On October 27, Interim Dean of Students Liz Morrison began her first day, temporarily replacing José Ruiz, who left effective immediately on August 20. Upper School Principal Rachel Stone described how, as Dean of Students, Morrison will “serve as a connector across faculty leadership, keep a comprehensive eye on students, and lead the Discipline Committee.” Additionally, she will help organize a restructuring of the Office of Student Life to take place after her exit.
Following Ruiz’s departure from Milton—due to what Stone described as “a very personal decision in late summer”—the school conducted an intensive three-stage hiring process. Stone believed that the school “got very lucky” to have Morrison as a candidate.
Morrison spent 37 years as an educator, serving as Dean of Students at the Millbrook School in New York and as Head of School at the Morristown-Beard School in New Jersey. She took a break from education last year to assist her 98-year-old grandfather and to welcome a new grandchild into the world. When explaining her return to education, Morrison said, “I missed how vibrant a school community is…and thought I had a skillset that Milton needed.”
As the head of the Discipline Committee, she will be responsible for “[delivering] difficult news while still ensuring that the person feels valued and still a member of the Milton community,” said Stone. “She has a lot of experience managing those conversations.”
To Sammy Greer ‘27, in its present state, “the whole idea of a Disciplinary Committee is daunting, and so as a result, the faculty on the committee seem daunting as well.” To transform the Discipline Committee’s narrative from a place of punishment to a place of constructive criticism, Morrison will strive to develop personal relationships with students. “I want to understand and know the students so I can really understand their needs on a personal level,” she explained. She plans to achieve her goal by attending sports games, club meetings, and theater performances to immerse herself in all aspects of the student experience.
Morrison looks forward to collaborating with the Self-Governing Association (SGA). “I have a very strong belief in student agency and ownership…to build community.” While she does not yet have a specific agenda for her time at Milton, Morrison would like to hear student leaders’ perspectives on areas for improvement in the school and guide the SGA towards solutions with the help of her “experience in that realm.” Class III Representative Max Pasciucco ‘28 approved of Morrison’s philosophy. The SGA is elected by students for students and thus, he explained, “well-represents the [student body’s] wants and needs.”
In addition, Morrison will participate in a redesign of the Office of Student Life that will occur following her departure. “We think [Morrison’s entrance] is a good time to step back and decide what would be the ideal structure [of the department] to support our students,” said Stone. Morrison has the advantage of not having been at the school and so, as Stone explained, she “can start with a blank canvas and decide what students need.” As part of this restructuring, Stone predicted that the title and obligations of the Dean of Students may change.
Stone believes that Morrison’s experience working with boarders and understanding of the nuances of boarding will prove vital. Some students pointed out the importance of bridging the gap between day students and boarders. “It’s very obvious,” said Greer. “There’s groups of borders and then there’s groups of day students.” Rae Hopkins ‘26 suggested that to mend this divide, “day students should sign up for after-school events and… say hi to other people from different grades and communities.” Through many of these micro-interactions, Hopkins thinks our community can be better united.
Morrison is grateful to be at Milton and recognizes that as an Interim Dean, her “learning curve will have to be steep.” She explained, “it matters to me greatly to hear about the student experience, and I hope that students will come by to say hello.”