The Dean of the college serves as the primary adviser to its students, providing guidance on academic and personal matters, and serving as a referral to other resources throughout the university. As a resident of the college who participates in its extracurricular life, the Dean plays an important role in helping students plan their course of study within the broader context of their Yale career, and life after graduation. The Dean provides additional support by writing letters of recommendation, overseeing housing, supervising the work of the first-year counselors, and, in certain circumstances, postponing deadlines for student work.
Assisting the Dean is the Dean’s Office Senior Administrative Assistant, who handles much of the day-to-day business in the office, including registering students, accepting requests for changes to course schedules, clarifying academic regulations and procedures, and maintaining placement files. Like the Dean, the Senior AA is widely knowledgeable about the many resources at Yale and regularly directs students to them.
The First-Year Counselors, all of them Silliman seniors, play a special role in the college. Together with the Dean, they counsel and advise first-year students, living with them and providing them with academic and personal counseling during the first year. In addition to bringing an important peer perspective to their roles, the First-Year Counselors receive special training in helping students adapt to college life.