“It’s just such a privilege to have anything to do with the trajectory of people’s lives.”
Robert Dana is the dean of students and vice president for student life and inclusive excellence at the University of Maine. He has served the Orono community for the last 40 years. Dana is set to retire at the end of the Fall 2024 semester. Much of his career involved fostering a welcoming environment for all students and encouraging their participation outside of the classroom.
Dana met with the Maine Campus on Oct. 30 to reflect on his time at UMaine. He mentioned that bald eagles often fly past the window of his office, located in the Memorial Union. Bald eagles are known to symbolize the principles of strength and freedom as well as signifying a new beginning.
For some, the title of “dean” may sound intimidating. It is commonly assumed that university deans focus primarily on disciplinary action to ensure policies are respected. Dana considers his role with a different attitude. He is committed to outreach and maintaining sincere communication with all students and faculty that come his way. Dana described the privilege of interacting with students as “sunshine being poured into my tank every day.” Positivity and kindness on campus continues to fuel him, as it has for the past four decades.
When asked to recall an early memory of his career, Dana described the sentimental nature of being on the lively Orono campus during a fall semester while students passed by.
“I distinctly remember standing up at the head of the Mall here, where the bear is, really close to that, looking down the Mall and thinking, ‘Wow, this is amazing to come back to such a beautiful place,’” shared Dana.
Since then, the sense of community belonging has evolved at UMaine. Dana recalls owning a Zenith computer when such technology was first introduced in higher education. When instant messaging reached the campus, it caused some students to communicate more online than in person. There was a cloak of anonymity that allowed unkind words to flow without restriction.
“It was like the wild west. We spent a lot of time in those days trying to establish a sense of community. You shouldn’t let technology rule you in a way that hurts you. A lot of people did because it was so new…Then, students started doing what you expect human beings to do, which is being kind to each other, talking,” said Dana.
Student wholeness was never truly lost. There is cultural and technological evolution that has the power to redefine how people may choose to live. However, on this active campus, there is always the inclination to create meaningful relationships.
“The good thing about students and community, is that there’s sort of an invariance to it, that people have this developmental desire to be connected to other human beings. They want to know each other, they want to be known and they want to feel like they matter,” said Dana. “I never ever felt like any of that was getting eroded.”
Dana insists that the constant remains today. With local, national and international changes, the political climate may both flourish and suffer. Regardless, students seek connection. According to Dana, overall closeness on campus decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everybody was being told, ‘Put up your shields,’ and ‘Don’t get near people,’ and ‘Don’t trust anybody.’ People sort of did some reversion there… I noticed starting last year, people are coming back from that really well. Now, this year, I’d say we’re basically back,” said Dana. “That just goes to the heart of my belief, that these instincts and urges and desires to be humanly connected, they work.”
Dana describes the Orono campus as “active,” just as it was during his earlier years. Current political issues are a catalyst for isolation. However, there is ongoing activism and cultural activity that has the potential to lessen student struggles. Dana recalls being here throughout different world conflicts, including the two Gulf Wars, Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine. He also mentioned various movements that brought positive change to UMaine, such as Black Lives Matter and #MeToo. All of these factors weigh in when considering the broader student experience.
“I hope in small groups and in big groups people are talking about it. I have no fear for students. They will always emerge victorious. They will always be the leaders I need them to be,” said Dana.
At troubling times, Dana worked to encourage student engagement outside of academics. He believes in the ancient Greek ideals that prioritized the strength of one’s mind and body. Dana also referred to the theory of social capital, that those with a willingness to put effort into making the world a better place are often rewarded. If every person chose only to care about themself, society would fray. According to Dana, things collapse when people refuse to be part of the solution to ongoing issues such as drug abuse, poverty, racism and homophobia.
“We know, first of all, from a research perspective, engaged students do better. And we know that engaged people make the world better. There’s a whole theory of putting in versus taking out,” said Dana.
With the privilege of being a member of higher education comes the responsibility to push for greatness and support one another. The world becomes a better place when its inhabitants contribute. Dana has articulated this philosophy for 40 years. As stated by Dana, “Together, we’re stronger.”
Dana considers his role to be forward–facing. He finds bureaucracy, indifference and ruthlessness unfavorable and lives by the golden rule: Be nice to people and they’ll be nice to you. Dana believes that he is treated well because he chooses to treat others well. He is always open to discussion and hearing different perspectives. He often tells students, “What you want is what I want.”
“I like to dance. I don’t like to box. I believe in respecting people, dignifying people. I like to get people to think differently if they can, but I don’t push,” said Dana.
To Dana, the Student Heritage Alliance Council (SHAC) stands out to him as particularly welcoming. While there is no UMaine organization that would turn away an interested student, SHAC extends outreach and invites people under its “inclusive umbrella.” Similarly, the Intersectional Feminist Resource Center invites different people to a place where they can feel safe and supported.
Dana feels good about the community that surrounds him. After having stood on the Fogler Library steps hundreds of times, he felt that the people who come there just need to feel like they are part of a group and have someone who cares. His advice to the upcoming dean is to remember that “absent students, we are not here. We are in a blessed privileged position and we should revere that position.”
Upon retirement, Dana looks forward to spending time with his three grandchildren and traveling to Italy for six weeks. He will enjoy the opportunity to recalibrate, reflect and relax after 40 years of service to UMaine.
Dana’s hope for the future of UMaine is that it finds support from the state and continues to be granted the resources to help students succeed.
“It [UMaine] means so much to the state of Maine and, really, to the whole country. The people who come here they’re all trying to make their way. And it turns out that they do. They become the leaders, the do-ers, the thinkers, the change agents. They do it,” said Dana.
When asked what he wants to be remembered for, Dana shared that he hopes people think he cared for them and made them feel like they mattered. There is likely no student –current or graduate– who felt unheard or unloved by Dana. The UMaine community will sorely miss him and warmly remember his presence.
