ronald herron --
vice president of student and university affairs

As fate would have it, Ronald D. Herron's first day on the job as vice president for student and university affairs was January 3, 2006, just in time for the occupancy of the much-heralded Adanti Student Center, a building Herron describes as "magnificent."

Herron oversees 26 areas within the university, including the student center, career services, counseling services, the campus food service, health services, Lyman Center, the Multicultural Center, public safety, residence life, student clubs and organizations and the Women's Center, among others.

Passionate about the issues of student success and achievement, Herron calls equity and access his major themes. "Typical-age undergraduates are embarking upon their educational journey at a very uncertain time in the world," he says, "and they need assistance in sorting out their dreams to make them come true. Older students may be retooling because they want a different career or kind of life, and we need services and programs tailored to help these students as well. We in the public sector have the obligation and opportunity to help our students realize their dreams."

According to President Norton, Herron is a perfect fit for the position. "Ron brings to Southern outstanding credentials and a wealth of leadership experience in a range of areas that are keys to student success," she says, "including academic support services, student development and enrollment management." Norton adds that he is also well versed in capital and facilities development, and that he excels at building strong partnerships that will further Southern's educational mission and broaden student opportunities. Another plus is his extensive experience working in a unionized environment.

A resident of Brookfield, Conn., Herron came to Southern from Purchase College, a campus of the State University of New York located in Purchase, N.Y., where he was vice president for student affairs for 20 years. At Purchase, Herron was responsible for the management of budgets in excess of $10.5 million, for 53 full- and part-time staff and for making managerial decisions that advanced the college's strategic plan.

Born and raised in Kansas, Herron has lived in Connecticut for over 20 years. He was educated at Southern Methodist University, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology, and at Columbia University's Teachers College, where he earned an Ed.D. in higher education administration.

At Purchase, Herron spearheaded new ventures with regional mental and physical health care providers to offer a wider range of access to primary care and specialized services for disabled individuals -- all designed to help students achieve success in their college careers.

One project of which he is particularly proud is "Speak Out: A College/Community Coalition to End Violence Against Women." The project was funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women. Herron was the author and project director of this endeavor from 2002 until he left Purchase in 2006.

Herron also served as co-founder of the Westchester Colleges Consortium Project on Racial Diversity, created as a result of a three-year grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSA), which he authored; he also served as the co-director of the Westchester Colleges Project on Racism-Free Learning Environments from 1991-1994. Herron describes this project as "13 colleges doing diversity training," and says that it has had a lasting impact on all the colleges involved. "The world our students are entering is one of increased diversity and internationalization," he says, "and we need to ensure that our graduates are prepared to embrace that diversity."

Herron feels especially pleased to be taking on these challenges just now at Southern. He says, "It's an exciting time at the university with President Norton's leadership. The university community has the opportunity to dream big and realize those big dreams. We can have honest, open discussions about where we see Southern in 10, 20, 30 years. While honoring and respecting all of the university's history, together we have the opportunity to transform the future of this regional resource, this remarkable institution."