A developed devotion: Associate Dean of Students Pam Freeman retires after 26 years at IU

In her corner office on Jordan Avenue, Associate Dean of Students Pam Freeman was surrounded by boxes Wednesday, June 29.

It was her last day on the job, but she still had some packing to do and an appointment to keep — there was a colleague’s retirement party in a few hours she needed to attend.

“I’m very appreciative of my time here, the positions I’ve held and the people I’ve met,” she said. “I’ve developed a real devotion to IU, despite not studying here. The message between the lines being: I have two degrees from Purdue.”

After working at IU for 26 years — 11 of them as the associate dean of students — Freeman is moving on, and, this week, Dean of Students Harold “Pete” Goldsmith officially named Jason Casares as Freeman’s successor.

As the associate dean, Freeman was the director of student ethics, leading Student Ethics and Anti-Harassment Programs in the Division of Student Affairs — a job Casares will also inherit as Freeman’s replacement.

There is a key difference, however, Freeman said.

Previously, the program combined the campus judicial system, resources that enhanced multicultural understanding and a support network for victims of bias-motivated incidents and other forms of abuse.

Under Casares, the programs will be divided.

Casares will oversee the judicial system, which includes responding to and preventing incidents like cheating and plagiarism.

Associate Dean of Students Carol McCord will handle the multicultural affairs and diversity issues.

Freeman said she is going to miss the challenges that came with these two major aspects of her job.

“I will really miss not having that constant stimulation, the new problems to solve, the new successes to celebrate,” she said. “I’ve also worked with a really great group of people here. I love the camaraderie and I’m really going to miss that, too.”

As for Casares, he is not unfamiliar with the challenges he is inheriting.

He has been an assistant dean of students in various offices at Purdue University, Texas Tech University and Ball State University. He has worked with student organizations, residence life and multicultural affairs.
 
Currently, he is the assistant dean of students at the University of Arizona.

Casares has a bachelor’s degree of science in criminal justice and sociology from Ball State.

He also has two master’s degrees from Ball State — one in sociology and another in student affairs administration in higher education.

In December, he will earn a Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from the University of Arizona.

“We look forward to working with Jason,” Goldsmith said in a press release. “He has the skills sets we were looking for in the leadership of our Student Ethics Office and will be a valued colleague on our leadership team as we move forward in the Division of Student Affairs. He has significant experience in working with students and student
organizations.”

Though Freeman has not spent very much time with Casares, she agreed that he seems like a good fit for the position, and that he appears enthusiastic about the job.

“It’s a good thing to have new ideas,” Freeman said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for things to change, but I hope he’ll also preserve the good things. I wish him the best.”

Casares will become the new associate dean of students August 1. By that time, Freeman will have been retired for a month and her office will be empty.

As she finished packing, Freeman said she hopes she is remembered for one thing: fairness.

“I would like people to think of me as someone who worked hard for students and someone who tried to uphold students’ rights,” Freeman said. “Students may not always have been happy with me, but I hope they can see they were treated fairly and with respect. I would like to be remembered as fair. I’d feel good about that.”