James The Named VP for Student Services

James The

James The has been named vice president for student services at Southwestern Adventist University. The announcement came from Dr. Eric Anderson, Southwestern Adventist University president, on Friday, July 1.

James The (pronounced Tay) has been serving as acting vice president for student services since May, 2011. Before that, he served as dean of men for the University for 10 years.

Born in Indonesia, James and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was 4. His father was a physician in the Indonesian military and stayed behind to finish up his military obligation before he joined them. His mother became a registered nurse in the United States; his father died of tetanus shortly after joining them.

Dean The attended Loma Linda Academy and then Pacific Union College, where he graduated with a degree in physical education and minors in religion and biology in 1983. He completed a master’s degree in educational leadership at Southwestern in 2010.

He and his wife, Cheryl were married in 1983. Their first job was serving as the sole teachers and principal at a 35-student elementary school in Milpitas, California. By the time they left the school eight years later, the school had grown to 130 students and seven teachers.

Dean The also served as principal at Modesto Academy from 1991 to 1998, where he also taught religion, health, PE and general math. From 1998 to 2001, he was in charge of campus ministries and taught religion at Highland View Academy in Hagerstown, Maryland.

James applied for the dean of men position at Southwestern in 2001 when two former academy students of his who were attending Southwestern encouraged him to. During his time at Highland View, he had served as the HVA village dean, chair of the school’s discipline committee and substituted for the boy’s dean on occasion.

Cheryl recently joined Southwestern’s department of education as an assistant professor. They have two grown children, Janelle, age 23, and Jordan, age 21.

According to the University student handbook, the vice president for student services (also known as dean of students) coordinates and develops the non-academic programs of the University, including career counseling, counseling, placement, residential living, health services, student activities, regional activities, and student discipline. As the new VP, James is already hard at work revising the Student Handbook, helping plan assemblies, appointing faculty sponsors for the Student Association. He will also serve on the University’s administrative council.

James The was awarded the Extra Mile Award at last year's Faculty Awards Banquet. He is shown here with University President Eric Anderson and fellow awardee, Donna Morrison.

Dean The sees his priorities in the new job as (1) continuing Southwestern’s tradition of customer service; and (2) focusing on student success. “A lot has to do with being appropriately proactive,” he says. “We all need to work together to foster students success in academics.”

As dean of men, Dean The saw many incoming freshmen that were caught up in the many fun social activities at Southwestern, and yet struggled academically. He wants to do what he can to help prevent that, and plans to work closely with faculty and staff. “If you don’t have a game plan that first semester of school, it’s make it or break it time for students.”

On January 30, 2011, Dean The received the Extra Mile Award from Southwestern Adventist University for meritorious service at the annual Faculty Service Awards Banquet.  According to Anderson, he is widely respected by both students and faculty for his dedication, hard work, and “commitment to a service mentality.”  Dean The is “one of the outstanding student services leaders in the denomination,” he states.

“I am looking forward to a good year with James in this essential position,” says Anderson. “The talents that earned him an Extra Mile Award will stand him in good stead in his new role.”

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