Caswell Announces Retirement

Vice President for Student Affairs Jim Caswell has announced he will retire effective May 31, 2007.

He made the announcement at the close of a Division of Student Affairs fall staff retreat Thursday.

“I’m at the official retirement age at SMU,” Caswell said in a phone interview with The Daily Campus. “I’m very nostalgic. Two-thirds of my life has been here at SMU.”

Caswell said he made the decision to retire and informed University President R. Gerald Turner of the decision at the time of his annual evaluation in the spring.

Caswell, who will be 65 in October, has been a part of the SMU community for more than 40 years. He began the association as an undergraduate in the fall of 1959.

Turner has appointed Tom Barry, vice president for executive affairs, to head up the search committee, according to Executive Director of Public Affairs Patricia LaSalle.

Calls to Barry’s office were not returned late Thursday afternoon. Turner is currently out of town and could not be immediately reached for comment.

Caswell said the organizational changes in the Division of Student Affairs implemented over the summer were made, in part, to “set the stage” for his successor.

Dee Siscoe, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of student life, said Caswell “has provided leadership for the university for a long time,” and described him as someone who is “passionate about students.”

Siscoe said that while she has aspirations of being a vice president in her career, she is unsure if she would pursue Caswell’s position. She added that whoever replaces Caswell would “have to be interested in student empowerment,” and “really want to help students grow outside of the classroom.”

Arlene Manthey, who was recently appointed to the position of student affairs development officer this summer, called Caswell a “pillar of this institution,” and added it will be difficult to see him leave.

“I’m thankful I’ve had the opportunity to have worked with Dr. Caswell, learned from him-I’m so fortunate for the opportunity,” Manthey said.

Ryan Williams, coordinator of student activities and Greek affairs, said he was “excited for him [Caswell] and excited for the university.” Williams added Caswell would be remembered as someone “who had a significant impact on the university, and is known for his work in student affairs, specifically fraternity and sorority affairs, around the country.”

Caswell, who holds a Master of Sacred Theology and a Bachelor of Divinity from the Perkins School of Theology, said he is in discussions with St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano to take a position there after he leaves SMU.

Caswell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from SMU before attending Perkins School of Theology. He also holds masters and doctoral degrees from Columbia University.

While he was a student, he worked at the SMU bookstore in the textbook department and later served as a residence hall director.

After graduating, Caswell served in various capacities in the Division of Student Affairs before being named vice president of the division in 1988 by former university president A. Kenneth Pye.