Thank you Dean McKaig

WE SAY Retiring dean of students made IU a better place.

Dean of Students and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dick McKaig has been a busy man lately.

He was recently honored at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services annual luncheon, and the week before, his many accomplishments were recognized at the annual Student Activities Office celebration. Usually, news of one’s impending departure is a source of great sadness for students and staff alike, and this has certainly been the case for McKaig.

However, since announcing his retirement from the Student Affairs position last September, the entire IU community has ensured that McKaig’s last year as a school administrator remains a memorable one. And there’s a lot to celebrate.
McKaig arrived at IU in 1971, and in his tenure here he has made sure the Division of Student Affairs remains visible, transparent and accessible. Charged with the task of supporting the needs of students, student groups, parents and alumni, McKaig found the right balance between providing guidance and acting effectively. Particularly for student leaders on campus, McKaig was a role model in valuing diversity of thought, emphasizing the importance of character and, of course, the need to maintain a sense of humor.

The recent search for his replacement has brought into light the special place McKaig serves on campus. While each of the final four candidates are certainly qualified to assume the difficult role that McKaig masterfully performed, it has become apparent that McKaig is not just the typical school administrator.

Whether it was his presence at the annual Take Back the Night rally for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence or his participation in the Cardboard Regatta organized by the Council on Advancing Student Leadership, McKaig demonstrated how in tune he is with students. Admittedly, this is difficult to do on a campus of slightly more than 40,000 students. But this is precisely what makes McKaig so beloved to students. Unlike many other administrators, he refused to remain aloof to students’ needs, and this quality, more than others, will remain difficult to replicate among his successors.

It is no surprise that the next dean of students will have very large shoes to fill. At the same time, in his 38 years at IU, McKaig has provided some wondrous lessons to students and staff, and we hope his successor will ensure that his legacy of student advocacy continues.

To Dean McKaig, the IU and Bloomington community thank you for your service, and we remain better off because of it.