In his new role as Associate Dean of Students, Jim Hoppe, father of a four-year old son, is making a transition from “Blues’ Clues’ to college policies.”

Macalester conducted a nation-wide search to find a replacement for former Associate Dean Myra Garnes last spring before she left the college to live with her fiancÈ in Maryland. According to Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Laurie Hamre, there were 100 applications for the position, out of which four finalists were selected.

The four finalists were on campus for two days last semester. During their visits, a committee composed of faculty, staff, and students met with the candidates and evaluated them. Macalester later offered the position to Hoppe, in part because he had previous experience in similar positions. “He had a deep understanding of student development and an interest in working with students,” Hamre said. “He also was comfortable with Macalester, and understood its goals and mission.”

Hoppe’s responsibilities as Associate Dean of Students include advising Macalester College Student Government (MCSG), serving as a student grievance officer, coordinating the campus judicial system, and leading educational programs about sexual assault and racial harassment.

Hoppe works with MCSG in providing general support with various projects and decisions. He said that his involvement with MCSG has so far proved the most rewarding part of his job. “I have really enjoyed getting to know the members of the government and learning about Mac through their eyes,” he said.

Hoppe said that he has been attending and helping to organize various MCSG retreats and meetings. “[Hoppe] helps get information from different departments,” MCSG Vice President Cara Haberman ’06 said. “He is a resource on how things work at the college, and acts as a link to the staff.”

Hoppe also performs concrete tasks for the government, such as organizing an upcoming dinner with Board of Trustee appointees. MCSG President Michael Barnes ’06 said that Hoppe has been “an immense help” with logistical concerns. “[Hoppe] makes it easier for us to get to know each other, get our styles together, and get ourselves prepared.”

Barnes added that Hoppe is an excellent mediator of policy disagreements between members of government. “He is so calm and good at interjecting when needed. He makes sure we don’t bite each other’s heads off,” he said.

Hoppe is also teaming up with Students Together Against Rape and Sexual Assault (STARSA) and other groups to work on sexual assault awareness programs. “We are trying to figure out what has worked, what will work, and to put down more written information on the subject,” he said. “We want to define what sexual assault is, how to report it, and how to respond. It is important to address issues and see if there are gaps in the services we offer.” Presently, Hoppe is working on a Sexual Assault/Harassment Education webpage, which can be accessed from www.macalester.edu/ deanofstudents/.

Before Macalester, Hoppe held positions similar to his present one at the University of Puget Sound, St. Louis University, and Northwestern University. Hoppe was working at University of Puget Sound when he and his partner, with whom he has one child, decided to move to the Twin Cities.

Hoppe now lives in St. Louis Park with his partner, son, two dogs and one cat. He said that the hardest part of working at Macalester has been being away from his son, for whom he took a semester off last year. “My son has given me so much perspective in terms of understanding balance and how my actions impact other people,” Hoppe said. “He is a big focus of what we do outside of work. I spend a lot of time with him just playing, learning, and teaching.”