Students shook by UHCL Student Life shakeups

The University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL) has experienced major and minor shifts across campus within the last 18 months. UHCL hired current President Ira K. Blake in August 2017. Since that time every top administrator – vice presidents and associate vice presidents – have either been replaced or hired to fill newly created positions. All of the administrative shifts have resulted in changes in how the university operates.

Many of those changes can be felt in what used to be the Division of Student Services, which has since been renamed the Division of Student Affairs. Student Affairs is the umbrella division that houses many of UHCL student services including: Career and Counseling Services; Health Services; Disability Services; Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Student Publications; Student Conference for Research and Creative Arts; Orientation and New Student Programming; Student Assistance Center; Veteran Affairs; Residential Life; Dean of Students, and the Office of Student Life.

Prior to hiring Dan Maxwell as the Interim Vice President of Student Affairs in August 2018, the department known as Student Services reported to Academic Affairs under the provost. When the former Vice President of Student Services Darlene Biggers retired in the summer of 2018, President Blake made the decision to rename the department Student Affairs and become its own stand-alone division.

“I think that initial step, is the president’s way of uplifting the Student Affairs unit to show all the things we do to support students and student success outside of the classroom as an equal partner with academic affairs, with the work that happens in administration and finance,” Maxwell said.

Changes within Student Affairs include a few offices moving into other divisions. For example, the Writing Center and the Math Center have both been moved into Academic Affairs. In exchange, the Office of Veterans Affairs has moved from Academic Affairs into the Division of Student Affairs.

Maxwell said that part of his goal is to create synergy between departments as well as help students identify their collective narrative.

“Once students are here, whether from an identity perspective: male, female, LGBTQ, African-American, Latino, as students begin to define themselves and find their voice in their own sense of intersectionality, how do they then get engaged on campus, connecting that with the staff that work in the Student Life Office, which here include student organizations, volunteer services, spirit, leadership development, the Hawk Institute, so different ways to be involved on campus, and then coupling that with, similarly, with Veteran Services, and how we support our Veterans,” Maxwell said. “While students are involved on campus throughout their two to four years at the institution, a big part of my job is asking the question, how can students create their own personal narrative: Who am I and what do I stand for?”

Student ID cards, proxy cards and shuttle services moved

Other changes on campus include rerouting services between offices housed under the Division for Student Affairs and other divisions. For example, the shuttle bus, which used to operate out of the Office of Student Life, now operates out of the Parking and Transportation Office. International Student Orientation has been rerouted from the Office of International Admissions and Programs into the Office of Orientation and New Student Programming.

“To me, the shuttle service was part of a larger conversation involving parking and transportation,” Maxwell said. “As the campus is growing, not only do we need to think about where the shuttle goes off campus, to different apartment complexes and such but also, how do we support students who may have a class at Delta, but also need to be down at the STEM building? Part of the move to the parking office is because this is what they do. It is not that we weren’t doing a good job in the Student Life Office, I just think it is a better fit for our students. I would encourage students to reach out to the Director of Parking Services, Harry Glass with any questioning pertaining [to] shuttle times, routes, etc.”

Still, other changes involve shifts in duties and responsibilities within offices housed within the Division of Student Affairs. For example, student ID cards and proxy cards are no longer available in the Student Life Office. This baton has been passed to the Student Assistance Center.

“Both of these moves allow for those individual services to be further developed and, in turn, allows the Student Life Office to concentrate on its purpose, that being to create programing and experiences which holistically develops students both in and outside of the classroom,” said David Rachita, dean of students.

Maxwell said the transitions across campus have a purpose and were put in place to better serve existing and future students.

Departure of long-time UHCL employee

Perhaps the biggest shakeup, as far as students are concerned, is the departure of long-time UHCL employee Andrew Reitberger, former director of the Student Life Office. As of Jan. 28, Reitberger is no longer affiliated with the university.

Multiple students reported that they learned about Reitberger’s departure through Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Dan Maxwell. Though Maxwell could not provide an explanation regarding specific personnel matters, he did state that his hope for students during this time is the ability to “move forward.”

“The hard part for anybody, whether that be a staff member or student leader, we are always trying to figure out the ‘why’ because it helps us put context around it,” Maxwell said. “It does not necessarily mean we agree with it, but it helps us to figure out how we are going to process what that loss may mean.”

After 20 years with UHCL, Reitberger’s unexplainable departure has left numerous students heartbroken and confused. Izuh Ikpeama, president of the student government association and biology major, along with numerous other students, expressed his gratitude and appreciation toward the university’s former employee. Ikpeama referred to Reitberger as “the heart of all things Student Life at the University of Houston–Clear Lake.”

“Every student that I know who worked with Andrew was either upset, genuinely sad, or a combination of the two,” Ikpeama said.

Ikpeama said he learned of Reitberger’s departure after a Student Government Association meeting. Ikpeama and many others were “beyond shocked” when Maxwell gave the following statement to the Student Government Association Executive Council after an annual meeting held Jan. 29: “As of 5 p.m. yesterday, Andrew Reitberger is no longer affiliated with the University of Houston–Clear Lake.”

Bryan Sullivan, student graphic designer in the student life office and communication major, expressed the impact Reitberger had in his life stating, Reitberger was nothing short of “encouraging and supportive while being able to provide students with thoughtful critique.”

Jessica Kunzat, student government association vice president of outreach and communication, and mathematical science major, also worked closely with Reitberger. Kunzat referred to Reitberger as a “highest education professional of the highest character.”

“Reitberger cared for everyone and valued education, development, harmony, engagement, and the overall student experience above all else,” Kunzat said.

These students say that Reitberger’s contributions to UHCL throughout the last 20 years have been so significant that they will not be forgotten under any circumstances.

Kunzat said that the university is “truly worse off without him here.”

“Reitberger’s fostered sense of community and overall impact on students will remain evident,” Kunzat said.