The third and last candidate for dean of students stepped onto campus and shared personal experiences he hoped would resonate with Ohio University students.
Greg MacVarish, associate vice president of Student Affairs at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, spoke with OU students Tuesday night about his perspective on what he could bring to the dean of students position.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to be part of a significant and strong community,” MacVarish said during an interview. MacVarish is one of three finalists for the position. Jenny Hall-Jones, OU’s interim dean of students, and J. Malcolm Smith, assistant dean of students at the University of Illinois at Chicago, both held their forums within the past two weeks.
OU Vice President for Student Affairs Ryan Lombardi made $129,502 as dean of students during the 2011–12 school year before replacing Kent Smith, who took a position as president at Langston University in Oklahoma. Hall-Jones makes $100,000 as interim dean of students. OU plans to offer the new dean of students between $89,987 and $156,235, according to a previous Post article.
MacVarish holds a bachelor’s degree in management from Keene State College in New Hampshire and a master’s degree in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University.
“The position of the dean of students is to empower students to use their voice,” he said. “It does mean that the student has a voice at the table (with administrators).”
MacVarish has a significant amount of experience with the LGBTA community, something he said is close and personal to him, and added that he hopes to get the opportunity to work with students who have not yet come out.
“I identify as gay,” he said during the interview. “I’m very committed to seeking ways to engage with students. … I want them to own who they are and inspire them to be successful and not compromise who they are as a person.”
Giles Allen, a senior studying business law and Student Senate’s Governmental Affairs commissioner, attended all three dean of students forums and said the decision will not be an easy one to make.
“We have a very strong pool of applicants,” Allen said. “I think we’re lucky to have three exceptional candidates. I have full faith in (Vice President for Student Affairs) Lombardi that he will make the right decision.”
There is currently no planned date to announce the new dean of students.
Sean Martin, a senior studying applied mathematics, said he believed MacVarish and the other candidates are all qualified to become the next dean of students.
“This will be a difficult decision,” Martin said. “Lombardi knows what kind of person is needed to fill the position. I trust him.”
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