2008 Woodie Awards
About Last Week
Identifying the ideal new dean
Jackie Ryan
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Opinion
Drew University has seen a lot of change over the past few years-especially among those who lead the school. A new president, a few new deans and lots of new ideas have kept the Drew community on its toes.
Students are constantly asked their opinions on everything from which administrative job candidates they like to what kind of food service they want to what they hope the University Center will look like in ten years.
The bulk of my four years at Drew has been both unsettling and exciting-which is good for a place that is meant to foster change and growth.
As a freshman, I witnessed the process of selecting a new president. I was far less involved then, and my knowledge of Drew and how it works was much smaller. I don't think I understood how the change in administration could really affect me. Mead Hall-where was that?
All I knew was that everyone loved Tom Kean and was sad to see him go. What I later realized was that the change in administration brought Drew a very different, very new perspective.
Whether you agree with the changes that President Bob Weisbuch has made or not, members of the Drew community must acknowledge that after the changeover, everything at Drew was being reevaluated. Questions that hadn't been asked in years were being explored.
The administration asked the community to come forward with proposals for the Presidential Initiative Fund. The SAT's were dropped, the student body increased in size and diversity and a new building was in the works.
Not everyone is happy with the results of these changes, but what's important was that the University was questioning itself and trying to find ways to keep the campus current and receptive to the needs of students.
Now we find ourselves with a changeover that is second only to that of a president. As Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Paolo Cucchi steps down, the Drew community is being asked once again to join in a search for a replacement. There are three candidates whom students had the chance to meet. As a senior far more involved in the University than I was four years ago, I have had the chance to meet each one.
Students are constantly asked their opinions on everything from which administrative job candidates they like to what kind of food service they want to what they hope the University Center will look like in ten years.
The bulk of my four years at Drew has been both unsettling and exciting-which is good for a place that is meant to foster change and growth.
As a freshman, I witnessed the process of selecting a new president. I was far less involved then, and my knowledge of Drew and how it works was much smaller. I don't think I understood how the change in administration could really affect me. Mead Hall-where was that?
All I knew was that everyone loved Tom Kean and was sad to see him go. What I later realized was that the change in administration brought Drew a very different, very new perspective.
Whether you agree with the changes that President Bob Weisbuch has made or not, members of the Drew community must acknowledge that after the changeover, everything at Drew was being reevaluated. Questions that hadn't been asked in years were being explored.
The administration asked the community to come forward with proposals for the Presidential Initiative Fund. The SAT's were dropped, the student body increased in size and diversity and a new building was in the works.
Not everyone is happy with the results of these changes, but what's important was that the University was questioning itself and trying to find ways to keep the campus current and receptive to the needs of students.
Now we find ourselves with a changeover that is second only to that of a president. As Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Paolo Cucchi steps down, the Drew community is being asked once again to join in a search for a replacement. There are three candidates whom students had the chance to meet. As a senior far more involved in the University than I was four years ago, I have had the chance to meet each one.
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