The Role and Responsibilities of the Dean of Students at BYU-Idaho

Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYUI) is committed to providing a high-quality education that prepares students for lifelong learning and meaningful employment. Integral to this mission are various roles and offices dedicated to student support and success. Among these, the Dean of Students holds a pivotal position, acting as a central advocate and resource for students navigating the complexities of college life.

Kip Harris: An Advocate for Students

Kip Harris, who serves as BYU-Idaho’s Dean of Students, is recognized as an advocate for the student. In order to maintain a closer relationship with students, he is purposefully detached from many administrative responsibilities.

The Student Dean’s Office: A Central Hub for Student Support

The Student Dean’s Office serves as a central point of contact for students facing challenges or seeking assistance. “Sometimes students have been to five different offices, and no one can give them a definitive answer. Every student’s concern has a story behind it. This is a primary responsibility of the Student Dean’s Office. The office is dedicated to providing definitive answers and support, ensuring that each student's unique circumstances are addressed with care and understanding.

Assisting Students in Crisis

Another crucial function of the Student Dean’s Office is to support students facing serious illness or emergency situations. The Student Dean’s Office also has a direct assignment from the university to help students who are afflicted with serious illness or are in emergency situations by contacting all their professors directly. This proactive approach ensures that faculty members are aware of the student's situation and can provide appropriate academic accommodations and support.

Facilitating Faculty Focus on Instruction

The Dean of Students Office plays a vital role in allowing faculty members to concentrate on their primary responsibility: teaching. “Oftentimes faculty members think we’re trying to tell them what they should do, and that’s not our role. “Their level of expertise ought to be in the classroom, not in all of the other supports that the student needs. This allows faculty to focus on their class, rather than have to advise students personally on how to manage their lives. By handling student issues and connecting them with the appropriate resources, the Dean of Students Office alleviates the burden on faculty, enabling them to dedicate their time and expertise to delivering high-quality instruction.

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Student Conduct and Accountability

At BYU-Idaho, students are viewed as adults and developing disciples who are responsible for their decisions. College life differs significantly from high school. At BYU-Idaho, we view students as adults and developing disciples who make their own decisions and take responsibility for them. The Dean of Students Office promotes a culture of accountability, encouraging students to learn from their experiences and make responsible choices.

FERPA and Student Privacy

Student records (including reports of concern) are protected by FERPA. - In most cases, FERPA prevents parents and family members from receiving access to their student’s records unless the student has signed a release of information. The Dean of Students Office adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), safeguarding the privacy of student records. Even without full access to records, you can mentor and support your student. Often the hospital facility will contact a student's family directly. This commitment to privacy ensures that students can seek assistance and support without fear of unauthorized disclosure of their personal information.

Collaboration Across Educational Programs: The Dean of Teacher Preparation Programs

To facilitate coordination across education programs at BYU-Idaho, the position of the Dean of Teacher Preparation Programs was established. The Dean heads the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at BYU-Idaho. The Dean chairs the Education Coordinating Council which is composed of representatives of the various education programs across campus, a representative from advising and a representative from the Student Teaching Services Office. The Dean also oversees the director(s) of the Student Teaching Services Office and is the official liaison with the Office of the State Department of Education. This role ensures that teacher education programs are aligned with university standards and state requirements, preparing future educators for success.

Promoting Employability: A Shared Responsibility

As part of BYU-Idaho’s mission, the university aims to provide a high-quality education that prepares students for lifelong learning and employment. One major facet of this plan is to create an employability model that encourages a combined effort and shared responsibility for academic leaders, administrative services, and students themselves to work together to accomplish career outcomes. Their involvement will include defining, creating, and communicating this model among other responsibilities. To enhance students' career prospects, BYU-Idaho has implemented initiatives focused on employability. The responsibility of helping students obtain meaningful employment is shared between many stakeholders-as mentioned earlier.

Associate Deans of Student Success

Additionally, a new academic leadership position has been created in each college titled as the associate dean of student success. Employability isn’t the only focus of this new position; however, the associate deans of student success are leading the initiative to create professional development plans in each college to help students know early in their educational journey what they need to do to be ready to obtain meaningful employment at graduation. These associate deans play a crucial role in guiding students toward career readiness.

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Career Center Resources

In the past year, the Career Center has implemented digital tools such as VMock and BYUI Connect. VMock is a software tool that gives students constructive feedback on their resumes, and BYUI Connect provides networking opportunities for students by connecting them with BYU-Idaho alumni in their area of study. These resources equip students with the tools and connections necessary to succeed in their job search. “We started a year or so ago to try to understand where our students were really landing in terms of jobs,” Fay said. “At BYU-Idaho, everybody owns some responsibility for fulfilling employment goals,” Fay said.

Additional Resources for Student Well-being

BYU-Idaho offers a range of resources to support student well-being, addressing personal challenges and promoting a healthy learning environment. Personal ChallengesAs a faculty member, I am committed to creating a learning environment that supports the well-being and development of all students. If you are experiencing stressors or situations that impact your academic experience or personal wellness, seeking professional help may be an important step for you to take. The following resources are available to support you and your well-being at the university:

Dean of Students Office: a central place for students to seek support in navigating personal challenges. 290 Kimball Building, 208-496-9200
Counseling Center: licensed counselors who assist students in identifying and resolving emotional, mental, and interpersonal problems. Student Health Center 200, 208-496-9370
9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Hotline: Available 24/7 by call or text message, the 988 hotline connects you to a trained crisis counselor who provides free and confidential emotional support and crisis counseling to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress and connects them to resources.

If you experience a crisis, I encourage you to reach out to me so we can discuss ways for you to be successful in my course.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. The Accessibility Services Office coordinates services with the students and instructors. More information is available at Accessibility Services.

Addressing Sexual Harassment

BYU-Idaho prohibits sex discrimination by its employees and students in all its education programs or activities. This includes all forms of sexual harassment, such as sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking and other forms of unwelcome sexual conduct.As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment for my students. University policy requires deans and department chairs, and encourages all faculty, to report every incident of sexual harassment that comes to their attention.

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