Gregory James 1956-2011

Oakton recently lost a valued colleague with the passing of Dr. Gregory James. Dr. James came to Oakton in August 2005 as Dean of Students and was promoted to Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Office of Access, Equity, and Diversity in June 2009 – the first to hold that position.

A mentor to students and colleagues alike, Dr. James’ commitment to social justice and anti-bias work made him a leader, both at the College and regionally. He was regularly called upon to speak at events and conferences about his work. Dr. James, who earned his Ed.D. from Grambling State University in Louisiana, served on Oakton’s Master Plan Steering Committee and on the steering committee of the Illinois Committee on Black Concerns in Higher Education.

Dr. James had a strong commitment to student success – and complete confidence that Oakton students could meet any challenge. As is evident in this profile, he also held students to a high standard. And he wasn't afraid to say so.

A lesson in values
Last year I became aware that one of our students was having some significant academic challenges. This was a student who should not be having trouble in the classroom: he was smart - but he was lazy. So I took him aside, expressed my disappointment in his behavior, and told him I expected better.

Next thing I knew, that student's professor was telling me, "I don't know what you said to him, but it's made a world of difference." That student made some big changes in his behavior - both in class and with his peers.

I have extremely high standards for the students on this campus, and I don't hesitate to impose certain values on them. If I'm walking down the hall and I see a young man wearing a hat on his head, I'll snatch it off. And if I see a student with his pants riding too low, I'll tell him to pull those pants up.

Many people in academia don't feel it's necessary to teach these kinds of values. But the way I see it, it's a sign of respect. Our students, especially young men of color, need to get used to a world that imposes certain rules and regulations. It's reality, and it's our job to prepare them for it.

And the students appreciate my efforts to teach these values. They may not say so in public, but privately they thank me for creating a high standard-and for caring enough to insist they conform to it.

As the assistant vice president for student affairs here, I appreciate my ability to help the institution reach its goals through my administrative work. At the same time, I still have the opportunity to mentor students and help them achieve their goals. I often think that I have the best job in world.

Gregory James, Ed.D.
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Office of Access, Equity and Diversity