The Shorthorn - Dean tabs student attorney

HOME

Faculty/Staff

Dean tabs student attorney

Written by Richard-Michael Manuel

Wednesday, 23 March 2005 11:00 PM

Dean of Students Austin Lane announced Wednesday that the attorney for the students will be Keisha Dicks. She starts April 4. She will fill the position vacated by Susan McKee, who left Nov. 19. McKee served here for 12 years and left on amicable terms to work as a judicial affairs officer for UT-Dallas. “We’re lucky that we had such a great pool of candidates and that [Dicks] was still available, because if we had to start over we might not have had an attorney until the fall,” Lane said. His announcement marks the end of a five-month search that began with 25 applicants — five who had personal interviews with Lane. Two finalists were chosen to interview with staff and students Feb. 16, but both declined final bids for personal reasons. Lane then re-examined the remaining three and invited Dicks on March 14 to meet with staff and one student who worked for nearby offices. Kent Gardner, student affairs vice president, also met her. After consulting with the interviewers and talking further with Dicks’ references, Lane said she was offered the position and accepted Friday. He said he’s happy that the search has ended. In McKee’s absence, Lane has helped students with legal questions by giving them referrals to applicable services. “It’ll be nice not to have to start a conversation with, ‘Now, I’m not an attorney,’ ” he said. Lane said that Dicks shouldn’t be thought of as the third best candidate, because she and all of the remaining candidates had personable natures and excellent backgrounds in law. “I think that the students are really going to enjoy working with her,” he said. “She’s already thinking about ways to make the office more accessible to students.” Dicks could not be reached for comment. Her résumé lists her as having earned her juris doctorate from Baylor University Law School. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science and history at Columbia College in South Carolina and graduated magna cum laude. She worked for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s regional Texas office as a law clerk for two years. Tami Tucker, coordinator of student judicial affairs, met Dicks at last week’s interview and said Dicks would make a great addition to the office. “She has such a great attitude, and she seems eager to work with the students,” Tucker said. She said the position serves an important purpose to the students, and they should seek the attorney’s help before they spend money on legal services. “As I understand it, she is willing to meet with groups to tell them legal advice,” Tucker said. She added that visiting with student groups at their meetings is an important step in empowering the student body.
Views: 50 | E-mail

Be first to comment this article

Last Updated ( Monday, 31 August 2009 04:55 PM )

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]