Double roles, double duty
Diane Philipp works as dean of women and vice president of student affairs
Maria Schmitt
Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: Focus
Dean of Women and Vice President of Student Affairs Diane Philipp fills a very big pair of shoes.
Her roles vary, from counseling women students and coordinating their housing to moderating student club applications and advising Student Federation.
Philipp attended Hillsdale College, then worked as a coach before taking her current job a few years ago.
Club control
One of Philipp's main jobs as vice president of student affairs is acting as gatekeeper for new clubs. Before any club can apply to Student Federation for approval, they must submit an application with Philipp and meet with her to discuss the club's goals.
Sophomore Jake Morgan, who has working with Philipp extensively over the last few months, said she has been helpful in trying to find place for a gay-straight alliance at Hillsdale College.
"She's very accommodating," Morgan said. "She's been open to a lot of ideas I had."
However, Morgan said he feels like lately there has been an administrative push to centralize clubs, which he sees as contrary to what the college stands for.
"There's a difference between political organizations and advocacy groups," he said. "I can see how it's easier to keep tabs on clubs this way, but the primary concern should be student expression."
Philipp must approve club applications before the Student Federation can vote on them, federation President and junior Brian Painter said.
"There's quite a bit of interaction between me and Dean Philipp," Painter said. "She's the adviser to the federation per its constitution. She's required to be very active in things going on within the federation."
Senior Gennady Stolyarov II also spent lots of time working with Philipp this year. Stolyarov helped create the Classical Liberal Organization, which recently earned administrative and Student Federation approval.
Stolyarov said Philipp was very cooperative during the club-forming process.
"She has been very supportive in communicating with us whenever she could," he said.
Painter said Philipp's approval of a club's application is the first step in the approval process and that once it reaches the federation approval stage, it is out of her hands.
Stolyarov said he does not have a problem with Philipp's club-approval role, but that students should be able to set up on-campus meetings without having to get administrative approval first.
Philipp's role in Student Federation is deep and involved, but not authoritarian, Painter said.
"The last thing she wants to do is dictate what Student Fed is doing. She advises; we're independent."
A mother figure
Philipp's role does not stop at administrating student affairs. As dean of women, she pairs roommates before their freshman year, approves women's off-campus housing requests and acts as counselor and a sort of home-away-from-home mom.
Junior Ali Rentschler knew Philipp before she came to Hillsdale, since Rentschler's dad and Philipp have been friends for years.
Rentschler said she and other female students have benefited greatly from Philipp's advice and aid.
"She takes everything to heart," Rentschler said. "She really does. She's very sincere."
Students often see Philipp's involvement in their lives as overstepping her bounds, Rentschler said, but miss that she is really trying to help.
"A lot of people think the administration controls our lives," she said. "Dean Philipp seems like a mother figure, but it's in our best interest."
Rentschler said she received one of the most touching e-mails of her life from Philipp after former Dean of Women CarolAnn Barker's death. Rentschler said the personal e-mail helped her cope with Barker's death, as she and Rentschler were close.
"It meant so much that someone in authority would do that," she said. "I think she's awesome."
Professor of Christianity and Literature John Reist said one student he is currently counseling told him Philipp has helped them out greatly and has been very patient.
"We treat students holistically," Reist said. "People are helped by her counsel."
Weight on her shoulders
Both Stolyarov and Morgan agreed that fulfilling both her dean and student affair roles is a lot to handle.
"She's a busy individual," Stolyarov said. "She has a lot of spheres that she oversees."
Morgan said he recognizes that Philipp's decisions to approve clubs or not, along with any other decisions she makes, weigh heavily.
"The weight is on her shoulders to maintain the image of the college," he said. "It's a complex situation."
Reist agreed, pointing out that no matter what decision an administrator makes concerning a specific problem, someone won't be happy.
"She is very professional in making careful decisions on matter of great moral and legal consequence on campus," he said.
He added that most decisions on campus are debatable, especially difficult decisions.
"It's difficult to be a dean of students. You must make decisions."
Stolyarov said no matter who does the administrative work Philipp currently completes, they should be done as quickly and efficiently as possible, which may mean dividing the duties between multiple people.
"She's a very busy lady," Morgan said. "She's doing a great job but there's a lot on her plate. It might be appropriate to have separate individuals doing the jobs."
Rentschler said she thought the previous dean, Barker, ran Greek life on campus in addition to fulfilling the dean of women and vice president of student affairs roles.
Senior and ex-Student Federation President Craig Kreinbihl said Philipp was a good adviser to him while he was in office.
"She doesn't have her hands in stuff on a day-to-day basis," he said.
Kreinbihl said he feels that no matter what, people on campus will criticize administrative decisions.
