On Feb. 4, Dean of Students Joe Russell announced the launch of the Center for Student Success, a new centralized hub designed to streamline access to student resources and support.
“Beginning this spring, Middlebury is launching the Center for Student Success,” Russell wrote in an email to students. “A new, integrated hub designed to make it easier for you to access support and guidance throughout your time at the College.” The Center for Student Success consolidates several previously separate offices — including Class Deans, Care Management and Equity Initiatives — into a single, coordinated team.
Following the retirement of Scott Barnicle, dean of senior year experience, in Aug. 2025, after 26 years of working at the college, leadership decided to rethink the entire model, assess its current functions, and identify new ways to adapt and innovate.
Last spring, the college offered early retirement to eligible staff as part of wider cost-saving initiatives.
“The new model was designed after one of the class deans retired as part of the Vermont Staff Retirement Incentive Program that was offered in Spring 2025,” Russell wrote in an email to the Campus.
Under the new model, students will not be assigned to a designated class dean, instead they will have access to a team of student deans. The Center aims to ensure continuity of care and reduce delays caused by dean availability. The Center will house five Assistant Deans for Student Success, one Assistant Dean for Academic Success, one Student Success Coordinator and an Operations Manager. The team will report to Smita Ruzicka, vice president for student affairs, and Russell.
“The new structure provides a greater level of integrated support for students – who are able to access broader supports in one place rather than having to go to different offices and have separate conversations,” Russell wrote to the Campus. “The model also allows a little more flexibility given the team approach instead of limiting access to a single person based on class year.”
By allowing students to work with multiple deans, the Center aims to ensure continuity of care and reduce delays caused by dean availability. According to the website, emails to the Center are currently processed based on urgency and can take up to 10 working days to receive a response.
Some students found that the new model addresses challenges they faced when navigating student support systems.
“I wish I had a less fragmented system. I sometimes found it a little complicated to navigate through what felt like loopholes to get the support or resource I was looking for,” Giselle Palma ’28 said. “I’m an orientation leader, so I am glad that incoming students will have an established system that they can easily navigate amongst the chaos of being a first-year.”
YiJun Kim ’26 said she supports the new system, noting that it allows students to maintain continuity in relationships they have already built with their class deans.
“I think having to deal with a new dean can sometimes be discouraging for students who have already adjusted to a particular class,” Kim said. “There will be less work for students who are already very busy and occupied with many commitments.”
Another student, Ariella Frommer ’28.5, agrees.
“As someone with heavy extracurricular involvement on campus, I am glad that there is now a space where I can go to as a one-stop shop for all information under this new model. The previous model would make me a little less inclined due to the amount of steps and time I’d have to take to access a particular resource.”
According to the website, The Center for Student Success brings together services related to academic performance, mentorship & advising, involvement with campus life, financial stability, health & wellbeing and confidence & efficacy. The center is staffed by five assistant deans for student success, one assistant dean for academic success, a student success coordinator and an operations manager. The team reports to the Vice President of Student Affairs, Smita Ruzicka and Russell.
Currently, the offices of different deans are located across Battell Hall, Allen Hall and the Anderson Freeman Center. Russell added that, following the demolition of Old Battell Hall, the deans are identifying a campus location for all to reside.
“We are actively working on the future location of the Center, but have not yet finalized those plans,” Russell wrote to the Campus.
Editors note: Managing Editor Yuvraj Shah ’26 contributed reporting to this article.
