Dean of Students Kent Hubbel has been reappointed. Interestingly, his listed phone number is 607-254-DEAN. I can think of witty things to say about that, but I’d rather ask you what happens when I call 607-254-PREZ? I’ve never known what his position is responsible for, but the article gives a good list:

• International Students and Scholars Office
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center
• New Student Programs
• Carol Tatkon Center
• Off-Campus Housing Office

I’ve had contact with some of these offices myself. As an international student, the ISSO hassled me every year to provide them with various documents for proof of work, proof of alienness, proof of change to permanent residency, etc. They do throw a fun ski trip every year for international students, though. As a freshman, the New Student Programs office is directly to blame for increasing my racism by forcing me to watch a “diversity play” which tried to present racial issues that actually would never occur in real life. Then, as a sophomore, I watched the Carol Tatkon Center get built on North, and wondered how useful it would be to male students who need an escort to wander in Balch. The off-campus housing office tends to be mildly useless except for its sublet listing online, which are awesome. Hopefully it’s new incarnation will become more active in matchmaking houses and students, and fighting for better pricing on collegetown apartments.

My personal experience with Dean Hubbell is limited to an email I received from him insisting I call him as soon as possible. It turned out that this was in regard to Matt Pearlstone’s death. I was confused why someone whose “role is principally as an advocate for students on campus” would call me and hint that the information I’d posted should be removed. He had received second or third hand information about the relationship of my website to the Pearlstone family, and been convinced by this other party to call me. In this case, Kent Hubbell seemed more interested in granting outside wishes than advocating a Cornell student’s right to free speech.

An old friend described the role of the Dean of Students to me over AIM:

He’s the faculty liaison from the S.A. Basically, he listens to them and relays their stuff to the admin so the admin can say “We listen to students! leave your complaints with my underdog, Hubbell.”

We don’t need a special position for that. It’s the sworn duty of every responsible member of the Cornell University administration to monitor the needs and desires of the student body. Interaction should occur on every level, not just through specific channels. President-elect Skorton, who understands this, has been quoted numerous times to want direct communication with every Cornell student.

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