Dean McKaig up for review

Dean McKaig has been down this road before. He's not worried -- it's part of his job description.\nIU-Bloomington policy requires administrators to face a regular review by a committee after the first five years of their tenure and every four years after. This year the committee, composed of both undergraduate and graduate students and chaired by a faculty member, will review Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Richard McKaig. McKaig feels no apprehension.\n"This is a normal function of the administration of the University," he said. "I am looking forward to the results of the review. It's a great way to get a pulse of the campus and what students are thinking about the services my office offers."\nThe review of McKaig comprises two components: evaluating McKaig himself and evaluating the student affairs and dean of students office, said IU Student Association Vice President Scott Norman. Norman, who sits on the review committee, urged students to participate in the process.\n"Dean McKaig is one of the more visible people on campus, attending student group functions," he said. "The reason why I encourage student input for the review is to give students a way improve the dean of students office and all the things that fall under student services, such as the student activities office."\nDean McKaig's last review was during the 1999-2000 school year. Part of this year's evaluation checks whether recommendations from the previous review are being met or being considered by the administrator. \nDuring McKaig's last review, the board recommended changing the Campus Life Division to the Division of Student Affairs and writing a new mission statement. They also suggested McKaig's office take an aggressive approach to reviewing the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct. McKaig said there have been changes to the code that were implemented last year, and there will be more changes to the code this year. \nOne final recommendation was to establish a committee to determine whether a student services fee was feasible. This fee would provide money to the student organizations that don't generate their own income. McKaig noted that state budget tightening has left many organizations with no choice but to ask for fees to continue operating. However, he said despite other Big 10 schools' blanket fees, there hasn't been much support for the plan at IU.\n"There is not a lot of enthusiasm with adding fees along with increasing tuition," he said.\nAlthough McKaig has been meeting the last review's recommendations, Norman said student feedback might not be completely positive. The review is giving students a channel to air any grievances, especially if they are involved in the organizations that report to the dean of students and Office of Student Affairs. Still, the feedback is intended to be constructive.\n"This (review) is not an attack on Dean McKaig," Norman said. "This is a way to send a message to the office that some services are inadequate."\nCommittee chairperson Carolyn Walters said the review also will focus on the services offered by the Dean of Students Office and the Office of Student Services, such as Student Legal Services and IU Health Center. \n"We will get input on services the dean of students is offering on campus and services that we could offer," she said. "We will look at comparable institutions, deans at other universities who report to review committees and talk with the dean's peers within the IU system." \nNorman said there is no exact date when the committee will be finished with the review. The committee will reconvene March 22 with all information gathered up to that date. After the committee's formal presentation to Interim Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, McKaig will have a chance to respond. \nWalters said students should feel compelled to give their input and to understand which services are provided by the dean of students and the Office of Student Affairs. Without that input, the committee is left guessing.\n"(If there is little feedback), students are either satisfied with the dean and the services offered or see no relation between the services offered and the dean himself," she said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Eric Tash at etash@indiana.edu.