Welcome to Ohio University, Ryan Lombardi!
Congratulations on your new position as the dean of students. Coming from Duke University, we don't know how familiar you are with the administrative culture here at OU, but we feel we ought to let you know what you're getting into before you start in May.
You've pledged to make the student perspective a top priority in your time at OU. Forgive us for our cynicism.
OU students have certainly fallen victim to administrative double-speak in the past. How could we forget the incident in the fall, when student government formed an advisory committee to provide input on how general fee funds should be used? The administration received the recommendations but sadly chose to ignore them, spawning many questions about the role of student input in campus affairs. Namely ' why don't students have any?
More recently, the Board of Trustees has reversed any progress that has been made with the way the presidential evaluation is conducted. For all practical purposes, the trustees have cut constituent groups out of the process ' not just students, but faculty and staff as well. We, The Post Editorial Board, have repeatedly called for a more inclusive evaluation, and to rehash the argument much here would be redundant. Feel free to search The Post's archives and see for yourself.
It's a tough nut to crack, but a new dean of students who truly seeks to connect with and empower students can't hurt.You said you plan to support an alcohol amnesty policy that will allow students to seek medical help without fear of disciplinary action and to prioritize Student Affairs programs if faced with budget cuts. Fancy that ' an administrator pursuing policies that put the students first.
You also said you want to continue to serve as an academic adviser. That's admirable ' Imagine an administrator who actually wants to work with students one-on-one.
I consider it my top priority to understand the place (where) I'm working from a student perspective
you said. We hope you can see that the student perspective at OU is one that has been frequently pushed aside or ignored altogether. We also hope you have the courage to make sure that perspective is known.
Your r+ 17
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To the newly appointed dean of students, Ryan Lombardi: WeG
