Chad Green, Director of Community Service and Cluster Dean of West Quad North, and Peter Washburn, Cluster Dean of West Quad South and Instructor in Math, will both say goodbye to their clusters at the end of this year. Both Green and Washburn have contracts for their tenures as cluster deans that are expiring at the end of this school year. Green’s contract stipulates that he can serve as cluster dean for a maximum of six years, with no contract renewals. Washburn’s contract, which was signed under an older cluster dean tenure system, allowed him to serve for six years, with up to two contract renewals of two years each. Washburn took both of the additional renewals. By the end of this year, he will have served as cluster dean for 10 years, the maximum number of years the old cluster dean system permitted. Green said that carrying out cluster dean duties occasionally led to an intense workload. He found that he was especially busy during midterms and at the end of each term. During these times, the cluster dean’s workload includes compiling an inventory of students and writing letters to students on academic and disciplinary restriction. Washburn said, “Being a cluster dean takes an awfully large amount of time.” “You’re always on duty. Even if I’m off campus, I can still be contacted regarding cluster dean issues,” he said. Washburn said that he was “very much looking forward to going back into the classroom” as a full-time teacher. Washburn currently teaches two classes and coaches Boys Crew in the fall and spring, in addition to carrying out his duties as cluster dean. Once Washburn has finished working as a cluster dean, he is “probably going to pick up two more classes,” he said. For Green, the end of his cluster dean tenure means that he can invest more time and energy into the community service program and “move it forward.” “I’ll pick up some other things. I won’t be living in a dorm, [but perhaps I’ll serve as] a complement house counselor. [I also want to] do some work in the admissions office as a faculty interviewer,” Green said. Green is also investigating the possibility of advising a group independent project, which would incorporate community development, service work and social entrepreneurship. Green said that the rotating cluster dean system was implemented because “there are a lot of talented faculty who want to [try an administrative position].” “I could [be only] a cluster dean and do nothing else and do a really good job. There are some things I can’t do [as a cluster dean because of my responsibilities as Director of Community Service],” Green added. According to Green, the vacancies for his and Washburn’s positions will likely be announced soon. Other faculty members will then have the opportunity to apply for the positions.
