By Alex Bradshaw
Dr. Prafula Sheth has been appointed to the new position of student advocate, which will fall under the Office of the Provost.
As advocate, Sheth will have a great number of responsibilities. She will need to have a strong understanding of the university and be able to relate well with students. But Sheth feels she is up to the challenge.
Sheth said she welcomes the student body to bring up a wide array of issues with her. From university policies that are hard to grasp, to academic problems to disputes with faculty members, Sheth said she will do everything in her power to extricate students from their issues. Though Sheth said that she doesn’t want to enable the “intelligent, angry student,” she does want to help students that have legitimate needs.
“I want to teach students how to fix the problem, so that down the road, they can take care of the issue on their own,” she said.
Sheth emphasized that she will not let students leave her office without getting them in touch with someone who can help. “In the case where an issue that the student brings me is something that is out of my control, I will be able to contact the person for the job,” Sheth said. Her many years serving the university have allowed her to build a network with many people on campus.
Sheth holds a doctorate degree in Education, Counseling and Psychology, which she said taught her how students learn, as well as how to manage time and provide guidance to students.
Dr. Dale Billingsley, associate provost for University Affairs and English professor, said that Sheth was a natural fit for the student advocate position. “I would say that this position was created for Dr. Sheth,” he said.
Student advocate is now Sheth’s full-time job. Sheth has a history of staying busy on campus, from being active in Student Affairs to serving as director of community college outreach in the Pathways program, but she expects to be just as busy attending to the needs of students. Sheth’s responsibilities were shifted so she could focus entirely on the new position.
Sheth not only has great compassion for helping students, but for people in general.
Before becoming a United States resident, Sheth worked for the United Nations. She explained that she gained valuable life experience and discovered her calling for public service during her stint with the UN.
“This was a circumstance in which I gained many non-tangible rewards,” she said. “It wasn’t and never will be about money.”
Sheth said that she had trouble adjusting to the Western culture initially. She is originally from India and grew up in Sudan. She said she wishes that she could have had an advocate when she first came to the U.S.
“Had there been someone in my position, the cultural adjustment would have been much easier,” she said.
In a position that will force Sheth to deal with an eclectic list of issues, her experience in dealing with students along with her charismatic personality will help her to adjust to her new position.
“Any student can have difficulty navigating [the university],” Sheth said. “That’s what I’m here for.”
Sheth can be reached at advocate@louisville.edu or by calling 852-8113.
