Ray Metz has been appointed vice chancellor for enrollment management and student life at UM-Dearborn. The appointment, effective March 1, 2016, was approved Thursday, February 18, by the Board of Regents.
“I am pleased that Ray Metz will be continuing on our leadership team in the role of vice chancellor for enrollment management and student life,” said Daniel Little, chancellor. “His 30 years of higher education administration experience and significant knowledge of our university community will help UM-Dearborn achieve our strategic goals of enrollment growth, student success and engagement and student quality.”
Metz served as Little’s chief of staff from 2001 until he was appointed to his new position. He also has held several interim university leadership positions, most recently serving as interim EMSL vice chancellor from January 2015 to February 2016.
Under his leadership as interim EMSL vice chancellor, the division has continued to perform well. The university stands at record enrollment, the fall freshman class was the largest since 1979 and the university has expanded its community college outreach efforts.
Metz said he is eager to work collaboratively with colleagues across campus on two important initiatives: appropriately growing enrollment—focusing on both recruiting and retaining students—and reimagining student life on campus.
He believes the two initiatives work hand in hand.
“There’s no question that students who are engaged in student life—student organizations, athletics, leadership positions—are more likely to stay in school and graduate more predictably,” Metz said. “It’s not enough to only recruit students. It’s about getting the students here and getting them engaged so that they’re successful.”
Metz has been an active member of the campus community and currently serves on the Chancellor’s Enrollment Planning Group, Vision 2020 Leadership Group and Chancellor’s Finance Group. He has served on search committees at both UM-Dearborn and U-M Ann Arbor.
He has more than 30 years experience in higher education administration. Just prior to arriving at UM-Dearborn, he served as associate vice president for information services and resources at Bucknell University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University and a Master of Library Science degree from Indiana University.
