Since assuming the role on July 21, new Dean of the College Charlotte Johnson has experienced a "busy but positive" transition, she said in an interview with The Dartmouth. Johnson has spent her first month on campus meeting with students, staff and faculty members, as well as outlining her agenda for the next year, she said.
"Effective leadership requires me to get to speed quickly on issues that are salient to students and requires me to build relationships with individuals right out of the gate," Johnson said.
After what she described as a seamless transition, Johnson said she is working well with College President Jim Yong Kim, Provost Carol Folt and other senior-level members of the administration.
"President Kim's commitment to student success and maximizing student experience is one of the reasons I came to Dartmouth," Johnson said. "[Kim] has put together a stellar leadership team and I have been learning a lot of great things from them."
Associate Dean of Campus Life April Thompson described Johnson's transition as an exciting time for the College.
"[Johnson] has acclimated to Dartmouth so quickly and I have been truly impressed," Thompson said.
Student Assembly has also been working closely with Johnson, according to Reilly Bertasi '13, who served as speaker and second-in-charge of the summer Student Assembly and is the vice president of the Class of 2013 Council.
On her first day as dean of the College, Johnson received and read a document written by Assembly executive members detailing "student life, various successes and problems that the [Dean of the College's Office] has encountered over the past years, and a list of student organizations we recommended she follow up with and meet," Bertasi said in an email to The Dartmouth.
Student Assembly also co-hosted a meet and greet event with Johnson in August which was "well attended and a success," Bertasi said.
Johnson said that in addition to familiarizing herself with the College, she has been working on plans to hasten the implementation of several student initiatives.
"There were many programs moving full speed before I got here including alcohol harm reduction and sexual assault awareness and we will continue to push those forward," Johnson said. "But I will also pay attention to other issues that students have identified as important. I am extremely interested in making sure that Dartmouth is an inclusive community."
Johnson cited future reform in student mental health programs, career services and the College's advising system as important student-driven initiatives that will be a major focus of her office in the upcoming academic year.
Changes such as the training of her office's staff will go into immediate effect over Fall term, according to Johnson. She will also hold open office hours at Collis in the fall as part of her "commitment to being accessible to students," Johnson said.
Other "more controversial" initiatives such as the College's sexual assault prevention efforts will first go through a feedback collection phase before major changes are made, Johnson said.
In the 2011-2012 academic year, Johnson will also focus on incorporating more student participation in the College's strategic planning process. She said she is collaborating with Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Maria Laskaris to create a "students of the future" working group in which Laskaris and Johnson will co-chair.
"We plan to invite student feedback and discuss what expectations will be for our students and our campus in years to come," Johnson said. "This group will speak with many constituencies across the College community in order to make the most informed recommendations to President Kim and Provost Folt."
Johnson said she will begin to "closely assess" the current advising system in hopes of creating a more "streamlined" system. Although there is no official timeline in which any changes will be implemented, announcements regarding the advising system will be made "in the very near future," Johnson said.
Johnson said she would also continue to advertise and promote the College's current alcohol initiatives. In addition to emphasizing current programs such as the Good Samaritan policy and Green Team, the Dean of the College's Office plans to hire another alcohol educator, according to Johnson.
"I think students are the best insurers of their own safety when it comes to alcohol," Johnson said. "And I will do everything I can to increase awareness of that here."
Before coming to the College, Johnson served as vice president and dean of the college at Colgate University. At Colgate, Johnson oversaw the completion of the strategic planning process for Colgate's dean of the college division and created new policies regarding binge drinking. She also led the university's implementation of new sexual assault policies that focused on education and peer intervention.
"My experience [at Colgate] has definitely helped prepare me for Dartmouth although they are different places," Johnson said.
Thompson said she believes Johnson is well prepared for her role at the College.
"She has a high level of skill in student affairs work and I think that her background and her legal training and her strong ability to work with different groups has been invigorating to me in particular."
Prior to her time at Colgate, Johnson was the first African-American female partner at the Detroit law firm Garan Lucow.
Johnson's selection as dean of the College was announced in May after acting Dean of the College Sylvia Spears said she would not seek a permanent position at the College.
Since her arrival, Johnson has said her reaction to the College and the students have "exceeded" her expectations.
"The students here truly care about the campus climate," she said. "As dean, I want to make a unique contribution and make sure that Dartmouth is a welcoming place for everyone."
