Ever wondered what it was like to be the Dean at a university?
On Nov. 30, students can find out exactly that. One student chosen from the entire student body will have the opportunity of swapping positions with the Dean of The College of Liberal Arts. Before this can happen, however, students must submit applications by Oct. 13 to be considered for selection.
Dean for a Day is designed to showcase all the ways the Dean's office serves students. Moreover, it is used to enhance the student experience. On this day, Jonathan Mercantini, acting Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, will swap places with a lucky student.
Mercantini will follow the student's schedule, attending any classes and activities on that day. Likewise, the student will take part in any meetings and duties of Mercantini scheduled for that day.
Mercantini expects Dean for a Day to be considerably beneficial for students. He expects "to give students an opportunity to demonstrate and enhance their leadership skills by spending the day as Dean. [I want the student] to share their ideas for making Kean even better with me and all of the people in the Dean's office."
"I hope that the winner and the entire Kean community see all of the different functions of the Dean's office," Mercantini mentioned, "and [that the experience] also highlights some of the things that we are trying to do to improve the student experience. Whether it is helping students who faced a challenge during a semester get back on track, organizing on-campus events, scheduling classes to meet the needs of our students, and so much more—there is a lot we can do and I want students to know about it."
On the flip side, Mercantini also expects to learn from being in the shoes of a student. "I'm even more excited to spend a day as a Kean student and to experience Kean from their perspective," Mercantini mentioned. "I want to learn more about the different campus activities and organizations, listen to student ideas for improving things here at Kean. One of my priorities as Dean is to get out of the office to have those kinds of conversations and Dean for Day is designed to accomplish that."
Students who are interested in helping with Dean For A Day can submit applications online. In order to be eligible, students must have at least one class on Nov. 30. Again, applications are due Oct. 13, so students should send them in as soon as possible to have the opportunity to switch places with the Dean.
