President Randel announced on Wednesday the appointment of Margo Marshak as vice president and dean of students in the University. Marshak, the vice president for student affairs at New York University, will formally assume the new position in the fall, Randel said in a letter to deans and officers of the University.
“MarshakÂ… will work closely with the provost, the new faculty Board of Student and Campus Life and the new trustee Committee on Student and Campus Life to enrich the academic, residential, social, cultural and personal experiences of our students and of our community generally,” Randel said, explaining Marshak’s role in the University.
According to Dennis Hutchinson, chairman of the search committee that recommended Marshak, the position of vice president and dean of students in the University will incorporate the duties of Edward Turkington, retired deputy dean of students in the University and dean of student services, and certain responsibilities of former University general counsel Arthur Sussman.
Hutchinson, senior lecturer in Law and William Rainey Harper Professor and associate dean in the College, stressed that the new position is vice presidential. “That implies and means policy-making at the highest administrative level here,” he said. “It means a voice for students and a perspective on student needs will be provided by a senior member of the administration.”
Marshak has directed the Student Affairs division at NYU since 1992. Her responsibilities there, according to Randel’s letter, included student housing, dining, and activities, the office of career services, the center for music performance, the office for international students and scholars, and student health and counseling services.
“In addition, Ms. Marshak has guided a $300 million program of renovation and new construction of residence halls, classrooms, language labs, dining facilities, student centers, and health services,” Randel noted.
Hutchinson explained that Marshak was “essentiallyÂ… charged with turning NYU into a residential university and really making it work as a living environment, but coordinating that with an effective student health system and other amenities.”
Marshak was vice dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School from 1982 to 1992. Before that, she served at the University of Pennsylvania as associate to the dean of residential life and then assistant vice provost for undergraduate studies. Marshak has a B.A. from the University of Rochester, an M.A in higher education from the University of Michigan, and a J.D. from California Western School of Law in San Diego.
The search process included student representatives, and four students participated in the final interviews. Marshak’s experience made her an attractive candidate to the search committee.
“We needed someone with a breadth and depth of experience, not just student services, but someone who had been involved in planning and developing various projects,” said Hutchinson.
Randel called Marshak “a splendid addition to our University’s collective leadership,” and Hutchinson expressed high hopes for her tenure.
“The particular thing that I’m expecting her to bring is just the wealth of experience that she has,” said Hutchinson. “She’ll be able not only to step in, but also take a hard look at how we structure our various offices and perhaps take a serious top to bottom look at the way we set things up. She’ll also be able to bring more of a sense of coordination amongst all the various student support student services, from professional schools to graduate affairs, all the various student interfaces.
“She was our top choice and I’m absolutely delighted that we have her.”
