Interim becomes dean of students

Chadron State last week hired Dr. Robert Stack, a former CSC math professor who has served as interim dean since Dr. Rex Cogdill stepped down from the post last summer.

“It’s nice to be able to take what we’ve accomplished the last 8 ½ months and move forward,” Stack said.

Stack said he had always pondered positions in administration, and had applied for jobs outside of teaching at other institutions. When the interim dean of students position opened up at Chadron State, he applied knowing he could return to teaching if the position wasn’t a fit for him.

“This way, I figured I wouldn’t have to move my family, and it would give me more of an idea about this line of work,” Stack said. “What I’ve found is that the impact on the students can be just as grandiose, or even more so, than teaching.”

Stack credits his staff for the implementation of a number of innovative programs since he was hired.

For instance, Chadron State has begun offering supplemental instruction for students. SI, as they call it, is the concept of employing a course’s former student to sit in on classes and later meet with the group of current students to help them study.

Frances Gonzalez, CSC director of tutoring, oversees the effort. She said SI has become popular for many of the advanced courses, especially the sciences.

Ann Dockweiler, school nurse, has worked out an agreement in which students with health concerns are able to visit Chadron medical professionals free of charge.

Sharon Rickenbach directed an effort to develop a new academic advising center for students. The center opened in early 2005, offering students help with choices of their major and careers.

Shortly after Stack became interim dean, he took the advice of his wife, Jill, and began “Dinner with the Dean,” in which students are invited to have lunch with Stack in the cafeteria. He said he wants to expand that effort next fall.

“This position has had a lot of challenges and I’ve been very fortunate to have great people working around me. By no means am I an expert, but I’m really enjoying the work and look forward to doing my best,” Stack said.

Dr. Joyce Hardy, CSC vice president for academic and student affairs, said she is “thrilled” that Stack has taken the position.

“Dr. Stack brings to this position a commitment to support student success, coupled with a firm belief of student responsibility in the process of learning,” she said. “His ability to interweave academic and student life with a great sense of humor and an underlying belief that all students can succeed, is perfect for the challenging position of dean of students.”

Stack was named the outstanding teacher of the year in the Nebraska State College System in April 2004, shortly before leaving his position as associate professor of mathematical sciences. He was the sixth CSC instructor to earn that honor.

He is former chairman of CSC’s math department and serves as Chadron State’s faculty athletic representative for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Before coming to Chadron State in 1998, Stack was an instructor in the math department at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion four years. He earned all three of his degrees from USD – a doctorate in 1998, master’s degree in 1991 and a bachelor’s degree in 1990. He also was the school’s head baseball coach from 1994-1998.

The Stacks have six children. They are Kiya, 13, Riley, 11, Caston, 8, Jayden, 7, Brooklyn, 4, and Kennady, 2.