim dean effective July 1. A search for a permanent dean will begin. Berquam will not be a candidate.

“It is with regret that I accept Dean Hong’s resignation, as she has made terrific contributions in her relatively short time here, beginning the day she arrived on campus,” Wiley says. “She has provided outstanding leadership for the Offices of the Dean of Students, restored visibility and credibility to the position, served as a reliable advocate for all students and truly worked toward making campus a more welcoming place.”

Hong, who joined UW–Madison in November 2002, will become the dean of student affairs for the West Campus at Arizona State in Glendale, Ariz., near Phoenix.

“There are certainly many wonderful friends and supportive colleagues that I will miss from UW–Madison, yet this is an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me professionally that I just can’t pass up,” Hong says, adding that she “has the chance to serve as the chief student affairs officer and will oversee a very comprehensive portfolio of student life, development and support programs.

“Because the campus is only 20 years old, I will be able to lead a highly motivated staff team in essentially building a student affairs division for the 21st century from the ground up,” Hong says.

Her decision to leave UW–Madison, Hong says, was influenced by the state of Wisconsin’s lack of commitment to higher education, which manifests itself in a continuous struggle for fiscal and staff resources, and by difficulty recruiting staff because the university currently is not able to provide benefits to domestic partners.

“In my three years here, I have seen a complete turnaround from what I thought higher education was all about in this state, ” Hong says.

She adds that the state of Arizona is experiencing fast population growth, especially in Glendale, where ASU West is located. With a 28 percent minority enrollment, the campus is facing rapidly rising enrollments as a result of the state’s growth, says Hong. “There’s an incredible commitment there for expansion and improvement, as well as an enthusiastic vision – both at the campus and state levels – toward developing the institution into a top-tier Research I university in the next decade.”

Hong says the move also has compelling personal benefits – excellent weather for outdoor activities, a very diverse metropolitan setting, her parents close by in the same city and an opportunity for her partner, Chris, to complete his master’s in social work degree with tuition remission.

“I imagine that my convertible top will be down all the time and I’ll be wearing open-toed shoes just about every day,” Hong says.