Wes Schaub, Greek life director at Case Western Reserve University, will take over as Dartmouth's permanent director of Greek Letter Organizations and Societies on July 11, according to April Thompson, associate dean of the College for campus life. Schaub will replace acting GLOS Director Kristi Clemens, who has served in the position since last August.
"The first thing that I want to do is get to meet people and find out what their concerns are," Schaub said in an interview with The Dartmouth. Schaub said he will decide his course of action as director after conferring with students to better address their needs.
Thompson said she hopes that Schaub will work to improve perceptions of the College's Greek system.
"I think [Schaub] has a proven ability to work with organizations to live their core values and let people know what their values are," Thompson said. "I'm hoping that [Schaub] can really highlight and emphasize and push forward what the Greek system is doing well."
Schaub will also work to address the "problematic" lack of alternative social spaces for all students on campus, Thompson said.
"I think it is critically important that students who are not affiliated have a place at Dartmouth," she said. "My hope is that [Schaub] will work with other parts of campus to support all of the initiatives for social spaces."
Thompson said she thinks it is "equally important" for Schaub to work with affiliated and unaffiliated students.
Schaub, who worked at Case Western for over 22 years, presided over 24 Greek chapters and interest groups and oversaw the establishment of two new sororities, according to a letter from Thompson to Dartmouth students. About 30 percent of Case Western students are involved in the Greek system, Schaub said. Case Western has roughly the same number of undergraduate students as Dartmouth.
"Just working with fraternities and for so long, there's an understanding of the culture," Schaub said. "There's an understanding of the players, there's an understanding of what sorts of things can be accomplished and what it takes to accomplish those things."
At Case Western, Schaub created the Students Meeting about Risk and Responsibility Training program, which promoted alcohol awareness and sexual assault education, Thompson said.
"He implemented some programs that helped improve the Greek system and really help the organizations adhere to the values they espouse," Gavin Henning, director of administration in the Dean of the College Division, said. "We have a great Greek system here. We really want to take it to the next level."
Schaub said he will face a "unique challenge" by taking over during the Summer term when the sophomore members of Greek organizations hold executive positions.
"It gives me some opportunities that work with a group of folks that may not have preconceived notions of what's already going on," he said. "When they return and come back into the organizations later, they've already had some experiences and have accepted the approach that I take."
Members of the GLOS director search committee which Clemens and Henning co-chaired included students and Greek house advisors, according to a campus-wide email from Clemens on June 9.
As acting GLOS director, Clemens worked with students to improve the relationships between Greek organizations and the town of Hanover, Thompson said. She also helped revise the Social Event Management Procedures.
The College is currently conducting a national search for a GLOS coordinator, a new position designed to organize additional programming, Thompson said.
Clemens did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
