The new Dean of the Division of Student Affairs is moving from the Student Center to the Administration Building, but she's not distancing herself from students. In fact, she's going to help greet them when they move in this week.
Kay Bales, the former vice president of student life, was named to the newly created position on July 29 by President Jo Ann Gora. Her appointment was the culmination of the weeks of interviews with Ball State University faculty and public forums for candidates that occurred in late July.
Before she moved her office across the street, she had time to sit down for this interview.
What goals do you have for the Division of Student Affairs?
Well, certainly, the first thing I'd like to do is meet with all of the area directors and get a sense of their priorities and the direction they'd like to go with their particular department and see how that fits for the whole division coming together. Certainly, one objective I have is to make sure that what we are doing in the division is meeting the needs of students.
Should students expect anything different this year with the restructuring of the department and the university?
Well, certainly, we will be meeting in the next two weeks, looking at the reorganization of the division and, certainly, I think that students will find that some offices are relocated. There will not be an office of student life, as students have been accustomed to, and there will be some other changes, and I hope that what students find as they maneuver through the division looking for services is that they find things are readily accessible to them.
When do you think you'll have a feel for everything and be settled in?
Well, certainly, in terms of getting the organization straightened out and aligned will be within the next week and a half. I want to have as much of that completed before the start of the semester, and certainly, we will evaluate that as we go through the Fall and Spring Semesters and maybe determine if we want to make some additional changes through the summer. I want to decrease the disruption as much as possible.
Describe your leadership style.
Well, I think that my leadership style is best described through Kouzes and Posner's leadership challenges, and they have identified five practices which I have long-studied and certainly have practiced in bringing people together and creating a shared vision, empowering people, taking risks, trying new things, experimenting. I believe all great innovations come from trial and error, and you have to be willing to take some risks in order to create change.
What do you think are the biggest issues and concerns that students have?
I think the No. 1 priority for students is wanting to attend an institution where they receive a high-quality education. I think that's first and foremost on the minds of students, and then secondly, after their academic needs have been met, I think they look for a place where they feel connected and energized and want a place where they can call home.
How do you plan to help students with those concerns?
Well, I think one way in which the Division of Student Affairs will support students [is] by making sure that we have a good understanding of their needs and making sure that the services and the programs that we're offering to students are things that students are interested in as well as need.
Do you have a way to keep up-to-date on what students are thinking?
It changes a lot, particularly in the area of technology, and students are communicating with one another and how they prefer communications are delivered to them by the institution or by particular offices, and one way that I stay in tune with what students are thinking and what their interests are is just by spending time with students and talking with them. I've been an adviser to SGA for a number of years and certainly have learned a lot about their concerns through that organization.
You talked about trying new things. Do you have any ideas of things you're going to try?
Certainly, that's in progress, and I will be working with directors of other departments and leadership staff of the division to say what things are we going to tackle in this first year of the reorganization.
How is your first week as dean going?
Well, it was very exciting, and I had a great time and most of what I spent doing was packing my office as well as having the chance to meet with a number of staff in the division, and so I'm very excited about the upcoming year.
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