"She deals with a lot of stuff," he said. "I'll miss working with her."
Dean Philipp declined comment for this article.
Her roles vary, from counseling women students and coordinating their housing to moderating student club applications and advising Student Federation.
Philipp attended Hillsdale College, then worked as a coach before taking her current job a few years ago.
Club control
One of Philipp's main jobs as vice president of student affairs is acting as gatekeeper for new clubs. Before any club can apply to Student Federation for approval, they must submit an application with Philipp and meet with her to discuss the club's goals.
Sophomore Jake Morgan, who has working with Philipp extensively over the last few months, said she has been helpful in trying to find place for a gay-straight alliance at Hillsdale College.
"She's very accommodating," Morgan said. "She's been open to a lot of ideas I had."
However, Morgan said he feels like lately there has been an administrative push to centralize clubs, which he sees as contrary to what the college stands for.
"There's a difference between political organizations and advocacy groups," he said. "I can see how it's easier to keep tabs on clubs this way, but the primary concern should be student expression."
Philipp must approve club applications before the Student Federation can vote on them, federation President and junior Brian Painter said.
"There's quite a bit of interaction between me and Dean Philipp," Painter said. "She's the adviser to the federation per its constitution. She's required to be very active in things going on within the federation."
Senior Gennady Stolyarov II also spent lots of time working with Philipp this year. Stolyarov helped create the Classical Liberal Organization, which recently earned administrative and Student Federation approval.
Stolyarov said Philipp was very cooperative during the club-forming process.
"She has been very supportive in communicating with us whenever she could," he said.
Painter said Philipp's approval of a club's application is the first step in the approval process and that once it reaches the federation approval stage, it is out of her hands.
Stolyarov said he does not have a problem with Philipp's club-approval role, but that students should be able to set up on-campus meetings without having to get administrative approval first.
Philipp's role in Student Federation is deep and involved, but not authoritarian, Painter said.
"The last thing she wants to do is dictate what Student Fed is doing. She advises; we're independent."
A mother figure
Philipp's role does not stop at administrating student affairs. As dean of women, she pairs roommates before their freshman year, approves women's off-campus housing requests and acts as counselor and a sort of home-away-from-home mom.
Junior Ali Rentschler knew Philipp before she came to Hillsdale, since Rentschler's dad and Philipp have been friends for years.
Rentschler said she and other female students have benefited greatly from Philipp's advice and aid.
"She takes everything to heart," Rentschler said. "She really does. She's very sincere."
Students often see Philipp's involvement in their lives as overstepping her bounds, Rentschler said, but miss that she is really trying to help.
"A lot of people think the administration controls our lives," she said. "Dean Philipp seems like a mother figure, but it's in our best interest."
Rentschler said she received one of the most touching e-mails of her life from Philipp after former Dean of Women CarolAnn Barker's death. Rentschler said the personal e-mail helped her cope with Barker's death, as she and Rentschler were close.
"It meant so much that someone in authority would do that," she said. "I think she's awesome."
Professor of Christianity and Literature John Reist said one student he is currently counseling told him Philipp has helped them out greatly and has been very patient.
"We treat students holistically," Reist said. "People are helped by her counsel."
Weight on her shoulders
Both Stolyarov and Morgan agreed that fulfilling both her dean and student affair roles is a lot to handle.
"She's a busy individual," Stolyarov said. "She has a lot of spheres that she oversees."
Morgan said he recognizes that Philipp's decisions to approve clubs or not, along with any other decisions she makes, weigh heavily.
"The weight is on her shoulders to maintain the image of the college," he said. "It's a complex situation."
Reist agreed, pointing out that no matter what decision an administrator makes concerning a specific problem, someone won't be happy.
"She is very professional in making careful decisions on matter of great moral and legal consequence on campus," he said.
He added that most decisions on campus are debatable, especially difficult decisions.
"It's difficult to be a dean of students. You must make decisions."
Stolyarov said no matter who does the administrative work Philipp currently completes, they should be done as quickly and efficiently as possible, which may mean dividing the duties between multiple people.
"She's a very busy lady," Morgan said. "She's doing a great job but there's a lot on her plate. It might be appropriate to have separate individuals doing the jobs."
Rentschler said she thought the previous dean, Barker, ran Greek life on campus in addition to fulfilling the dean of women and vice president of student affairs roles.
Senior and ex-Student Federation President Craig Kreinbihl said Philipp was a good adviser to him while he was in office.
"She doesn't have her hands in stuff on a day-to-day basis," he said.
Kreinbihl said he feels that no matter what, people on campus will criticize administrative decisions.
"She deals with a lot of stuff," he said. "I'll miss working with her."
Dean Philipp declined comment for this article.
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