Terri Houston, Iowa State’s new assistant dean of students, said she is excited to be at Iowa State.

Houston, past director of the Department of Student Leadership and Activities at Ferris State University in Michigan, didn’t have a place to stay when she first got to Ames, but she said she was so anxious to get to work with ISU’s Student Organizations and Activities Center, that she didn’t think much about it.

As assistant dean, Houston will oversee Greek Affairs, GSB, Veishea and more than 500 student organizations. Houston’s position went unfilled for over a year. Various staff members were given additional responsibilities to pick up the slack.

“We were in a transition last year. We talked about doing some things, but now we can finally get the ball rolling,” said Susan LeBow Young, substance abuse prevention advisor.

Julie Hays, Greek Affairs coordinator, said having more people to work with students will make a large difference in what her office can do.

Though her co-workers, such as Hays and Young, have helped make her feel welcome, Houston said, her decision to leave Ferris was a tough one.

“I had established a good rapport with the faculty and students, but I felt ready to move up and out,” she said. “I feel I have something to give and am honored to give it to Iowa State.”

LeBow Young said Houston is making the transition well.

“She is learning the lay of the land first before making any changes,”she said. “I admire her patience to gather all of the information before making any changes.”

Houston graduated from a Lutheran high school in Chicago. She attended Loras College, a Catholic school in Dubuque, but she went to a Baptist church on Sundays.

The diversity she’s been exposed to has “laid the groundwork for my career,” Houston said.

“I am looking forward to working in the community to offer the diversity that Iowa needs,” she said. “I am hoping Iowa State is receptive and open to opportunity and gives way to creativity and change.”

While she’s not here to rock the boat, Houston said she doesn’t like to hear: “That’s not how we do it.” Houston said whatever doesn’t work needs to be fixed and things that do work, can be better.

That’s positive news for Hays.

“There are definitely going to be changes, but we are really excited about those changes,” she said. “I think she is going to be for us.”

“We are still in the position of where we can go from here,” LeBow Young added.