The University of Iowa Office of the Vice President for Student Life on Oct. 18 requested to waive the search process to choose a dean of students and on Tuesday named Angie Reams to the role, which she has filled temporarily since January.

The waiver states that the office wanted Reams to be considered for the position in order to provide continuity of leadership. The UI started a third search for a permanent dean of students in September because of two previous unsuccessful attempts to retain a candidate.

Reams will begin serving in her new role Nov. 1 pending state Board of Regents approval. Her appointment comes after Lyn Redington left the UI in 2017 to become the vice president for Student Life at Idaho State University. Redington’s departure left the role vacant for more than two years.

The UI launched its first search for candidates in spring 2018 and began another search in November 2018. Although Vice President for Student Life Melissa Shivers told The Daily Iowan in September the third search would begin again, candidates were never announced.

The Office of the Vice President for Student Life said Reams received an administrative differential to serve in this role.

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“I greatly enjoyed serving the Division of Student Life, the [UI], and most importantly, our students, during my time as interim,” Reams said in an email to DI. “I received tremendous support from Vice President Shivers, university administration, and our students, staff, and faculty during this interim period and look forward to continuing to support student success at Iowa.”

The dean of students position is integral, Shivers said, as it relates to the student experience, and the recently restructured Center for Student Involvement and Leadership will shift to operate as a separate office reporting through the dean of students.

“This role is critical to creating a supportive, positive and inclusive community for our UI students and creating meaningful learning experiences,” the search waiver reads. “They help to provide guidance when students struggle and help celebrate students’ successes. Angie has done a great job in fulfilling this commitment to our students during this one-and-a-half-year time period.”

Shivers said the appointment of Reams will make for an easy transition thanks to her experience in the interim position. Her new permanent position allows her to provide oversight, guidance, and work directly to support student success through various student-wellness services.

“Her leadership experience includes co-directing the Early Intervention Team, serving as a core member of the Threat Assessment Team and the Campus Inclusion Team, coordinating the Admissions Review Committee, and serving on a variety of committees focused on expanding assistance, programs, and resources that support student success,” Shivers said.

Reams said she hopes to continue to support student success at Iowa.

“I remain focused on supporting the mission and values of the Division [of Student Life], supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within our organization and across campus, assisting with strategic-planning processes, finding ways to continue to increase support for student success, retention, and graduation-rate initiatives, and most importantly, being a resource and support for University of Iowa students, to name a few at this time,” Reams said.