This fall, students will get acquainted with two new deans at Iowa State. Over the summer, the dean of business and the dean of students positions were filled.

Benjamin J. Allen, Dean of Business and Kathleen A. MacKay, Dean of Students, say they will welcome the opportunity to help students and to help better ISU.

“I’m not afraid to get into issues,” MacKay said. MacKay began working May 8 and said she wants to talk about issues instead of letting them sit. “I want to look for resolutions that work.”

Allen, who wants to provide students with more hands-on opportunities, has a four-point procedure to facilitate this plan. “We have different initiatives that we are working toward.” He said one of their goals is to “improve visibility in Iowa and across the country.”

MacKay, who comes to ISU from the University of Michigan, said she was surprised to find out she was a candidate for the job. “I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll be a candidate.’ It’s quite an honor to be nominated.”

Although she said she wanted to stay at Michigan, “this was the kind of job I was looking for. It’s a little bit like going home again.” MacKay returns to ISU after doing research here in 1988 and 1989 for the revolving colleges research team.

Allen, who filled his position July 1, said he wants to “improve the visibility in Iowa and across the country.” He said there are four different initiatives he wants to get started.

“We want to explore and develop distance learning opportunities,” Allen said. “This provides learning possibilities to people off campus.”

Competition from other schools and customer needs caused Allen to be alarmed about moving the School of Business forward. “It’s clearly something we must address,” he said.

“In the future we’ll use more communication technology,” Allen said. In two weeks, a task force will be established to develop a distance learning program, he said. “We want to serve the whole state.”

“Increasing or enhancing the connection between theory and research with practice” is another initiative in the works, Allen said. “We want to increase opportunities for students to have practicum opportunities.”

He said internships and coops will allow this to happen. “We also have an executive in residence. This is someone who interacts with the students and faculty.”

Currently, the colleges of business and engineering are working together with Texas Instruments on a two-course program. This “allows students from the two colleges to research and learn about the use of quality management standards in industry,” Allen said. The project began in January.

“We want to examine teaching effectiveness,” Allen added. “Overall, we have very good teachers. Our goal is to retain and recruit students.”

“Contact with students and spending time with people” are important to MacKay. She said she sees herself as “somebody trying to help students clarify what they’re interested in … a combination between manager and educator.”

Allen also said “we want to develop a close tie to the Des Moines business community.” He spoke of the Saturday MBA program and how it serves the Des Moines customer. “People from Des Moines come here and we meet the customer’s needs.”

Allen said he feels strongly about furthering partnerships. “We want to develop partnerships with other colleges at ISU, in the state of Iowa and with the private industry.” Building partnerships provides “more resources for students, it makes the educational product better and the students are better prepared after graduation.”