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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
the student voice since 1960
Thursday, February 24, 2022 Vol. 75 No. 21
The start of a new chapter at SIUE Pembrook leaves lasting impact on COVID-19 response and diversity
Chancellor Minor to prioritize listening, retention, defining region
Because we’ve had these racist incidents before and I want to know how we’re working to make this space fter serving the university more safe, more loving, more caring, as chancellor for five and a and more kind for students of color.’ half years and through the peak I just appreciated that because I think of COVID-19, Randy Pembrook there are a lot of administrators who is set to retire on Feb. 28. will ask those questions but not mean Pembrook said what he found it, and I think when he asked the quesmost interesting about serving the tion about how we support students, university through the pandemic is how we love them, he means it.” that typically universities have develPembrook also helped to create oped traditions and protocols, but the position of Vice Chancellor for as a university, they had to reinvent Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, which themselves on a consistent basis. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs “It felt like we were creating new Jeffery Waple said he thought was a ways of doing defining moment university almost for him, particuevery semester,” larly having done Pembrook said. so through a pan“And so in the demic. Jessica Harspring of 2020, ris, who filled this in one week, we position, said Pembecame a 100 brook has inspired percent online her leadership university. We’d through his apnever done that proachability, charbefore. If someacter and integrity. one had asked, ‘Is Student Govit possible?’, we ernment President probably would Hailee O’Dell said have said, ‘No, she’s appreciated it’s not possible,’ receptiveness | Alestle file photo his and yet we did it in two weeks.” and support during Dean of the School of Medicine their monthly meetings as well. Jerry Kruse said he believes Pem“I always feel like, when I leave brook had the perfect balance of see- a meeting with Dr. Pembrook, someing the big picture and having the thing happened and he understood me right amount of detailed knowledge and he took the time to listen to me, to lead his team forward, particularly which as students, that’s not very comin the case of COVID-19. mon,” O’Dell said. “He worked very collaboratively Pembrook said he enjoyed many with the entire system, with Presi- things during his time at SIUE, but dent Mahony, [SIUC] Chancellor watching students graduate was the Lane, with me [and] with all of the most impactful for him. various institutions to do a very good “I think the most special experirisk/benefit analysis based on the in- ences for me were commencement, complete information that we had, just to see everybody graduate,” Pemand the uncertainty that we were brook said. “Students are always so dealing with in order to set the risk happy when they get to that point and benefit needle in a very good place to talk to parents on that day … it just to maximize safety, but allow some of was very special for me.” the usual function to occur.” He said he hopes students will Another area Pembrook worked come back to campus often and stay to make strides in was in issues of di- involved in the area as he believes the versity, equity and inclusion, which university offers many opportunities Assistant Professor of Education- for people even beyond a college deal Leadership J.T. Snipes — having gree, and that he wants to thank the worked with him through the An- students, faculty and staff at SIUE for ti-Racism Task Force — said he thinks their support. Pembrook has been particularly “As I kind of get close to that committed to. March 1 retirement, just so many “We’ve had several racist inci- kinds of people have stopped by to dents happen on campus,” Snipes say hello,” Pembrook said. “So, I just said. “After one of those events, one want to express my gratitude to all of the things that Chancellor Pem- the individuals at SIUE [and those] brook asked a roomful of adminis- part of the SIU system who have trators, genuinely and honestly … made this just an incredible experience [was], ‘How are we getting better? for me.”
in higher education is to make s u re s t u d e n t s w h o e n ro l l i n t h e u n i v e r s i t y m a ke i t t h ro u g h to commencement. ncoming chancellor James “If there’s one thing that causes me Minor wants to focus on to lose sleep at night, it is the idea that listening to the campus commua student who showed up a year or two nity and ensuring that more stuago, did everything that they were supdents reach graduation. posed to do in high school to be admitMinor, who will become SIUE’s chancellor on March 1, said he is inted to college, arrive to the orientation tentionally taking his time in develprogram, their families working hard to oping the priorities for his time as support them in college, and for whatchancellor, so that he can consult the ever reason, a year or two later, that stucampus community. dent is no longer enrolled,” Minor said. “I really would like the benefit of “That bothers me personally, it bothers hearing the voices of the SIUE comme professionally.” munity to ensure that I fully underMinor said this focus on degree stand where we completion started have been, how when he was studypeople articulate ing for his masters. challenges and opHe and his class were portunities, and looking at a national how we collectivedata set on quality of ly come to see the life and life satisfacfuture of the intion variables. They stitution,” Minor found that regardless said. “I very much of demographics, the would like the inmain indicator of a stitutional priorigood life was a colties to be co-conlege education, but structed with the there were disparities university commuin who had access to nity. And for me, one. that begins with a | Photo courtesy of University “If there was lot of listening.” Marketing & Communications something that I Minor said one could do to increase of the first stops on his listening tour the likelihood that deserving individuals will be the East St. Louis campus, due had an opportunity to earn a college deto concerns that have been expressed gree, I was convinced at that moment in by its staff about feeling disconnected time, that it could literally change their from the Edwardsville campus. lives, change the quality of their lives,” “I heard the very same concerns Minor said. during my visit,” Minor said. “And so Minor is also taking the community it is very important to me to work as surrounding campus into consideration hard as we possibly can to change the for SIUE’s future. He said the Metro narrative that describes the relationEast has a rich history and he would like ship between the East St. Louis and for the university to be more prominent Edwardsville campus.” in the area. Other potential stops on Minor’s “But my ambition quite honestly is list are student organization meetings, for SIUE to define the region,” Minor general education courses and intro said. “So when people reference the Metcourses, particularly in sociology since ro East, what comes to mind is SIUE, that is one of his areas of study. which is a beacon of opportunity, culture, Jessica Harris, chair of the Chanintellectualism, problem solving and cellor Search Committee, said what community engagement.” made Minor stand out was his lisHarris said she is looking fortening skills and experience in highward to seeing where the universier education as well as his vision for ty will go under Minor’s leadership SIUE’s future. and believes SIUE will become “a “I think he’s very attuned to who first-class institution.” we are, but certainly where we could “Any time you get new leadership go and who we could be,” Harris said. coming into an institution, the sky’s the “He is an accomplished scholar of higher education, a thought leader in limit. There’s so many opportunities, so the field, and certainly had a range of many possibilities,” Harris said. “And professional expertise that made him so I’m just excited about Dr. Minor and well suited and uniquely suited to be what his leadership will bring, and the SIUE’s next chancellor.” type of institution that we’ll be able to Besides listening, Minor’s goal build together.”
DAMIAN MORRIS managing editor
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