Candidates vie for Assistant Vice Chancellor

Candidates vie for the position of Assistant Vice Chancellor
The Southern University Office of Student Affairs held “Meet the Finalists: A Social Mixer,” last Thursday in the Cotillion Ballroom with the candidates who were chosen as finalists for the position of Assistant Vice Chancellor.
The three finalists, Maria Lumpkin, James Dabney and Emmanuel Lalande,
were each given the opportunity to interact with students who attended the program.
One of the finalists, Maria Arvelo Lumpkin, is the current director of Student Involvement and Student Center at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Ga.
Lumpkin said she applied for the position as assistant vice chancellor because she said she believes in SU.
“I believe that my skills are in alignment with the vision of Student Affairs and it was an enticing opportunity for me,” Lumpkin said.
According to Lumpkin, she said that she has been a Student Affairs practitioner for nearly 20 years and listed her qualities that made her eligible for the position.
“I have worked in various leadership positions in administration and direct services including student organizations, international education, counseling and disability services, and service learning,” Lumpkin said.
Lumpkin said that she also worked with faculty and thought that academic affairs and student affairs were important.  She said her career was focused on helping students in every area of their lives.
“My career has been centered around developing the six dimensions of wellness for students, helping them to develop their intellectual, social, physical, emotional, occupational and spiritual spaces as they maneuver through their collegiate experience,” Lumpkin said.
Lumpkin said she believes that by listening to students, she could help SU become a better institution.
“By becoming more student-centered and focusing on helping students by engaging with them through programs and services, and focusing on their success, could produce a better student success rate,” Lumpkin said.
Upon becoming assistant vice chancellor, Lumpkin said her first order of business would be to understand the vision for the Office of Student Affairs.
Another finalist, James Dabney, is the Vice President of Hopkins House, Incorporated in Alexandria, Va.
Dabney said his purpose for applying as assistant vice chancellor of student affairs was because of reinvesting in college access and success.
“Reinvesting is the one thing I can give to the institution that gave to me when I was a student,” Dabney said.
Dabney said that SU was something like home and that the opportunity to become assistant vice chancellor gave him the opportunity to come back.  Dabney is a graduate of the SU class of 1999 and member of the Beta Sigma chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc.
“This is home and SU has invested so much in me and laid a foundation and I will find it an honor and a privilege to bring back those skills and reinvest to see SU reach even greater heights,” Dabney said.
Dabney said that he believes he would be a great candidate for the position because he has worked at different levels that have serviced students.
“By using the skills I possess by working in direct support services, a retention counselor, an academic counselor to leading teams to do the same and creating policies to service students, I believe I can help SU become an even better institution,” Dabney said.
 Upon becoming the assistant vice chancellor, Dabney said his first order of business would be to make a step to make SU an even better institution through servicing students.
The last finalist, Emmanuel Lalande, for the position of assistant vice chancellor, serves as the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Involvement at Bethune-Cookman University in Dayton Beach, Fla.
Lalande said that he saw an opportunity to help SU grow in different areas, which is why he applied for the position.
“We can build on enrollment, retention and build on our graduation rate and I want to be a part of that,” Lalande said.
Lalande said with certain strengths, he said he believes he can help SU move forward.
“One of my strengths, I believe is collaboration, partnership and helping people to move forward,” Lalande said.
Lalande has had nearly 10 years of experience in many positions that have helped, assisted and supervised.
“I have helped, assisted, supervised and constructed a 70,000 square foot student center. I have crisis management and counseling experience. I have experience in creativity where I found space for students to have programs and started a new organization called the Student Activity Board. Lalande said.
His first priorities if chosen would be to learn about SU, listen to the faculty, staff and students, and improving based upon the information received.
Lalande was thankful for having the opportunity to participate in the process.
“It has been a great learning opportunity. I’ve learned that through the passion of the people of SU. I appreciate the opportunity to even be considered,” Lalande said.
Since the event, Brandon Dumas, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs released a statement stating that he has reopened the search.
“It is my aspiration as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs for all candidates, the university community and all institutional stakSe holders to regard this process as fair for those who desire to be considered,” Dumas said.
After the event he decided to reopen the position for an additional seven days.
“In support of this aim, I have decided to allow the search committee to consider applications that were submitted after Oct. 10, 2013, and to repost the position to allow individuals that were not able to submit their materials prior to the revised deadline,” Dumas said.
Dumas believes that he will find the right assistant vice chancellor.