Residence Life and Housing is currently conducting a search to find a new director. In order to receive opinions from student residents, several open sessions were held in order to provide feedback about the candidates.
Currently, there are three candidates seeking the position — Amanda Stonecipher, Scott Iverson and Matthew Kerch.
Stonecipher spoke at an open session on Feb. 6, while Kerch spoke on Feb. 9. Iverson’s open session was on Feb. 8.
Iverson is currently the assistant director of summer operations and apartment living at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
“My experience and the opportunities offered with my experience and what I have to offer seems like a really good fit,” Iverson said.
Iverson was the assistant director of residence at North Carolina State and director of Campus Life at both Louis University and University of Maryland College Park.
“Working at larger universities allowed me to see what was successful,” Iverson said. “I do have some small school experience, as well, but working here at a smaller campus will help us work together and interact and engage better. A smaller office is fine.”
Iverson said one of the reasons he is interested in IU Southeast is to bring light on health education and other issues.
“I am interested in shaping students at this important time in their lives,” Iverson said.
Iverson explained three goals he would like to accomplish in the first month of working at IU Southeast.
“I would like to learn about departments as much as possible,” Iverson said. “I want to look down at assessment results, gather that information and talk to people. We are here for students and here for student environment.”
Iverson said he would reach out to the people who support the residence department. He would also find the coalitions and partners associated with residence and interact with them.
“I am approachable,” Iverson said. “I want you to know who I am. I need to be able to hear what you have to say.”
One concern from two faculty members in the audience was the lack of tradition on IUS small-scale residence life.
Iverson gave a recent example of how he started a tradition at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
“During final exams there weren’t any stress relief activities,” Iverson said. “We surveyed students and found that stress was a big issue for them. We then did an exam support fair with games, a craft table, massage station, pizza forum, study pamphlets and handouts.”
This is now a four-year tradition where Iverson takes student feedback each year and learns how to make the event better.
Iverson also discussed his role in summer conferences and ability to advertise a school and get its name out.
“We are not able to discuss our opinions or give feedback at the moment because we are still interviewing candidates,” Denise Jones, payroll system supervisor for Human Resources, said.
Results of the hired candidate will be released within the next two weeks.
By AMIRA ASAD
Staff
aasad@umail.iu.edu
