Working/Functional Title

Vice President for Student Affairs

Position Summary

Reporting to the President, the Vice President for Student Affairs will work closely with their leadership team of three direct reports, two dual reports, and the 90 full-time employees in their unit to build a new Division of Student Affairs that leads student engagement and campus life activities and is closely aligned with student success initiatives. They will oversee a budget of $20 million. The next VPSA will bring a track record of building and managing cohesive and vibrant teams and modeling a solutions-focused approach to navigating change. They will be a strong advocate for student engagement and well-being through the student lifecycle and provide targeted programming to support the entire study body, including undergraduate, graduate, transfer students, adult and continuing education students, and veterans. It is important that the VPSA be a visible and active presence on campus, opening lines of communication to faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders. This active presence will enhance a culture of responsiveness to student needs and ideas and serve as a model to staff within the Division. The VPSA will envision a future that redefines how student affairs holistically supports students by prioritizing a sense of belonging while connecting their co-curricular activities with their scholarship and career goals. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Bachelors

Desired Degree

Other

Minimum Requirements

• MSU seeks an experienced student affairs scholar-practitioner and innovative leader with the skills and experience to develop a bold, strategic, and student-focused vision for the Division of Student Affairs.
• Bachelor's degree 

Desired Qualifications

An advanced degree is strongly preferred, along with demonstrated progressive administrative and leadership experience directly related to student affairs. While no one person will embody all of the following, the successful VPSA candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications, skills, experiences, and personal qualities:

A proactive approach to redefining what the future of student affairs could be and the willingness to take risks to effect change;

A record of success as an administratively strong, innovative, and collaborative leader in a fast-growing and complex organization;

A demonstrated commitment to and experience with inclusive excellence as applied to higher education and student affairs;

Demonstrated effectiveness and competency in the development and execution of strategic and operational plans that require coordination and collaboration across internal departments and external functions;

The ability to establish a welcoming and inclusive presence as a visible, active, and responsive leader;

An interpersonal style that fosters collaboration, high levels of collegiality, and meaningful relationships with colleagues and staff;

An understanding of the resources necessary to provide a campus experience that supports the intellectual growth, physical and mental health and well-being, and diverse identities and experiences of students;

The ability to inspire, build, lead, motivate, and provide vision to staff while leading within a complex organizational structure;

Deep knowledge of current best practices and trends in student affairs and higher education with a strategic lens and affinity for change and continuous improvement through the use of data, learning, and program outcomes;

An understanding of