Dean Mike Olin’s departure

Dear Colleagues,

Michael Olin, dean of advising, has accepted a position at Princeton University for this fall. While it is a tremendous opportunity for Mike, it is also a great loss for the College. As our first college transition specialist, Mike oversaw a number of efforts to improve the high school-to-college transition for all students, particularly underrepresented students. Mike has led the Office of Advising and Co-Curricular Programs since July 2019 and has placed an emphasis on helping to create a strong team and identity among the many specialty areas in the office. Mike also helped develop Sophomore Summer Institute, partnering with faculty, staff, and students to offer an array of programs highlighting the transition from the first to second year at Lafayette. I will personally miss Mike’s calm and thoughtful approach to his mission-critical responsibilities.

I am grateful that Tim Cox, our senior class dean, has agreed to serve as interim dean of advising. Tim’s undergraduate degree is from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he earned a Ph.D. from George Mason University. He has 12 years of experience in higher education, including having served as associate director of advising, outreach, and assessment at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He joined the College in 2019 as an associate dean with a focus on the junior and senior classes and has been involved in several College-wide committees, helped establish the Business Continuity and Assessment Committees for the Office of Advising and Co-Curricular Programs, developed the office’s social media presence, designed the incomplete contract, and is engaged in efforts to improve student academic progress including the course repeat policy and dean’s program review. He will continue to serve as senior class dean and oversee the academic standing review, academic conduct process, and Honors Convocation ceremony planning.

A national search to find the permanent dean of advising will begin as quickly as possible.

Provost John Meier