Director of Student Activities and Wilson Commons Rob Rouzer is leaving the university at the end of March after 34 years of service to take a job as the Director of the Campus Unions at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
“UIC is very fortunate to have Rob join the Auxillary Services Management Team,” the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at UIC Michael Landek said. “He brings many years of proven leadership to the Campus Unions and will help develop new paradigms and programs to improve the student learning initiative.”
Rouzer said the benefit of working at a larger institution is that he’s “going to have more opportunities to make a differences for students.”The job is a major promotion for Rouzer, who will take charge of a much larger operation at UIC. He will manage two student commons and his job will be a blend of tasks that range from assuring that over 700,000 square feet of buildings are ready to greeting visitors, students and staff to overseeing the daily operations of the Students Services building.
“The Campus Union buildings are the most utilized facilities on the campus of UIC and are currently undergoing a renovation,” Landek said. “Rob faces the difficult take of entering into renovations at their mind point. He must assure that the project continue on schedule and on budge, a budget and a program in which he had no input.”
In all, the spaces he will manage have over five million customer contacts every year and a staff of over 130 people.
In addition, UIC students voted Wednesday whether to approve a referendum to fund a 215,000 square foot recreation center. Landek said the referenda will likely to pass. If the University Board of Trustees endorses the project, Rouzer will be responsible for the development of a program for the building, construction and daily operation.
Bill Spelman, who held the position of Director of Student Activities before Rouzer and oversaw the construction of Wilson Commons, said UIC was a great fit for a man of Rouzer’s ability.
“There is no one more deserving of this opportunity than Rob,” Spelman said. “[UIC]
