James Scott, UF Vice President For Student Affairs, Dies Sunday

February 16, 2003

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Dr. James E. Scott, vice president for student affairs at the University of Florida, died today (2/16) at Shands at UF medical center after a 16-month battle with cancer. He was 55.

Scott had been vice president of student affairs since September 1999 but actually began his connection with UF more than 20 years ago.

“Jim Scott was an incredibly genuine and caring human being. He was truly interested in the concerns of the students, thousands of whom he helped and guided over his many years of service, and because of that he was a vital part of the university community. We will all miss him deeply,” UF President Charles Young said Sunday.

A native of Michigan, Scott started his career in education in 1969 as a high school history teacher and guidance counselor in the Willow Run, Mich., public school system. He also coached football and wrestling there. From 1972 to 1976, he was assistant dean of students at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich. He then served as associate dean of students and director of the Office of Campus Life at Eastern Michigan until 1981.

He first came to UF in 1981 as dean of students, a position he would hold for 12 years, and quickly gained a reputation as someone students could turn to. In 1993, he left UF to become vice president for student services at Georgia State University in Atlanta, but returned to UF six years later.

Scott was widely known for his down-to-earth personality and ability to work easily with professional colleagues and students alike. During his tenure at UF, Scott earned a reputation as a strong advocate for student responsibility. Many former students remember him as an excellent mentor. He also earned high praise with his help in guiding the university through one of its toughest periods – the murders of five local college students, four of whom were enrolled at UF, in 1990.

In a Feb. 27, 2001, article in the UF student newspaper, the Independent Florida Alligator, then-UF sophomore Tineshia Morris described him as a “father figure” whom she admired greatly.

“He tries to relate to you,” Morris was quoted as saying. “I don’t think of him as faculty. He actually wants to know how you’re doing.”

Scott received his bachelor’s degree in history from Eastern Michigan University in 1969 and his master’s in guidance and counseling, also from Eastern Michigan, in 1971. He earned a doctorate from the University of Michigan’s Center for the Study of Higher Education in 1978 and did postdoctoral studies at Harvard University in 1988.

He is survived by his wife, Ann of Gainesville; a daughter, Lori; and two sons, Jimmy and Jason.