Ray Metz has been appointed vice chancellor for enrollment management and student life at UM-Dearborn. The appointment, effective March 1, was approved Thursday 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,” says Daniel Little, UM-Dearborn 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 has served as Little’s chief of staff since 2001. He also has filled several interim university leadership positions, most recently serving as interim vice chancellor for enrollment management and student life since January 2015.
Under his interim leadership, 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 says he is eager to work collaboratively with colleagues across campus on two important initiatives: appropriately growing enrollment with a focus 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 says. “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’s Ann Arbor campus.
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.
Metz earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University and a Master of Library Science degree from Indiana University.
