Dean of the Tucker Foundation Scott Brown '78 announced yesterday he will be stepping down from his post at the end of the academic year, citing two book projects as the main reason for his resignation.
Brown, who has held the position since 1996, told The Dartmouth last night his decision to resign from his post was smattered with "a little bit of regret."
"I certainly have mixed feelings," Brown said. "The job has been great and working with the students at Tucker has been fantastic, but I needed to focus on completing the two books I'm writing."
Brown will be leaving to finish two books -- one about the parental influence on a child's moral development and the other about negotiating with children.
Brown said his most engaging memories of working at the helm of the Tucker Foundation have been the opening of the Roth Center for Jewish Life and the launching of several community service projects, including student mentoring programs and DarCorps.
"There's still work to be done while I'm here," Brown said. "I hope to launch a new urban internship program, so I still have some work to do."
He leaves in the balance the search for a permanent College Chaplain -- a search that will be put on hold until the newly appointed College Provost Susan Westerberg Prager takes her position in February.
Prior to the announcement of Brown's resignation, it was he who would have chosen the next College chaplain -- a decision he was expected to make in the next few weeks.
"In the past, the dean of the Tucker Foundation has often been the College Chaplain as well," Brown said. "Those two may be combined again."
Brown also leaves after presiding for the past month over the controversy regarding the Campus Crusade for Christ's distribution of the C.S. Lewis book "Mere Christianity" to members of the Class of 2002.
It was Brown who originally ordered the CCC to suspend the mailing amid concerns of student opposition, only to later remove the stop order and permit the mailing.
Chris West, director of the CCC, said he was "terribly grieved" at the news of Brown's resignation.
"I thought it was very sad news," West said. "Dean Brown is a great leader and this is not at all what we wanted."
Interim College Chaplain Gwendolyn King, who described Brown as "an energetic supervisor with a vision for the Tucker Foundation," said she was "surprised" by Brown's intent to step down at the end of this year.
"I'm sure it was a difficult decision for him to make but one that he feels is very important," King said. "I will continue to hold him and his family in my prayers."
As the dean of the Tucker Foundation, Brown oversees the College's chaplaincies, student religious organizations and community service organizations.
Campus leaders, who have worked closely with Brown over the years, expressed regret over his intent to step down.
