"Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs & Dean of Students, Office of the Dean of Students"

Job Description

The Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students is a senior leader in the Division of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs responsible for fostering a supportive and inclusive campus environment that enhances student success and well-being. This role provides vision, strategic direction, and leadership for key departments and programs within the division, including student conduct, advocacy, support services, and co-curricular initiatives. The position serves as a primary advocate for students, representing their voices in institutional decisions, and ensures alignment of divisional efforts with the university's mission and strategic priorities. The AVC/DOS reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and serves as a member of the Vice Chancellor's leadership team. The AVC/DOS provides supervision and strategic direction for multiple departments in the division.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and Strategic Direction
• Executes supervisory responsibilities, including recruitment, transfers, performance management, and other personnel decisions for the following departments: Office of Dean of Students, Students and Family Engagement, Disabilities Resource Center, Veterans Affairs, and other student support programs
• Leads strategic planning initiatives and establishes goals and objectives to optimize the allocation of financial, administrative, and staffing resources, ensuring alignment with the unit and divisional strategic plans
• Develops and implements operating policies and procedures in compliance with institutional regulations and unit objectives
• Designs professional development opportunities to enhance leadership capacity and fosters collaboration and cross-unit partnerships to advance student affairs initiatives
• Student Conduct, Crisis Management and Compliance
• Serves as the chief student conduct officer, student ombuds and as one of the Deputy Title IX Coordinators
• Develops, implements, and upholds policies and practices that foster a safe and supportive campus environment, including providing oversight and strategic response to student behavioral concerns
• Serves as the authority and convener for the Behavior Intervention and Threat Assessment Teams to monitor, assess, and respond to student at risk mental and physical behavior
• Responds and assists with emergencies and personal tragedies involving students, coordinating appropriate communication plans, providing support and resources to students in need
• Serves as a resource for faculty and staff on student behavioral issues in the classroom and workplace
• Ensures compliance with all relevant laws and regulations, including federally mandated reporting and disclosure requirements
• Minimizes institutional liability by systematically reviewing compliance protocols and practices
• Student Development & Retention
• Develops and oversees programs and services that enhance the student experience, improve retention, and increase graduation rates
• Ensures high-quality and consistent student development programming across all departments
• Fosters co-curricular collaboration with other divisions and units to support student recruitment and success
• Oversees the quality and consistency of student development programming, services, and resources across multiple departments with the specific purpose of increasing student retention and graduation rates
• Budget and Resource Management
• Coordinates with unit directors and the business team to develop and manage budgets, monitor expenditures, and ensure responsible financial stewardship
• Identifies and implements organizational changes needed to adapt to market and technological demands
• Division Leadership & Campus Engagement
• Participates in the division leadership team and contributes to strategic planning initiatives, retention efforts, and University-wide committees
• Acts as a liaison with community leaders and external stakeholders to advance student development and engagement

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Strong knowledge of student development theory and best practices
• Expertise in crisis management, student conduct, and risk assessment
• Knowledge of compliance regulations including Title IX, ADA, FERPA, and the Clery Act
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Proven track record in developing and implementing policies, student development programs, and strategic initiatives
• Demonstrated experience in crisis management, student advocacy, policy implementation, and fostering an inclusive campus environment

Qualifications

Minimum:

• Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, or a related field (Doctorate preferred)
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in student affairs or a related area
• A minimum of 3-5 years of supervisory experience responsibilities
• Proven track record in developing and implementing policies, student development programs, and strategic initiatives
• Demonstrated experience in crisis management, student advocacy, policy implementation, and fostering an inclusive campus environment

Preferred:

• Eight (8) years of leadership experience in student affairs or related area
• Proven track record in developing and implementing policies, student development programs, and strategic initiatives
• Demonstrated experience in crisis management, student advocacy, policy implementation, and fostering an inclusive campus environment

The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to and will not be discriminated against on the basis of, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.

Organization

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is the second largest school in the University of Tennessee System, serving a diverse student body of more than 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students through five academic colleges. UTC offers a unique blend of private and public school traditions and is a driving force for achieving excellence, embracing diversity, inspiring positive change, and enriching the community.

Since its founding as Chattanooga University in 1886, UTC has developed a reputation for excellence built on an unusual blend of the private and public traditions of American higher education. For more than 83 years, the university was a private school. In 1969, UTC became part of the state university system.

