President's Message: Lohe Appointed Interim Vice President for Student Development

12/19/2019

Dear Members of the SLU Community,

 

I write to let you know that I have appointed Dr. Debie Rudder Lohe, Director of SLU’s Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, as interim vice president of student development while a national search begins to identify a new permanent division executive. She will officially begin this role on January 1, 2020.

 

I recognize for some, especially those who have not yet had the privilege of getting to know Debie, that it may seem unconventional at first to have someone from academic affairs to serve as interim vice president of student development. Allow me to share briefly some key considerations from my consultation and discernment processes.

As I considered who could assume the temporary leadership role of the Division, three elements that were clear.  First, our students are our priority. Second, the departures of Dr. Kent Porterfield and Dr. Mona Hicks meant that we needed to minimize disruption and further role shuffling among leaders within the Division of Student Development. And finally, the Division has experienced and knowledgeable leaders throughout the unit who will continue to serve our students and to thrive during this transition with the support of a collaborative, inclusive, and values-driven leader.

 

This led me to consider Debie, a colleague with such a leadership style. Other key factors include:

 

• The ultimate goal of Debie’s work and that of the Reinert Center is to care for students by serving faculty and establishing strong partnerships across campus, especially within Student Development. This work serves to ensure an integrated academic experience for students.
• Debie’s commitment to mission, values, teamwork, leadership, and to working collaboratively across the University has been celebrated by her colleagues; she received the SLU Woman of the Year Award in 2018, the Student Development Collaborative Partner Award in 2017, and a SLU Stars Award (thanks to a nomination from Student Development Leadership) in 2017.
• Debie brings to this role almost 25 years of higher education experience and more than 10 years at SLU. During this time, she has participated in the AJCU Ignatian Colleagues Program, served as acting associate provost for faculty affairs in fall 2018, served on the Strategic Planning Steering Committee in 2014-2015, and managed projects related to critical institutional initiatives. 

For these reasons and more, I believe Debie is the right choice at this time. I am grateful that she has agreed to serve in this role alongside our Student Development professionals and grateful for her colleagues in the Reinert Center who will carry on in her absence under the leadership of Dr. Gina M. Merys. Dr. Merys will serve as Acting Director during this period. Debie will also work in partnership with Interim Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, Donna Bess Myers.

 

As I shared on Tuesday, we will work to launch a search for the next permanent vice president early next year. Debie prefers not to be considered for the permanent position. Debie will serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet and will maintain the same reporting structure with the exception of the Athletics Department, which will now report directly to me – as is common for Division I programs.

 

Best wishes,

 

Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D.

President