After a limited internal search, Northwestern named Burgwell Howard permanent dean of students Wednesday.
Howard has served as interim dean of students for the past seven months. The position was formerly held by Mary Desler.
“I’m very excited,” Howard said. “Northwestern’s a fantastic place, and I get to work with fantastic students on a full-time basis.”
William Banis, vice president for student affairs, said the search committee received applications for the position from several people.
“I had the opportunity to speak widely and confidentially with students, faculty and staff,” Banis said. “There was very high consensus that we ought to retain (Howard) in the position and not expand the search.”
The committee tries to promote from within or make lateral transfers when possible, Banis said.
“Burgie has been here now for five years,” he said. “He knows our institution and the community. By all accounts, people wanted him to remain in the position so I’m very pleased.”
Serving as interim dean has been a learning experience, Howard said.
“I think any new job is like drinking from a fire hose,” he said. “I’ve definitely gotten my mouth full.”
Howard has had to interact with students “a lot” as interim dean, Associated Student Government President Mike McGee said.
Throughout his time at NU, Howard has improved student life and gotten involved with sustainability and Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming on campus, McGee said.
“His experience at NU over the last five years has set him up perfectly as the next dean of students,” he said.
Previously an assistant dean at Bowdoin College, Howard has “a very broad background in student affairs,” Banis said.
“He does a great job in coalition building and bringing people in groups together,” he said.
“He’s done really an outstanding job in reaching out to a wide variety of student groups and having a presence on campus.”
Howard created the March through the Arch event last fall with the Class of 2013, Banis said. He also worked to establish the Responsible Action Protocol, which considers amnesty for students who call 911 if a friend is dangerously intoxicated.
Howard is also a part of NU’s threat assessment team, which evaluates “students of concern,” Banis said.
“He’s typically the person who reaches out to that student,” he said. “He also processes all the medical outreach and the re-admits.”
McGee said Howard’s most significant challenges will arise from unforeseeable events.
“There’s a lot of things that can happen that are out of your control,” McGee said. “I know he’ll be able to handle it pretty well.”
The heavy workload of a quarter system is difficult for administrators, Banis said.
Other challenges facing the new dean include engaging in town-gown relations, keeping Dillo Day “safe and fun in a way that minimizes disturbances for Evanston neighbors” and strengthening relationships with students off-campus, Banis said.
“We’re looking at the culture, and we want to engage students less in student conduct issues and take more of a preventative approach by engaging students in dispute resolution with each other. That’ll be a multi-year effort,” he said.
Howard said his primary goal is to create community on campus and in Evanston.
“I want students to feel more that the University is really there to support their experience,” he said. “I think we have students who really absolutely love NU and some who just survive NU. I want people to feel connected to the place.”[email protected]
