Administrative changes have been made in the office of Student Life, according to an e-mail sent to Elon Faculty and Staff members, and will become effective immediately.
Jon Dooley, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, as of this morning, notified the Elon Faculty and Staff that he will no longer serve as the Dean of Students and will now only serve as the Vice President for Student Life. Dooley also announced new administrative changes and promotions that will take effect immediately in the office of Student Life.
Following a national search earlier this year, Dooley was named Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, in succession of Smith Jackson, now Assistant to the President and Associate Professor, after his 23 years of serving the Elon community. With the new changes, Jana Lynn Patterson is replacing Dooley as the Dean of Students, in addition to her current position as Associate Vice President of Student Life.
Patterson will be the first female to hold the title of Dean of Students, since the creation of the position, when the former Dean of Women and Dean of Men roles merged. As Dean of Students, Patterson will play more of a significant role in student life for internal operations, emergency response, and community relationships regarding student issues of concern. She will also add supervision of Campus Recreation to her current responsibilities, in the areas of student health, welfare, well-being, and conduct.
Joining Elon in 2008 as the Assistant Dean of Students, Jodean Schmiederer, has been promoted from Associate Dean of Students for Leadership and Student Involvement to Dean of Student Development. Schmiederer will now oversee New Student and Transition Programs in addition to her existing work with the Center for Leadership, Moseley Campus Center, and Student Involvement.
These two promotions have been made in accumulation to several other previously announced position changes and promotions in the Office of Student Life, which took place beginning June 1. These changes can be found on the Division of Student Life website.