Dean of students welcomes new and old students to UI
One week into his first year as the University of Idaho’s new dean of students, Blaine Eckles said he wants to welcome the new class of students who will soon be traveling to the campus for the first time.
“Welcome to our new students, welcome to the Vandal family,” Eckles said. “We’re really excited about them coming to campus … and for our returning students, welcome back.”
Eckles started as UI’s dean of students on July 13. Previously, Eckles served as Boise State University’s associate dean of students since 2011, but he has also served as the school’s director of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and as the associate director of Student Affairs. He received his doctorate in Adult, Organizational Learning and Leadership from UI’s Boise extension in 2011.
Eckles was one of the candidates up for the dean of students position late in the spring semester after UI’s former dean of students Craig Chatriand resigned in March.
David Betts | Argonaut
Blaine Eckles, UI’s newest dean of students, comes to the university after working as Boise State University’s associate dean of students since 2011.
Eckles said one of his main goals as the new dean of students is to get to know the students at UI, as well as to help the students get to know him. Even though he’s only been on campus for a little while, he said he’s already had the opportunity to have great conversations with multiple students. He’s met with leaders of student organizations and Greek houses, and he’s even met with ASUI President Max Cowan.
“Max is fantastic,” he said. “Students have no idea … how passionate he is about campus and their success, too. And that’s really refreshing to see students that engaged with what’s going on around campus.”
Eckles said if he receives an invitation and he doesn’t have any plans already scheduled, he would visit and learn about any and all student groups who want to meet him. He said his relationship with the newest class of students coming in will be unique because they are in similar situations.
“We’ll have similar journeys,” he said. “It’s about growing and learning about the campus together, and I’m really excited about doing that.”
Eckles’ own undergraduate experience was served at the University of Oregon. He said he lived in the school’s residence halls all four years he was a student.
He attempted to rush for a Greek house, but found he couldn’t connect there. However, Eckles said he attributes that to how the school’s Greek system was at the time he was a student there in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, and said UI’s Greek system is different.
“I’m really excited about the strong, vibrant Greek life we have here on this campus,” he said. “It’s a huge force, but it’s also a force that is really positive, too. It creates a great way for students to connect with a group of students, men or women, that they might have not otherwise identified with.”
Eckles said UI also has a great system for its residence halls.
Eckles said he loved his experience at Oregon, but he also made some mistakes.
He thought he shouldn’t go to the school’s counseling center unless he found himself in a crisis. He said many students probably believe this to be true, but instead students should feel free to reach out to the Counseling and Testing Center if they need it. If a student feels uncomfortable with that, he said they should at least reach out to someone they trust for help.
Eckles also said he didn’t visit Oregon’s library until he was a junior, and he regrets waiting so long to utilize that resource.
“If you want to learn, go sit among stacks and stacks of books where lots of learning has already occurred,” he said. “If nothing else, that’s just a wind at your back toward your education.”
Eckles said students also shouldn’t wait to utilize the Career Center either. He said students can utilize the university’s career services as early as their first semester in school.
Despite all this, one of the biggest challenges new students usually face is time management, Eckles said. He said even though he graduated high school with a high GPA, he struggled with time management his first year in college, and his academics suffered because of it.
“College is not supposed to be easy,” he said. “You’re going to have to work at your education, but work also means being mindful of time management.”
Students can prevent time management issues by visiting with university faculty early, rather than waiting later in the semester.
Eckles said every university is unique, and he said above everything else he is looking forward to building upon what makes UI special.
“What I want to do is help find a way that the University of Idaho is carving out its own class of awesomeness,” Eckles said.
Erin Bamer can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ErinBamer