Yolanda Smith will become Tufts University’s next executive director of public safety, effective July 1, following a national search that attracted more than 100 professionals from across the country.
Smith is currently special sheriff and superintendent of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, where she serves as the public safety agency’s chief of staff. In her role at Tufts, Smith will lead the department that includes the university’s emergency management, fire safety, threat assessment and management, emergency medical services, and police functions.
An immediate priority will be following up on the recommendations of the Working Group on Campus Safety and Policing created as part of Tufts’ commitment to being an anti-racist institution. These include increased transparency, greater community engagement, and increasing the use of non-sworn personnel for routine services not requiring a uniformed officer and of specially trained personnel to respond to mental health matters.
Smith, whose three daughters are just beyond their college years, is eager to contribute to the national conversation about what policing should look like, particularly on college campuses.
“When President Monaco committed Tufts to being an anti-racist community, I really wanted to be part of that,” she said. “And in conversations I’ve already had at Tufts, everyone has been receptive to change. They want to be part of the solution.”
While her background may be atypical for higher education, Smith inspires confidence that her leadership style and skills can help Tufts advance new initiatives, said Nicole Holland, assistant professor and director of health communication, education, and promotion at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.
A member of the university-wide search committee of students, faculty, and staff, Holland was impressed by Smith’s “nuanced understanding” of issues and the impact of small details of language. During the interview process, Holland said, “we could see the humanistic component of her leadership style at all levels.”
“What resonated with me was how actively she listened to us,” said search committee member Maame Opare-Addo, who was at the time an undergraduate student. “It was clear that she is ready to work with and include students in this transformative effort.”
Ultimately, public safety is not the responsibility of any one person or any single department. “All of us at Tufts need to engage and be part of the conversation,” said Holland. “We have the opportunity to take a great step forward for our community.”