Today, UTC is on a journey to excellence — boldly embracing a passion for excellence in all things and focused on changing lives and transforming communities.

The UTC commitment—each and every day—is to earn the trust and confidence of those we serve. Our goal is to make a difference in our community and in the lives of our students.

Thank you for your interest in taking part in our journey to engage students, inspire change and enrich community.

We’ve only just begun.

UTC at a Glance

• UTC is composed of five colleges: Arts and Sciences; Business; Engineering and Computer Science; Health, Education, and Professional Studies; and the Honors College.
• We offer 101 undergraduate, 47 master’s, 6 doctoral programs, 36 certificate programs and 4 specialist degree programs.
• The University Library holds more than 1.8 million books and federal and state documents.
• UTC is proud to be the home of the Mocs! As a member of the Southern Conference, our student-athletes compete in 17 sports in Division I, earning multiple conference championships and earning post-season play in many sports. Approximately 157 student athletes are listed on the honor roll and have a record high average GPA of 3.1.
• The average High School GPA for UTC’s incoming freshmen is 3.48—the highest it’s been in 20 years.
• UTC has 11,388 total students (Fall 2015).
• UTC Average ACT is 23.4; Tennessee Mean ACT is 19.8; National Mean ACT is 21.0.
• Less than 10% of the total student population are from outside Tennessee. Fifty-six percent of students are female and 25% represent ethnic minorities. UTC has students on campus from 35 different countries.
• Of UTC’s full-time faculty, 47% are women, 90% percent hold a terminal degree, and 18% represent ethnic minorities. UTC has over 56,000 alumni on record.
• Outside of Tennessee, UTC has its largest concentrations of alumni in Georgia, Alabama, Florida and North Carolina.
• UTC is a public university with state appropriations comprising less than 20 percent of its budget.
• The University of Chattanooga Foundation endowment was $121 million as of June 30, 2015 with 26% representing academic support, 25% scholarship support, 37% unrestricted support, 11% for professorship support and 1% faculty development.
• UTC faculty members conduct high-impact research in science and engineering, health and wellness, social sciences, education, and the arts.
• UTC engages undergraduate and graduate students in most research efforts, which provides them with practical real-world experiences that help them succeed in their chosen fields.
• UTC earned the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Engagement University Designation in recognition for involvement with the community.
• Ranked by U.S. News and World Report in the Top Tier of Southern Regional Master’s Universities.
• Named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, the highest federal honor a university can receive for its commitment to service learning and civic engagement.
• Named a 2015 College of Distinction for student engagement, great teaching, vibrant communities, and successful outcomes.UTC was one of the College Choice 2016 Top 50 Disability Friendly Colleges and Universities.
• A recent construction boom of more than $300 million on campus, including a new $48 million state-of-the-art library.
• UTC enjoys a close relationship with the City of Chattanooga, which now ranks third among the 150 largest U.S. cities for growth in the Hispanic population.

About Chattanooga:

Chattanooga also has the fastest internet in the country. Home to the first Gig Internet in the United States, Chattanooga has a 100% fiber network that links every home and business in a 600-square mile area.Chattanooga, the fourth largest city in the state, is located in Southeast Tennessee near the border of Georgia at the junction of four interstate highways. The city has received national recognition for the renaissance of its beautiful downtown and redevelopment of its riverfront.

Companies like Unum, McKee, U.S. Xpress, Volkswagen, Coke United and Amazon.com have chosen to set up shop in Chattanooga.

Attractions such as the Tennessee Aquarium, Lookout Mountain, Civil War battlefield sites, the African American Museum, and the Appalachian Trail bring thousands of people to the area, as do events like the Riverbend Festival, Nightfall, Jazzanooga, the Creative Discovery Museum for children, and the Southern Writers Conference. Chattanooga is the home to the seven-time NCAA Southern Conference Football Champions, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs.

People who love the outdoors use Chattanooga as a base for hang-gliding, bass fishing, mountain climbing and caving expeditions; the beautiful Smoky Mountains and Tennessee River support the greatest variety of flora of any area in the United States. Chattanooga also has a long and rich past with regard to diversity, which includes Native American heritage, Civil War history, and the Civil Rights movement.

Chattanooga is also just a two hour (or less) drive from Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, and Birmingham.

Join the UTC team today!