In the richly musical and boldly imaginative poems of The Dean of Discipline, Michael Waters explores the confluences of the sensual and the spiritual, and renders their mysteries with precision and clarity. The title evokes the rigorous consciousness that prods the artist to deepen into his craft. Line by line, Waters delivers the passionate eloquence and intensity that distinguish his poems.

The Dean: On Duty What is a Dean of Students? What does he do when he is "on duty?" What do teenagers do when the adults are not looking? How important are education and parenting? This book offers some insights and perhaps even some answers. The Dean: On Duty explores a number of important issues that students, parents and schools confront on a regular basis. The anecdotes reflect real people and real issues, and though each person or incident is unique the broader implications for society in general bubble to the surface throughout the book. This is not an in depth study of homophobia, ethnicity, politics or philosophy, but those are among the broad issues that emerge throughout the book, often with their own chapter headings but not exclusive to those chapters. This is a personal story, not the result of research or planning. "I live on campus at a boarding/day school of teenagers in grades 9-12, with an additional day population in the 7th and 8th grades that has a separate administrator. Even though only a small portion of the American population has contact with or knowledge of these institutions, what I have to say has broad enough implications that there will be useful nuggets for many people: parents, students, school personnel, former students. Much of what I do say is anecdotal, personal. I am not a social scientist. I do not have the broad data to make solid conclusions about education or parenting. I am a student of history, a teacher of history; however, I am not an historian. I have no PH.D. I have taught US History, including the Advanced Placement class, European History, Ancient History, Geography, American Government, electives on Hitler and Nazi Germany for nearly 30 years, Russian History, and, more recently Western Philosophy. I have taught 7th through 12th graders, although only juniors and seniors with a smattering of sophomores for the last ten years. I have coached soccer, basketball, golf and baseball. I have lived in boys dorms, a girls dorm, in my own mortgaged house, and in school housing. I have taken school trips to Outward Bound programs, Germany and the USSR. In short, I have some experience and some experiences. After 33 years as a teacher, 9 as a Dean of Students, I am on a bit of a break. I have a sabbatical during the 2nd half of the 2001-02 year, and it is the first year after 32 consecutive years in the classroom that I am not teaching. I decided that I would discipline myself to try to write enough for a book during my sabbatical." "I have been in schools for more than 50 consecutive years. Most of what I have to say is about the last ten and where all of us are right now." While the job of being a Dean of Students is indeed a serious one, the ability to remain personally stable and successful requires empathy, patience and certainly a sense of humor. While there are no rollicking escapades described in the book, there are indeed some amusing, although sometimes, poignant moments as well. The author attempts to demonstrate his personal style as a Dean with that hint of humor as he goes along. "Dean is a four-letter word. While it is not always clear what the term means, my title at the school is Dean of Students. We also have a Dean of Faculty and an Academic Dean. One of the earliest definitions of Dean was a senior member of a monastery overseeing ten monks. Fortunately, that does not apply to me. It is also a definition of a senior member of a male group (female version: doyen), It is in my case a side effect of constancy with one employer. As Dean of Students, I am essentially in charge of discipline, another of those elements of the definition of Dean. Dean of Discipline. Dean of Dress. Dean of Issues Other People Want to Avoid. That sounds too much like a march to martyrdom, and martyrdom is not

The role of Dean of Students is pivotal: in students’ lives; for their institutions as a conduit to senior administration about issues of concern to students; as a figure who can coordinate disparate campus constituencies -- from academic affairs and athletics to campus safety and relationships with parents and alums; and as a crisis manager.What preparation, skills, dispositions, and knowledge do DOSs need to be effective in their role; and, indeed, what areas and range of activities generally fall under their responsibility?Through chapters by experienced DOSs – from early career to veterans and in between – this book provides vivid first-hand accounts of what’s involved in managing the multiple roles of the deanship, its immense personal rewards, the positive impact that practitioners can make in the lives of students, and on campus policy and environment, without glossing over the demands on time and the concomitant stresses. The contributors describe the paths they followed to take on the role, and what they do to keep current.Each chapter offers a wealth of anecdotes that provide an insider’s feel for the daily life of the DOS, and how incumbents have found ways to integrate family and personal needs with the discharging of their often demanding responsibilities. The contributing authors offer valuable advice on setting priorities and dealing with issues as varied as setting budgets, creating an effective team, delegation, and addressing student conduct issues. They offer guidance on developing allies across campus, keeping up to date with trends and legislation, and building a network of mentors and advisors through professional associations and connection with their peers at institutions around the country. The book concludes with some perspectives about the meaning and purpose of the dean of students role in our current era and as we look to the future of higher education.The dean of students is a challenging role because it is often the one administrator thrust onto the frontlines to meet students not only at their best, but also at their worst. This person is an advocate and educator, disciplinarian and friend, confidant and counselor, and advisor and parent all rolled into one. Keep Calm and Call the Dean of Students offers a unique window into this challenging and rewarding position that will appeal to sitting deans; to those seeking this role; and to senior leaders in higher education seeking to appoint a DOS and/or organize a dean of students portfolio of responsibilities.

In volumes1-8: the final number consists of the Commencement annual.