Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs

The Opportunity

The Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Student Affairs serves as a thought leader and strategic planner to cultivate student learning, engagement, and success in the Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs.  The AVP supports student success through developing co-curricular opportunities, serving as an advocate for inclusive communities, and creating an engaging student life experience for a transforming comprehensive research university.  The AVP fosters effective collaborative partnerships with faculty, staff, students, academic departments, and senior administrators to provide a seamless, holistic learning environment that blends the classroom and out-of-classroom experience among a diverse student body of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and a rich mix of residential, commuter, military, and online students.  The AVP serves as a member of the Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs Senior Leadership Team, leading Division efforts towards the achievement of the University Strategic Plan and the Division’s Strategic Plan.

The Position

The AVP of Student Affairs position will include the following responsibilities:

• Provide leadership direction, strategic planning, and supervision for the following units within the portfolio, which include more than 30 staff and 120 student employees:  Campus Recreation, Housing and Residence Life, Maxwell Performing Arts Theater, Multicultural Student Engagement, and Student Life and Engagement (Student Activities, Student Government, Jaguar Student Activity Center, Fraternity & Sorority Life, Student Organizations, and Student Leadership).
• Provide strategic vision and oversight to develop and implement programs and services that achieve the university and division mission, vision, goals and objectives.  Develop and implement services, activities and opportunities that complete the student’s experience and enhance the student’s adjustment to and participation in university life, with the targeted outcome of increasing student persistence, retention, and graduation rates.
• Lead student development initiatives; advocate for students; facilitate continuous improvement of processes, services, and programs; and advise the Graduate Student Government Association.
• Formulate and manage the portfolio’s annual $7.2 million budget (including student fee revenue and allocation methodologies) to achieve strategic goals, as well as short and long-term financial obligations.
• Assess facility conditions and operations, develop plans for new facilities as needed, and ensure compliance with all emergency protocols in collaboration with multiple departments.  Serve as a member of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for campus emergency preparedness.
• Lead special projects and strategic initiatives for the division.  Participate on division, campus, and university committees or other bodies.  Serve in place of the Vice President of Enrollment & Student Affairs as requested.

Minimum Qualifications

• A master’s degree in higher education or related field;
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible full-time experience in Student Affairs/Services in higher education;
• Strong verbal communication skills to lead presentations and group discussions, assist with public relations, and foster interpersonal relationships;
• Ability to collaborate closely with students, faculty, staff, and senior administrators in the Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and Facilities, along with other senior leadership across campus;
• Excellent management, human relations, and problem solving skills while demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of student development theory and current trends in student affairs in higher education;
• Proven success in working collaboratively in the development of the co-curricular learning experience and in the development of institutional partnerships focused on improving the quality of life for the broad-based student constituency.

Preferred Qualifications

• A doctoral degree;
• Seven (7) to ten (10) years of related experience in student affairs at the level of director or higher.
• Experience with student services, crisis management, strategic planning, supervision, and fiscal planning;

Other Personal Characteristics

• Possess the qualities necessary to bring vision and action to the University’s student affairs agenda by coordinating the creation of an environment which values student dialogue, collegiality, integrity, respect, inclusivity, excellence, leadership, cross-functional thinking, and student-centered learning;
• Ability to develop inclusive communities, and an understanding of issues facing students from historically underrepresented groups;

How to Apply

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Applicants should submit a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and names of three references in one PDF document electronically to executivesearch@augusta.edu.

All candidates are required to pass a Background Check review. For specific positions, the final candidate may be subject to a (pre-employment) physical, drug screen, and/or credit check.

The final candidate will be required to provide proof of completed academic degree in the form of an original transcript. Those candidates trained by a foreign institution will also be required to provide an educational/credential evaluation.

Augusta University is an AA/EEO/Equal Access/ADA Employer.