Dean Ryan O’Neil recently resigned as Dean of Students; In the aftermath of this resignation, adjustments are being made to handle the interim period, as well as the future of the position
One shift comes in the form of Erik Kahl’s responsibilities as Union and CSIL Director being expanded into the Executive Director of Student Life. Kahl states this position is, “an expansion of my current portfolio, mainly the addition of ASUW, which had previously been supervised by Dean O’Neil. In time, we will ramp up additional efforts with marketing in the division of student affairs too.”
The shift on campus post O’Neil will likely be a large, but hopefully relatively smooth one. In terms of day-to-day student life, there will not be many immediate or jarring changes. Kahl adds,”in the short term, I don’t anticipate many noticeable shifts for our students within the Student Life portfolio (this including the Union, CSIL, and ASUW). Filling vacancies, supporting students and our Union team, maintaining our beloved Union, and providing great experiences for leadership, belonging, and student connections remain my focus”
Libby Thorson, Assistant Dean of Students and recently established Interim Dean of Students hopes that, “students are not negatively impacted. The Dean of Students Office and Residence life team continues to be available for students in supporting their holistic well being… I plan to work with our team in reviewing processes and approaches and initiate change in a way that best serves out students.”
In terms of the long term, “the plan is to build out greater assessment and evaluation of our programs and services and exploring ways to increase marketing efforts to tell our stories in ways that are meaningful to the offices/services and our various stakeholders,” says Kahl.
This departmental turnover, while unfortunate, is not unusual in the administration of not just UW but many universities. In terms of the interim role and how it will be handled until a new permanent dean is established, “For the time I have in the interim role, taking care of students and our staff are my main focus.” Thorson states.
Ultimately, both Kahl and Thorson, as well as the entire Dean of Students Office team, are striving to make the transition as seamless and smooth as possible. Thorson adds, “At this time I am also maintaining my previous role in supporting the student accountability team and managing care and outreach to students who have experienced sexual assault, relationship abuse, and stalking. I am excited to champion the good work already being done and to expand our network of resources and relationships that support student well-being and thriving at UW.”
“The thought of changes and transitions can be alarming,” Kahl denotes. This being said, the transition can be positive, “Often, vacancies also provide a chance to look at practices, services, staffing, structures, and operations a bit differently and through a fresh set of eyes which creates new possibilities. I am excited to explore what is possible to enhance the experience for student life at UW.”
