An ISU administrator and celebrated adviser was arrested and charged with drunken driving on May 8.

Vernon Wall, 43, assistant dean of students and adviser to numerous student organizations on campus, was stopped at 2:45 a.m. May 8 in the area of Lincoln Way and Elwood Drive for speeding, according to police reports.

The arresting officer observed Wall to have bloodshot and watery eyes and smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle, said Ames Police Cmdr. Jim Robinson.

Wall then failed a series of field sobriety tests and was subsequently asked to take a breath test, which he also failed, showing a blood alcohol content of .109 percent. The legal limit in Iowa is .08 percent.

He was charged with first-offense operating while intoxicated.

Wall was processed at the Ames Police Department and was released at 9 a.m. with a promise to appear in court. He is scheduled to appear at 1 p.m. Friday.

Wall is currently out of the country as part of Leadership London and was unavailable for comment.

Pete Englin, dean of students, said he had not yet determined what actions, if any, would come from the charge against Wall.

“At this point, he’s been charged, but he hasn’t been convicted yet,” Englin said. “He and I will cross that bridge together if it comes to that point.”

Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs, said handling the repercussions of Wall’s charge would fall to Englin, but added that he was disappointed by the situation.

“Clearly, we have an expectation of how our employees, especially those that work with students, as far as their behavior is concerned,” Hill said. “His behavior in this instance was not consistent with that expectation. And it is not consistent with the kind of work he’s done at Iowa State.”

Hill said he had been impressed by the work Wall has done with ISU students and that he had “expected more” of him.

Wall has worked as the assistant dean of students and director of student activities at Iowa State since 1998.

He currently serves as an adviser for numerous student organizations, including Veishea Inc., which organizes the annual Veishea festival, and the fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha, 203 Ash Ave.

He has received numerous awards, including Iowa State’s Dr. Kathleen MacKay Advisor Hall of Fame award, and has written and spoken extensively on issues involving tolerance and sexual orientation.

Nick Renner, president of Lambda Chi Alpha, said Wall’s charge did not overshadow the work he has done with the fraternity.

“It’s unfortunate, what happened, especially with him being in the position that he’s in, in that he does work with students,” said Renner. “But everyone makes mistakes, and I feel that Wall has been an asset to student and to student organizations. He’s always been a help for us when we’ve needed him.”

Renner said he and the other members of the fraternity had no intention of changing their adviser because of the charge.

“We plan to stick with Wall as our adviser,” he said.

Wall also serves as adviser to the Government of Student Body senate. The announcement of the charges against him came as a surprise to current GSB Vice President and former Vice Speaker of the Senate William Rock.

“I think everyone was surprised,” Rock said. “There are things you just don’t have to worry about, that you take for granted. “