The message below was sent by Eleanor JB Daugherty, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students, to students on all campuses on November 9, 2022
Subject: Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Changes..
Dear Huskies,
Thank you, David Bowie, for the intro.
It’s time for you to get to know two friends of mine:
Fany DeJesús Hannon (soon to be Dr.!), is the current Director of PRLAAC, friend, and colleague of mine for the last 8 years. She will be taking on the role of Interim Dean of Students. Her fierceness and compassion have already been demonstrated over her time at UConn and will only be more beneficial to all our students in this role. Fany already knows and serves our students on all the campuses and I’m so grateful for the added impact she will have in this role. Expect to see the impact of Fany’s leadership at the Dean of Students office, Student Life Board meetings, Bias Action Group, Dean of Student Advisory Group and all of these important places where I have been present to represent students and their needs to University leadership.
Dr. Pam Schipani, newly named Interim Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, will take on much of the remaining areas I supervise including Residential Life, Off-Campus and Commuter Student Service, Student Care and Concern, and Community Standards. Pam is also a familiar face to many of you having supported UConn students for decades, most recently in her role as Executive Director of Residential Life. Pam’s leadership on my team has enabled such important projects as the development of a residential program on the Stamford campus and our current partnership with UPDC on the South project.
As the university continues to prioritize access to appropriate health care for all of our students and resolve health inequity, Michael Gilbert and I have agreed that it is best for Student Health & Wellness (SHaW) to report directly to the Vice President of Student Affairs.
I’m thrilled that both leaders will be attending my upcoming Dean of Students Advisory meeting next Thursday at 5:30pm and encourage all of you to attend.
Updates from the Task Force for Combating Sexual Violence and Supporting our Students
As you know the report was finalized and approved earlier this year. The task now, for all of us, is to ensure that the recommendations are implemented. The Task Force reconvened for updates last week and will meet again in March. To date, the following items are complete:
- LiveSafe app is up and live for all UConn students, all campuses (more info here)
- Mutual No Contact Directives are now significantly easier and faster to obtain. Language on our websites has been clarified to indicate an order can be obtained regardless of whether a conduct case is proceeding.
- Title IX brochures in a number of languages are available throughout the campuses and here.
- The Office of the Vice President of Research has named sexual violence on college and university campuses a research priority area and is currently accepting proposals.
To date, the following items are in progress:
- Expansion of Pack Leader Program (please apply if interested!).
- Positions approved and posted in the Dean of Students and the Office of Institutional Equity to hire additional staff focusing on Title IX matters (OIE) and bystander education (DOS). Once hired, the University will have the capacity to proceed with the recommendations focusing upon expansion of programs (see Education and Training) and assess our Title IX and related processes and trainings (see Assessment and Accountability).
- Communications and the Web Development Lab have partnered to review and redesign our presentation of information of resources.
- An exploratory group, led by the Provost’s Office, has been formed to develop a recommendation for a research center focusing on sexual violence on college and university campuses.
As my time comes to a close, I find myself walking our campuses so grateful to all of you for all that you give to UConn. As students, our belief in you and the future you create are the reasons why we serve in these roles. Enjoy this time together and the holiday break ahead.
All good things,
Eleanor JB Daugherty, EdD
Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students
University of Connecticut
For more information, contact: Janice Canniff at janice.canniff@uconn.edu