This is the first article in a two-part series profiling Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman. Today's article will focus on Reitman's background in education and current position as dean. The next article, which will appear in tomorrow's paper, will address challenges and issues Reitman has faced at Tufts.
Bruce Reitman (A '72) still remembers his English 1 class and days spent roaming the halls as a resident assistant (RA) during his undergraduate years at Tufts four decades ago. Now, after serving as dean of student affairs for over eight years, Reitman reflects back on his long career in academia.
Reitman specifically remembers taking an English seminar at Tufts during his freshman year called The Idea of a University that focused on the concept and goals of a university community. "It reflected on being a student and being a professor," he said. "It was sort of a life-changing course; it led me to being on the [Experimental College] board … I was one of the student board members who hired Robyn Gittleman." Gittleman is now the director of the ExCollege and an associate dean of undergraduate education.
Reitman cites a number of different experiences during his undergraduate years that eventually led him down the path of higher education. In addition to getting involved on the ExCollege board, Reitman's position as an RA got him interested in psychology, which lead him to study the subject in graduate school.
"Even though I didn't know it at the time, [being an RA] was an important position," Reitman said. "It was really my first job in education, employment and student affairs … [and] first experience in peer counseling, which was a growing field at the time."
After attending graduate school at Tufts and Brandeis University, Reitman moved to northern Vermont and worked in the Vermont state college system, teaching behavioral sciences and working in admissions. Additionally, he began working as a mediation consultant in the legal and corporate world. After several years, however, Reitman began to look for another position, which sent him back in Tufts' direction.
When Reitman came back to the Hill to ask for job references, he stopped into former Associate Dean of Students Elizabeth Toupin's office, just to say hi. Reitman explained to Toupin, who had hired him as an RA years back, that he was just about to leave Lyndon State College to apply for a job in aerial photography.
"I dropped in to see … Liz Toupin, and she said, ‘Nonsense, you're not doing that!' and told me about an associate dean position that was open," Reitman said.
Although he initially had no intention of leaving Vermont, he went through three rounds of interviews just to consider it and keep the option open. "Then I thought, ‘Jeez, I can be a dean,' and it became more and more appealing," he said.
Reitman became Tufts' associate dean of students in 1983, and eight years ago he moved up to become the dean of student affairs, citing many mentors along the way. "Liz was the one who got me involved, but [the former] Dean of Students, Bobby Knable, was a great mentor to me … [He] taught me so much about life," Reitman said. "I've worked with wonderful Tufts presidents, three very different styles and models, but this has been an absolute treat to have lucked back into."
But what does the dean of student affairs do on the Hill? "Besides warning people to be careful in Mexico?" Reitman asked jokingly, referring to this past spring break.
He explained that the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs works to keep the campus active and welcome students of all backgrounds and interests at Tufts. Additionally, the office strives to ensure "that there is a strong connection between curriculum and co-curricular programs and to make people feel cared for [and] safe, that their needs are addressed," Reitman said. "That's what my job is."
To do this, the office works as a liaison between many of the departments, programs and organizations on campus and the greater student, faculty and staff populations. Some of the programs they assist include the Africana Center, Women's Center, Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, the Office of Campus Life, Judicial Affairs, the Office of Residential Life and Learning and the Commuter Student Program.
Reitman was also one of the co-chairs of the Task Force on the Undergraduate Experience that was led in the early 2000s and explained that the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs continues to carry out one of the main agendas of the task force — "building connections between the curricular and co-curricular world that the Tufts community is."
Reitman believes that a thriving university must do a good job of balancing academic work and social community. "We want to make sure people are engaged, make sure they are part of this community," he said.
