Kim to take on Student Affairs and enrollment, Chatriand inherits Dean of Student Office
The University of Idaho announced Wednesday it has hired Jean Kim as the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and promoted Craig Chatriand to Dean of Students.
Jean Kim
The two will replace retiring Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Bruce Pitman. They officially take on their new roles in January.
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Kathy Aiken said the decision to restructure the position came after further discussion with Kim about her enrollment experience following her campus visit.
“One of the president’s priorities is to increase enrollment and we also had that position vacant so we started the discussion of restructuring,” Aiken said.
Chatriand has been the associate dean of students since 2012, and in the wake of Pitman’s announced retirement has taken on a larger role within the office. Aiken said separating the position made sense, and said the university had the benefit of a qualified internal candidate to move into the Dean of Students role.
“This wasn’t always the plan,” Aiken said. “But we had a vacancy in enrollment and it just seemed logical to combine those roles. It’s not unusual to combine them, as it’s the case at many other universities.”
Chatriand said when Pitman’s position initially opened, he was not interested because it was tied to the vice provost role. He said his interest is in directly working with students and less in the administrative duties of a vice provost.
“I didn’t give it much thought because of that,” Chatriand said. “Quite frankly I enjoy the work that I’m doing and it’s important work. I didn’t think a whole lot about it. The biggest thing I was concerned about when Bruce announced his retirement was that I asked if he’d still serve as a mentor to me.”
Craig Chatriand
Naturally, Pitman said he would, and when Chatriand received the call about his interest in a promotion to dean of students without the vice provost role, it seemed like a perfect opportunity.
“I was not expecting it,” Chatriand said. “I think this reorganization makes a lot of sense for where our priorities are and where we are as an institution. I am absolutely looking forward to it.”
Chatriand will report directly to Kim in her role as vice provost for Student Affairs, a role she said she’s looking forward to.
Kim has worked in higher education for more than 30 years in a variety of roles. She most recently served as the University of Massachusetts, Amherst vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life from 2009 to 2013.
She’s also served in administrative roles at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, the University of Puget Sound, the University Of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Hartford, Western New England College and Stanford University. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where she also earned her doctor of education in counseling psychology.
Kim said she is excited for her new role at the university and feels the restructuring was a logical move.
“I was very excited about adding the enrollment management piece because I have done it before,” she said. “It makes a great deal of sense to look at both sides of enrollment as recruitment and retention. Having the recruitment part as well makes sense to me.”
Kim said although she will not be in the dean of students role, she still plans to be involved and accessible to students as she oversees in her administrative capacity.
“I have done that in every leadership position I’ve had,” Kim said. “I’m looking forward to working with (Chatriand) and supporting his efforts. I will still be very engaged as a dean of students might be.”
Aiken said the search to replace Pitman was not taken lightly, though the committee knew it would be hard to replace him. Pitman has worked at UI since 1973 when he was first hired as the Greek adviser. Pitman was honored earlier this year with a retirement celebration that welcomed more than 400 attendees. In addition, the Idaho State Board of Education approved the university’s request to rename the Student Union Building in honor of Pitman and his decades of dedication to UI.
Both Chatriand and Kim said they recognize following in Pitman’s footsteps will not be an easy task, but is one they’re both honored to take on.
“It’s very humbling,” Chatriand said. “Bruce has the biggest shoes of anybody I’ve ever met. He’s so well known in Moscow and in the state and regionally that I’m honored to follow him and honor the legacy that he’s left here.”
Kim said she’s followed long-term administrators in previous roles and understands the sensitivity required to be the new person on campus.
“I have an understanding and sensitivity in what that might involve,” she said. “In my career, I’ve had opportunities to follow a long-standing and beloved leader in the student affairs area, so I understand what it might entail and to ensure that we continue the great legacy that he is leaving behind.”
Chatriand and Kim will officially take on their new roles the first week of January, though Chatriand said he and Pitman will begin work now to ensure the transition is smooth.
“The work that we do in the Dean of Students Office is so important to this university,” Chatriand said. “I’m excited to continue the foundation and culture of care Bruce has established during his time here.”
Kaitlyn Krasselt can be reached at [email protected]