Dear students,
I hope you’re doing well, and that your school year is off to a great start.
I am pleased to announce our new three-part leadership plan for the Dean of Students area in Student Affairs. The Dean of Students team is charged with overseeing student health and well-being services, including crisis intervention, health and counseling, on-call support, student transitions, community standards, and residential education. This team invests in maintaining a safe and supportive campus environment for our undergraduate, graduate and professional students on and off-campus.
Beginning September 16th, Jeanna McCullers, Senior Associate Dean of Students, and Clay Adams, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, will assume shared responsibility for many areas in this portfolio while we seek an interim manager for the clinical operations team. Jeanna and Clay bring nearly 30 combined years of experience supporting students and teams at Duke.
Jeanna McCullers will be the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, Policy and Governance. She will oversee the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSCCS), DukeReach, Gender Violence Outreach and Education, and Crisis Response. Jeanna’s focus is making sure you have the support you need, especially when things get tough.
Clay Adams will serve as the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, Programs and Education. Clay will lead programs that make your time at Duke even better, including DuWell, New Student & Family Programs, and Residential Education. His goal is to help you balance your social, residential, and academic life in a way that’s meaningful and enjoyable.
We’re also starting a search for an Interim Clinical Teams Manager who will oversee Student Health and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). This new position will oversee Student Health and CAPS and is part of our commitment to providing holistic and integrated care for our students, ensuring your health and well-being are prioritized alongside your academic and personal development.
I want to say a heartfelt thank you to Dean Debbie Heida for her amazing leadership as Interim Dean of Students over the past year. She’s been a strong advocate for our students and has made a lasting impact on life here at Duke. Even as we welcome Jeanna and Clay into their new roles, Dean Debbie isn’t going far—she’ll be sticking around this fall as a consultant to help us through this transition. She’ll be helping our new leaders get settled in and making sure our clinical teams work together smoothly moving forward.
You will see AVPs Jeanna McCullers and Clay Adams on campus this year, and we’re looking forward to introducing the student community to them more in the weeks ahead.
Go Duke,
Mary Pat McMahon
Vice President/Vice Provost of Student Affairs
