Crittenden GS ’05 named associate dean of undergraduate students

Crittenden was selected following an internal search.

“I’ve loved being a part of Whitman College since its opening, and I look forward to working with students across the University in my new role,” he said in an e-mail.

Herbold, who is currently enrolled in a master’s program at New York University, will step down at the end of June to pursue a career in clinical social work.

Crittenden will take up his new position in the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students on July 1.

Dean of Undergraduate Students Kathleen Deignan, who conducted the search and selected Crittenden, said in an e-mail that she sought an internal hire because the position requires strong ties to the residential colleges. The senior associate dean oversees residential college directors of student life, guiding both the selection of residential college advisers and the Residential College Disciplinary Board.

Crittenden, she noted, stood out because he has “valuable experience managing student crises and discipline — two of the areas which anchor the associate dean position.”

“I am confident that Dr. Crittenden’s experience and familiarity with Princeton will allow for a seamless transition to his new responsibilities,” Deignan said. “[He] brings to the position the right combination of experience, judgment and vision that I believe will ensure his success in this new role … He will provide strong leadership to the directors of student life and will work closely with them and with other ODUS staff to strengthen the programs and administrative systems under his oversight.”

Herbold said that the new dean will also need to “support students through difficult times, when they’re dealing with social or psychological issues while being a student.”

The position requires “someone with good judgment and who can support the mission of the University,” she added.

Crittenden will join fellow associate deans of undergraduate students Thomas Dunne and Maria Flores-Mills.

Before joining the Whitman staff in 2007, Crittenden worked at Harvard as a resident dean and taught there in the Slavic languages and literatures department. He previously served as an assistant master in Rockefeller College while earning a Ph.D. from the University in Slavic languages and literatures. Herbold served as the dean of Rocky at the time.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that Herbold served as master of Rockefeller College when, in fact, she served as dean there. It also mistakenly said Crittenden will be a senior associate dean when, in fact, he will be an associate dean.