Second DOS finalist presents RISE strategy
Jean Kim moved the audience — literally.
She asked Monday’s open forum attendees to stand up, take a step to the right and another step to the left.
“When people come up to you and say ‘hey, have you seen any of the (vice provost for Student Affairs and dean of students) candidates?’ You can say ‘yes, I met one of them. I met Jean Kim and you know what, she really moved me,'” she said, receiving laughs from the crowd.
Kim, the second of four finalists for the dual position, visited campus Monday to discuss her thoughts on future challenges for universities and student affairs offices, as well as her prospective solutions for them.
George Wood Jr. | Argonaut
Dean of Students and Vice Provost for Student Affairs finalist Jean Kim spoke during an open forum that was hosted in the International Ballroom in the SUB on Monday. She said her focus would be on accesibility, affordability and accountability.
“My vision for Student Affairs it to rise,” she said.
She used the acronym R.I.S.E. to describe how her approach would be focused on national recognition, inspiring others, sustaining current efforts and engaging campus voices in decision-making processes.
“People will own what they help create,” she said. “It establishes a sense of ownership.”
She said her experience in previous leadership capacities across the nation equipped her with necessary skills and abilities to lead the University of Idaho in the dual position that includes both an administrative and student element.
For Kim, the largest challenges facing universities nationwide are keeping institutions accountable, tuition costs affordable and education opportunities accessible. She cited the increasing cost of tuition and dwindling pool of higher education funding as imminent problems for colleges and universities.
She said stewardship and revenue boosts in Student Affairs could help UI become more competitive, regionally and nationally.
“Student Affairs can contribute to making college education more affordable,” she said. “Through the stewardship and resources available through its domain, utilizing both human and financial resources and by engaging and writing more grants.”
Kim identified future challenges for student affairs offices, and said the main pressures stem from campus safety, student engagement and experiential learning.
Kim said she talked to UI students during her visit and quickly realized UI already fosters a student-centered approach in terms of campus safety and student engagement.
Kim also said Student Affairs must enhance experiential learning opportunities for students.
“We teach by providing students opportunities to learn by doing,” she said. “To extract learning from their life experiences.”
Kim said she has led efforts to secure campus safety, improve academic grades and ensure involvement in Greek communities, residence hall groups and minority groups.
One of her highest priorities, she said, is making the campus community as diverse as possible by fueling initiatives that provide an avenue of collaboration among different groups on campus.
“I think it’s even more important that we create intentional opportunities to interact with each other,” she said. “You may have an intentionally somewhat diverse campus, but they’re not engaging with each other.”
Kim said while her plan is preliminary, she would work with UI stakeholders to develop a robust all-inclusive plan if chosen for the dual position. She said how one develops a plan is just as important as having a plan at all.
Amber Emery can be reached at [email protected]