Since the last Eastern Michigan University Dean of Students retired in July 2025, the provost's office has been maintaining the office as the university searched to find the right candidate to fill the position.
The job description of the dean of students is listed as follows: “Provides leadership and management of several offices that plan, develop, and administer the non-academic and co-curricular aspects of the student experience that engage and advance student development, learning, student retention, and success at Eastern Michigan University.” The dean of students will handle student conduct in disciplinary matters, behavioral concerns, violations of the student conduct code, and other non-academic student issues. In some cases, EMU's Department of Public Safety will refer issues to the dean of students instead of pursuing charges.
Matthew Gregory, a final candidate for the Dean of Students position, has roots that grow deep into Eastern Michigan University soil. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration in 2007 and then returned to be the Title IX coordinator and interim director of the Disability Resource Center in 2023.
He completed a Master's of Liberal Studies with a focus in Higher Education Administration at Stony Brook University, as well as a Master's of Educational Leadership at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He is currently working on finishing his dissertation for his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership.
Gregory has had a career focused on student affairs, having previously worked in enrollment management, residential life, career services, student conduct and as the vice president of student affairs at different colleges around the nation. He has also taught a few classes as an academic advocate.
”I’ve done a little bit of everything, because I want to see the whole student experience from recruitment to graduation,” Gregory told The Eastern Echo.
Gregory is still serving as EMU’s Title IX Coordinator. In this position, he oversees the university’s compliance with federal laws regarding sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual violence in education. He oversees both student and faculty training and resources, as well as being the primary case manager for any issues on campus.
“My job is basically trying to make sure both parties are treated equally and fairly,” Gregory said.
Gregory chose to go back to Eastern because he loved it as a student.
“I was the over-involved student. I was the undergrad that didn’t want to leave. EMU was my second home,” he said. During his undergraduate years, Gregory worked as an office manager and residential adviser, while also being involved in summer housing, the theatre student activity board, dining on campus and his own classes.
“Eastern is where I was supposed to come, because I was finding who I was in my senior year of high school and the coming out process. EMU was the only place where I felt like I could feel safe … and not only people like me, but people different than me who accept me,” he said.
Gregory found the love of his life in his time here at Eastern, and they decided to commemorate that in a very special way. In October of 2025, he and his husband got married on campus, just outside of the Lakehouse. The serene water and comfort of his undergraduate days made the pond a perfect place to get married, despite the geese.
Gregory was asked to describe the position of Dean of Students, and he explained how it has transitioned over the years.
“Before, it was very much about the fun in college. Because there were a lot more students, all the schools had a lot more money. Students didn’t have phones that they were walking around with all the time, so they were bored and needed fun things to do. The last few years, it has become a compliance and support area for things like the DRC, CAPS, Office for International Students and Scholars, Office of Student Conduct, and the CARE Team. All of those areas are about student support and making sure students are heard. Lucky for me, that’s all I’ve been doing,” he said. CAPS refers to the counseling and psychological services offered at EMU, and the CARE team is the Concern, Assessment, Response, and Evaluation team that responds to reports of troubling behavior in students.
He also described the dean of students' office as a place for connecting students to resources. If a student has an issue and doesn’t know where to go, the office is a place to put them on track.
He also sees the position as a front-facing administrator to students. If he is selected for the position, Gregory said that he would want to be at events and in student spaces to become a familiar face that students can go to for help.
When asked about the biggest problem students face at EMU, Gregory explained that he is aware of just how busy EMU students are. Many students commute to campus, balance work and classes or care for family members. Gregory understands that students can’t fully dedicate themselves to academics because they have a number of other personal obligations that are important to them.
“I think we have to find ways to make your life as easy as possible, being around when students need us. Looking at our schedule and comparing it to class schedules helps to make ourselves accessible, making partnerships within the community,” he said.
Gregory hopes to make the Dean of Students office a welcoming place for students to come whenever they need help.
“I want students to know that when they walk into the office, these are people who want to be around them and support them … My main goal is to support and hear students. Even if they have a problem that my office can’t solve, I want to be able to give you resources. If your car breaks down, I can’t fix it, but maybe I can give you the name of a good mechanic," he said. "No matter what the issue is, I want students to know they can come to me.”
He hopes to fill the Dean of Students office with resources, referrals and ways to get students where they need to be. He said that he feels comfortable with local resources, but would love to broaden to other counties for students who live farther away.
“I want to make sure that resources for them are easily accessible. I want to make sure that I can pull up resources at my fingertips,” he said.
Gregory also wants students to know that he is there for them through the whole process, not just giving them somewhere else to go.
“I can make that call for you. I can write an email. It's a very difficult first step sometimes to make that call and be vulnerable. It helps to have someone who can take that first step for you,” he said.
When asked what message he would like students to hear directly from him, Gregory said, “One of the most difficult things for a Dean of Students is they are not always going to be able to give a student the answer that they want to hear. You do your best to support them and help them grow no matter what. Sometimes students make mistakes and don't understand the impact they have on others. This job is to make sure that it doesn't happen again, and teaching them how to make better decisions. I don't want a student who has that type of meeting with me to think that they can't come back for something else with me. I am going to make sure you get that support. I am also human. I am going to make the decision that I think is best … Students should know that this is a place where they can feel safe. Just like this was a home for me when I was in college, I want them to feel the same way.”
Editor's note: The Eastern Echo is covering the final candidates for Eastern Michigan University's dean of students position. This is one of four stories about each of the final candidates. To read about candidates Aura Cazares, Renee' T. Watson and Jeanette Zalba, click the corresponding links.
