SSW dean plans to retire in ’05

School of Social Work Dean Wilma Peebles-Wilkins plans to step down from her position at the end of the 2004-2005 academic year after serving as dean since 1994, she announced to the school’s faculty on Nov. 7.

Peebles-Wilkins said she informed Boston University administrators earlier this fall of her decision to step down at the age of 60 and move to her home state of North Carolina to be ‘closer to [her] family.’ She came to BU in 1991.

‘My original plan was just to stay at BU 10 years,’ she said. ‘I went way over that. My family is getting older, and I am getting older as well. I’ve done a good job here, but a number of people can do a better job.’

Peebles-Wilkins said many of her colleagues learned about her retirement before she had planned on informing them because President ad interim Aram V. Chobanian mentioned it to The Daily Free Press on Nov. 5.

‘I had heard about it prior to assuming my current position at an administrative meeting and assumed it was public knowledge,’ Chobanian said in an email. ‘I certainly did not hear it from her and regret that I erred in commenting upon it. I thought that the announcement had already been made.’

Provost Dennis Berkey said Peebles-Wilkins had notified him of her decision earlier this year to allow ‘ample time to decide how to proceed in selecting the next dean.’ An official announcement to the faculty and students will come later this year, he added.

Peebles-Wilkins called it ‘unfortunate’ that the information became public before she could plan a proper announcement.

‘I thought it was too soon to make this announcement,’ she said. ‘I am the kind of person that likes to sit back and plan things out, and I never got the chance to do that. I don’t blame Dr. Chobanian he has a lot on his plate right now.’

SSW is currently engaged in re-accreditation, and Peebles-Wilkins said she felt announcing her retirement prematurely could cause her colleagues to worry and lose focus.

‘I did not plan to have my retirement from Boston University … be a topic of discussion while the school is under going its self-study for re-accreditation process,’ she said. ‘I promised the university that I would be there for the self-study portion … and I want it to be known that I will be at graduation with all the students who are currently enrolled.’

Peebles-Wilkins said she would have announced her resignation later this year.

‘There is nothing ominous about this,’ she said. ‘I want to be clear that I am exercising my right to determine the direction of my life. I had a life before I came here, and I prefer to return to it as I age.’

Although she has made no official plans for the future, Peebles-Wilkins wants to continue teaching, writing, consulting and furthering her research of African-Americans’ role in the field of social work.

Marsh Chapel Dean Robert Neville, who works with Peebles-Wilkins coordinating a joint degree program between the School of Theology and SSW, praised the dean for always being ‘cooperative and supportive.’

‘Dean Peebles-Wilkins has been a wonderful colleague for me during my 15 years as dean of the School of Theology,’ he said. ‘In her quiet way, Dean Peebles-Wilkins picked up the reins of the School of Social Work and has brought it steady national prominence.’

Berkey said Peebles-Wilkins will leave a ‘very strong legacy of excellence.’

‘It has been a distinct personal pleasure for me to work with Dean Peebles-Wilkins over the years,’ he said. ‘Dean Peebles-Wilkins has been, and will continue to be, an outstanding leader for the school. She has recruited outstanding faculty and students, she has elevated the research activity and stature of the school and she has been a highly innovative administrator.’

Although Chobanian admitted he had not worked extensively with Peebles-Wilkins, he said he thinks very highly of her.

‘She is an excellent dean and [will] be difficult to replace,’ he said.

In accordance with the rules of Faculty Handbook, Berkey has begun forming a committee to appoint the next SSW dean, Faculty Council Chair Herbert Voigt said.

‘We have already been asked to help form [a committee],’ he said. ‘I’m new to the process, but my guess is that it will take some time before the committee is formed.’

Although Peebles-Wilkins said she would like the next SSW dean to come from within the university, she will not play a major role in the selection process.

‘The only hand I would want to have in it would be as an advisor to the committee to inform them of what the school’s needs are and what talents are needed to take the school further,’ she said.

Peebles-Wilkins’ announcement comes as BU is searching for a replacement for Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Dean Alan Jette, who announced on Sept. 26 that he intends to step down after this academic year. Voigt said the provost has not yet formed the committee to find a replacement for Jette.

‘I think both the provost and I feel the process has drawn on a little too long, but I think he will announce the committee members at the end of this month,’ Voigt said.

Peebles-Wilkins received her bachelor’s in sociology from North Carolina State University in 1967, a master’s from Case Western Reserve University in 1971 and a doctorate with a concentration in Social Foundations of Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1984.

Before coming to BU, Pebbles-Wilkins worked at Case Western for six years, Eastern Kentucky University for one year, University of North Carolina School of Medicine for one year and North Carolina State for 13 years, where she was awarded the 1988-1989 Outstanding Teacher Award. At North Carolina State, she rose from assistant professor of social work to director of the undergraduate social work program.

She has published 20 journal articles and co-authored a book in 2000. In 2002, she won the Greatest Contributions to Social Work Education Award from the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and the National Academies of Practice elected her as an Outstanding Practitioner in 2000.