New College of Public and Community Service Interim Dean Leads with Enthusiasm

By Leigh DuPuy

A longtime scholar of psychology, former co-director of the Institute for Asian American Studies, and a veteran marathoner, Connie Chan is well known for her drive and enthusiasm. Embarking on her latest challenge with the same energy and dedication, Chan has taken the helm as interim dean of the College of Public and Community Service (CPCS).

While Chan knows CPCS well, having served as a faculty member there for twenty years, she has found a new perspective on the college since being named interim dean in October 2003. "It's very interesting to see the college as a whole, with all of its connections to the university, its students, alumni, and community," she says.

Inspired by this viewpoint, Chan seeks to increase awareness of the college's assets and mission. "I'm concerned some may misunderstand the college, and I really want to communicate what CPCS truly is, what our strengths are, and who our students are," she says.

Addressing recent debates about admission standards and the college, Chan explains, "I don't believe there is a conflict between standards and access. We prepare students to build on their expertise, acquiring a skill set and a knowledge base that they then can apply to their careers."

Chan says CPCS students may be different in age or experience, but she emphasizes that this difference is not a reflection of an inability to succeed academically. "Our students typically have five to twenty year's experience in their field and have a maturity and educational perspective that often cannot be measured in traditional academic assessments," she says. "For example, we have students who have been out of high school or college for ten, twenty, or thirty years and their transcripts do not reflect their abilities now or their promise. We want to evaluate candidates based on their potential to flourish in academia now."

Many students attracted to CPCS majors and graduate programs are those who are looking for an opportunity to apply knowledge to their career, Chan notes. The graduate programs in dispute resolution and human services have been perennially popular with applicants and CPCS is moving forward in developing new undergraduate degrees, with the new Community, Media, and Technology degree up and running and a degree in Community Studies under current review by the Board of Trustees. Chan points out that younger students are also applying to CPCS, attracted by its focus on social justice and diverse perspectives.

Future projects for Chan include working on CPCS's revised curriculum, which now offers flexible concentrations within existing majors. "We are offering a more integrative approach and allow our students to design majors that, for example, can combine human service competencies with concentrations in advocacy or law," she says.

The college is also striving to engage more of its alumni in recruitment efforts and future mentoring relationships with students. Chan hopes the creation of a community advisory board, including local leaders, alumni, and community activists, will help further recruitment, mentoring, and funding of programs.

"I am always looking for creative ways to help fund the programs that benefit our students, whether it's financially through scholarship programs, or in providing students support such as tutoring and advising," says Chan.
While finding her time as dean busy and challenging, Chan clearly revels in the experience. "I love hearing from students, faculty, and alumni--I am so enthusiastic about the college."

Chan arrived at UMass Boston in 1982 with an A.B. in psychology from Princeton University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Boston University. She served as co-director for the Institute for Asian American Studies from 1993 until recently, and was promoted to full professor in 1998. When not in her offices at CPCS, Chan can be found training for her 13th consecutive Boston Marathon in April 2004.

Image: Connie Chan was appointed interim dean of the College of Public and Community Service in October 2003. (Photo by Harry Brett)

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