EIU Media Relations

Nadler Named EIU's Vice President for Student Affairs

The new vice president for student affairs at Eastern Illinois University says if he were to custom design a university with his needs and interests in mind, that university would be EIU.

"I can't tell you how impressed I am with the staff, the faculty and the leadership that is in place there," said Daniel Nadler, who currently serves as associate vice president for student affairs at Tulane University in New Orleans. "I'm so excited about coming to Eastern."

Nadler, who will begin his new job on Aug. 1, was chosen from among more than 50 applicants in a search that began earlier this year after Shirley A. Stewart, acting vice president for student affairs, announced her Jan. 1, 2005, retirement. Lynette Drake, director of EIU's health service, was chosen to serve as acting vice president until a permanent replacement was found.

In announcing the appointment, EIU President Lou Hencken expressed his excitement at having Nadler join the university's administrative team. "The search committee, headed by Mona Davenport, did a wonderful job by bringing four fantastic candidates - each with different strengths - to campus.

"Dr. Nadler was brought back for a second interview, which just reinforced our beliefs that he was the best person for the job. He has some great ideas to move Eastern Illinois University 's student affairs area forward."

The vice president for student affairs is responsible to the president for the administration and coordination of all aspects of the university's Student Affairs Division, which includes 14 departments: campus recreation; career services; the counseling center; financial aid; greek life; health service, including the health education resource center; university housing and dining services; judicial affairs; orientation; student legal services; student life; textbook rental; university police; and the university union.

Nadler, a Chicago native, began his academic career at his alma mater - Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. ("Making our home in Charleston will put us mid-way between my two Illinois homes," he said.)

After receiving both his bachelor's degree (liberal studies) and master's degree (speech communication), he went on to earn a doctorate in higher education, with an emphasis in college student personnel. Following graduation, he joined SIU's staff as director of leadership development and volunteer programs, and then was promoted to director of first year experience and traditional programs.

He was serving as director of orientation and parent/family programs and assistant director of student life when he left Southern in 1993 to assume the position of director of student life at Tulane University.

Subsequently, he served as associate dean of students (1997-1999), assistant vice president for student affairs (1999-2004) and, most recently, associate vice president for student affairs (2004 to present).

He also taught at both SIU and at Tulane, and has actively engaged in research and publishing.

Although more than two months will go by before he actually assumes the role as Eastern's newest vice president, Nadler is making plans. He would like to see enhanced interaction between students and faculty/staff members, and will continue to strengthen the relationship between the student affairs and academic affairs areas, thus incorporating the living and learning environments for EIU's students.

Nadler will place an emphasis on service learning and work to further integrate leadership training throughout the university and throughout all disciplines. He would like to see the development of a leadership studies minor, and plans to explore the possibility with his academic colleagues.

"Our country and the world need great leaders," he said. "And our students need to learn to be leaders in their professions, in their neighborhoods and in non-profit organizations."

On a more personal level, he and his wife Kathy, along with their children - Lauren, 8, and Christopher, 3 - look forward to moving back to Illinois .

"My wife, especially, was so fond of the open area and the friendliness of the people she knew in Carbondale. We're looking forward to getting back into that kind of environment," Nadler said.