CofC Associate Dean of Students Named Piazza Center Scholar

Dave Aurich, associate dean of students, has been named a Piazza Center Scholar through the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research. The center conducts research on the underlying factors of hazing with the goal of creating safe, strong campus communities.

Based on his extensive student organization conduct experience, Aurich was recruited to join a research team led by Pietro Sasso, a research fellow from Delaware State University. As a campus-based practitioner, he will help bridge the gap between the extensive research conducted by the Piazza Center and frontline staff on campuses. In this role, Aurich will work to interpret the research findings produced by the team in order to create campus-based response models, policies and preventative education.

“I’m honored to have been asked to join the project,” says Aurich. “This combines my interests in research, commitment to student safety and organizational accountability, and gives me the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded professionals.”

Steve Veldkamp, director of Piazza Center looks forward to having Aurich join their team.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Aurich as a scholar at the Piazza Center,” says Veldkamp. “His in-depth research on organizational accountability within campuses will greatly contribute to generating meaningful insights for institutions across the country.”

Aurich has received other national recognition for his efforts to make student organizations safer on college campuses. In 2022, he received a research grant from the National Association of Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment for his proposed risk rubric for student organizations.

“That is still an ongoing project and I’m making great strides to pilot the project on a handful of campuses,” says Aurich.