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March 5, 2025
EVANSTON, Ill. --- Northwestern University has appointed Todd Adams assistant vice president and dean of students in the Division of Student Affairs.
Among his responsibilities, Adams will oversee Services for Students with Disabilities on the Evanston and Chicago campuses, Off-Campus Life, and Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution. He will coordinate student emergency responses, medical withdrawals and reinstatement requests. In addition to his administrative functions, Adams will serve as a member of the Undergraduate Council and chair the Hazing Prevention Task Force and the Community Alcohol Coalition, which will be formed under his leadership. He will also be a member of the Student Affairs Leadership Team.
Adams will report directly to Patricia Telles-Irvin, vice president for student affairs.
Adams comes to Northwestern from Duke University, where he has served as senior associate dean in the Dean of Students Office. He started at Duke in 2000 as assistant dean. In that role he coordinated the residential life program for more than 3,600 students on two campuses. He was instrumental in assisting with the recruitment, selection and training of graduate residential staff and provided overall direction for the house and quadrangle governance systems.
He demonstrated commitment to the student population providing support for the 24-hour emergency response team handling residential emergencies. And he was a co-advisor for the Black Student Alliance and the African-American Mentoring Program.
In 2002, Adams continued to provide oversight for the Duke student population while establishing and opening the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. He provided assessment for office policies, putting forth programmatic initiatives and setting departmental goals on an annual basis. In addition to serving as an academic advisor, he played a pivotal role with respect to student conduct, advising an undergraduate conduct board and providing oversight for administrative hearings.
He earned the title of associate dean in 2008 and, as a member of the dean’s senior staff, developed strategic priorities for the Office of New Student and Family Programs. He also produced the DukeParents monthly electronic newsletter.
In 2010, Adams became senior associate dean, a role which saw his leadership flourish while assisting the dean with development of an integrated health services area including Student Health, Counseling and Psychological Services, Case Management and the Duke Wellness Center.
He received a doctorate in higher education leadership policy and organization in 2010 from Vanderbilt University, and he earned a master’s in higher education administration in 1996 from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
