Departments
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Week of 10 September 1999 |
Vol. III, No. 5 |
Feature Article
For Klein, life in dean's office is more than a balancing act
By Hope Green
Drew Klein reached two important milestones recently: he completed his tenth year of service at Boston University, and he was named assistant dean of students for administration and finance.
But while he takes naturally to his analytical role in the dean's office, Klein feels it is important to connect with University life beyond the abstractions of spreadsheet and status report. So outside of his assigned duties, Klein keeps an open door to undergraduates in need of help. He has volunteered his time as an instructor in BU's Work, Health, and Life Series for faculty and staff, and he teaches a leadership development seminar for students every fall.
"It means a lot to me to balance a budget," Klein says. "But it means a lot more to me to have a positive interaction with students."
Klein grew up in Windsor, Ontario, where his father worked as an administrator at a community college. "I thought about how my dad used to come home at dinner and love talking about what the students did that day," he says, recalling his early vocational decision. "I always thought that would be refreshing, and fun."
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Andrew (Drew) Klein
Photo by Julie Merritt
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While the assistant deanship will not transform his duties much, Klein will venture into some new territory, such as investigating student appeals for the Office of Judicial Affairs. One of his more intriguing projects this fall is to help Career Services implement a software program that will link students electronically with prospective employers.
"My favorite aspect of the work here is the variety," he says. "I am dealing with 12 different departments with 12 very diverse functions. I like the analytical part of my job. I like being a consultant and trying to find new solutions to problems."
Klein also has spent some time analyzing human nature, and during the last few years has noticed a marked generational shift.
"Today's students really want to succeed," he says, "and part of the pressure on them to do well is how expensive school has become. So there is a lot more consumerism among the students now. And most of the time I see that in a positive way. They see the bills and want to know they are getting their money's worth while they're here.
"I don't mean to imply there's a sense of entitlement," Klein hastens to add. "They do not want things handed to them, but they want to know that what they are getting is of high quality. It puts a little pressure on us, and that's good. It keeps us honest."