UMass Dartmouth Office of the Dean of Students records

Augustus Silva was the first Dean of Students at SMTI (1964-1968), followed by Celestino D. Macedo (1968-1991). Until 1985 the position was Dean of Students; after 1985, Vice Chancellor for Student Services/Student Affairs. Donald C. Howard was Dean of Men from 1966-1969, while Mary Louise Walsh was Dean of Women from 1966-1969. After 1969 they both served as Assistant/Associate Dean of Students. Thomas Mulvey became Associate Vice President for Student Services in 1987 along with Howard and Walsh. The majority of these records are those of Donald Howard, following him through his various positions at SMTI, SMU and UMass Dartmouth. Walsh retired in 1986 and Howard retired in 2001. SMTI President Joseph Leo Driscoll hired Donald C. Howard in 1966 to be the Administrator of Student Personnel Services. Soon thereafter his title was changed to Dean of Men at SMTI, the first and only one to hold that position. During that same year, Dr. Driscoll appointed a female faculty member from the Foreign Language Department as the institution's first Dean of Women, Mary Louise Walsh. Later both Howard and Walsh were promoted to Associate Deans of Students and followed with a very long and productive partnership serving students on the UMD campus. Donald Howard was instrumental in guiding the development of student government and leadership structures, student publications, the student judiciary system, student-run activity fee disbursement systems, the theater company, and a lecture series. Dean Mary Louise Walsh was to underwrite a scholarship funding study abroad. The 2000 Fundraising Gala raised money in his honor to establish the Donald C. Howard Center for Student Leadership. After retirement he served from 2001 to 2007 as Associate Vice-Chancellor of Alumni Relations and Emeritus Dean of Students. He was honored with the Leadership Wall on the second floor of the Student Center in 2007 which celebrates his dedication to the school and its students. In 2008 he was awarded an honorary degree in Human Letters at commencement.