c/o Sam Hilton, Features Editor

Following the retirement of former Dean for the Class of 2024 David Phillips at the end of the Fall 2022 semester, William Bisese has been hired as the new dean for the class of 2024. Dean for Academic Advancement Laura Patey issued the announcement in an email on Friday, Jan. 20.

Bisese has extensive experience in student and academic affairs at several universities, including the University of Connecticut, where he served on the Student Care Team in the Dean of Students Office. Bisese believes this background has prepared him to join Wesleyan’s staff.

“In that position, I met with students who were perceived to be [a threat] to themselves, [or] others,” Bisese wrote in an email to The Argus. “The main focus of my job was advocating for [students and assisting] them [to get] back on their feet after often facing the lowest points of their careers as students.”

After Phillips’ retirement was announced on Nov. 17, a search committee formed to identify a new class dean.

“A large pool of candidates applied and, after the initial application review and some deliberation…three finalists were ultimately brought onto campus in December,” former Chair of the Wesleyan Student Assembly Academic Affairs Committee Edrea Jiang ’23 wrote in an email to The Argus. “As a search committee, we were looking for an individual that not only has extensive experience working in higher education with students but also one that is able to connect with Wesleyan’s campus culture and student population.”

After being offered the job, Bisese began his work on campus at the start of the Spring 2023 semester. Bisese, who moved to Connecticut in 2013, expressed that he has been interested in opportunities to connect with students at Wesleyan. Before taking this job, he attended conferences on campus and admired the overall mentality of the student population.

“It is hard to verbalize exactly how, but I understood Wesleyan to be forward thinking and full of bright and active students,” Bisese wrote. “When the Class Dean position was advertised, I was very excited to apply for the role.”

Additionally, Bisese elaborated on his goals in his new role and emphasized his desire to help students throughout their academic journeys.

“My first objective at Wesleyan is to get to know as many of the students in the Class of 2024 as I can…and to connect with all the faculty and staff I can,” Bisese wrote. “My career centers on service to students, and my objectives always include listening to students and learning about the University’s system, so I can help, mentor, and advise those students along their journeys in the best way possible.”

Both Bisese and Patey highlighted that class deans play a significant role in bolstering students’ academic success. 

“For students, class deans are a treasure trove of information,” Bisese wrote. “A class dean is traditionally there from orientation to graduation. When strong relationships develop between students and class deans, students have that lasting resource ready to assist just when [they] need it the most.”

Bisese aims to make himself as accessible as possible to members of the class of 2024.

“I think, for my class especially, I would remind each student that while they may have many advocates on campus, their Class Dean should be one of their best contacts,” Bisese wrote. “The minute a student [feels] lost, [they should] contact [their] class dean. That’s [the] person who will really be able to have those conversations about appropriate resources all over campus.”

Both Jiang and Patey wish Dean Bisese the best as he starts the position.

“As Dean Bisese settles into his role as class dean, I hope that students, especially those in the class of 2024, will find him to be approachable and someone that they can comfortably reach out to for support during their time at Wesleyan,” Jiang wrote. “He is eager to get to know the students in his class and will also be hosting some student events in the near future.”

Aris Dashiell can be reached at adashiell@wesleyan.edu.