"Vice President for Student Affairs"

THE OPPORTUNITY

Transformative Change
Western Oregon University invites applications and nominations for its next Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA). Reporting to the President and working closely with the senior leadership team, the VPSA will play a central role in shaping the student experience during a period of meaningful institutional change. This is a distinctive opportunity to lead student affairs at a university deeply committed to access, belonging, and student success.

The VPSA serves as the university's senior student affairs officer and provides strategic leadership for programs and services that support student well-being, engagement, retention, and persistence to graduation.

The successful candidate will be a collaborative leader who can navigate change, align student support services with enrollment and fiscal realities, and ensure that student perspectives remain integral to campus decision-making.

THE ROLE OF THE VP FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

The Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) reports directly to the President and serves as the university's senior administrator responsible for student affairs. The VPSA provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and fiscal accountability for the Division of Student Affairs, which includes 14 departments supporting students' academic success, well-being, engagement, and persistence.

Departments within the division include Abby's House, Campus Dining, Center for Professional Pathways, Child Development Center, Disability Access Services, Financial Aid, Multicultural Student Services and Programs, New Student and Family Programs, Student Health and Counseling Center, University Housing, Veterans Resource Center, Student Conduct, Student Engagement, and Upward Bound.

The VPSA directly supervises six Student Affairs directors, the Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, and the Executive Assistant to the VPSA. The VPSA leads the establishment of goals, expectations, and performance standards for departments and services within the division and serves as the senior personnel officer for Student Affairs, with oversight of hiring, evaluation, and personnel actions in alignment with university policies and equity commitments.

As a member of the President's Cabinet and Senior Leadership Council, the VPSA plays a central role in institutional decision-making and provides regular counsel to the President on student issues, campus climate, and student success and belonging strategies. The VPSA engages with the Academic, Student, and Athletics Affairs Committee (ASAAC) of the Board of Trustees and provides reports as requested.

The VPSA is responsible for the fiscal management of the Student Affairs division, ensuring responsible stewardship of resources in accordance with State of Oregon requirements, Higher Education Coordinating Commission guidelines, Board of Trustees policies, and university regulations. The VPSA also serves as an advisor to the Incidental Fee Committee and works closely with student leaders on the allocation and use of student fees.

The VPSA provides leadership and oversight for the division's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, fostering a campus environment where all students can thrive, learn, and develop the skills needed to engage in a diverse and global society. The VPSA also oversees the administration of the campus student conduct system and serves as a liaison to the Associated Students of Western Oregon University (ASWOU), maintaining strong partnerships with student governance leaders.

The primary responsibility of the VPSA is to ensure that student support services are effective, responsive, and aligned with the university's mission and strategic priorities. Long-term goals include strengthening collaboration across academic and administrative units, maintaining strong relationships with students and families, engaging with peer VPSAs across Oregon universities, and fostering a professional, collegial, and student-centered work environment within the division.

Salary is commensurate with experience, within a range of $150,222 - $187,777.

QUALIFICATIONS & KEY ATTRIBUTES

Required Qualifications

• A master's degree preferably in College Student Services Administration, Higher Education Administration/Leadership, Counseling, or other appropriate discipline.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of demonstrable career progression with increasing management/leadership responsibilities within Student Affairs or related field.
• A thorough working knowledge of financial management practices.
• Knowledge of student development theory.
• Demonstrated organizational skills that foster collaboration within student affairs and campus.
• Experience serving as a senior student affairs leader at a comprehensive or regional public university.
• Experience advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives.
• Or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and knowledge that provides a comprehensive understanding of and ability to carry out the role.

Desired Qualifications

• Ph.D. in College Student Services Administration, Higher Education Administration/Leadership, Counseling, or other appropriate discipline.
• Understanding of key issues in higher education, including diversity, shared governance, collective bargaining, and accreditation.
• Demonstrated leadership in student conduct, judicial affairs, or behavioral intervention systems, including care team or threat assessment models.
• Experience partnering with student government organizations and advising student leaders.
• Experience managing student fee-funded programs and working with incidental or student fee committees.
• Experience collaborating with academic leadership to align co-curricular and curricular student success efforts.

Required Skills

• Demonstrated ability to provide executive leadership for a comprehensive student affairs division, including student support services, engagement, well-being, conduct, and co-curricular learning, within a public higher education environment.
• Student-centered and inclusive leadership approach, with experience advancing student success, retention, and belonging for diverse student populations.
• Strong working knowledge and ability to guide student affairs programs using assessment, outcomes, and continuous improvement practices.
• Proven ability to lead and support professional staff through organizational change, set clear expectations, and foster accountability, collaboration, and staff development.
• High level of interpersonal effectiveness and sound judgment in managing sensitive student matters, including crisis response, care team coordination, behavioral intervention, and student conduct processes.
• Demonstrated skill in building and maintaining effective relationships with students, student leaders, families, faculty, staff, senior administrators, and community partners.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly interpret and communicate policies, advocate for student needs, and represent student perspectives in institutional decision-making.
• Effective organizational and time management skills, with the ability to balance competing priorities, respond to emerging student needs, and meet established timelines.
• Working knowledge of technology and data systems commonly used in student affairs to support communication, assessment, reporting, and student support efforts.

Desired Skills

• Ability to articulate and advance a clear, student-centered vision for Student Affairs and to foster an inclusive, high-trust environment that supports student success, engagement, and well-being.
• Ability to lead, support, and develop teams through coaching, mentoring, and role modeling, while setting clear expectations and promoting accountability and professional growth.
• Ability to use technology and data thoughtfully to support student services, assess outcomes, identify trends or concerns, and inform continuous improvement in student affairs programs and operations.
• Ability to lead effectively in a resource-constrained environment, making sound decisions that balance student needs, fiscal responsibility, and institutional priorities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, faculty, staff, families, campus partners, community organizations, and state or local agencies relevant to student support and success.
• Ability to collaborate across divisions to address complex student and institutional issues, while also exercising sound judgment and decisiveness when timely action is required.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with diverse constituencies, adapting messaging to the audience and context, and representing student interests with professionalism and care.
• Demonstrated cultural competence and sensitivity to the diverse identities, lived experiences, and socioeconomic backgrounds of students, staff, and community members.
• Ability to advance institutional goals related to access, equity, retention, persistence, and student success through effective leadership of student affairs programs and services.

NOMINATIONS & APPLICATIONS

To nominate someone for this position or seek additional information about the position, please contact Katie Wojke, VPSA Search Chair, at wojkek@wou.edu or 503-838-9120.

To apply directly for the position, please visit our current job openings page. Employment Applications should include a resume or curriculum vitae, letter of interest, contact information for three (3) professional references and Unofficial transcripts for the highest degree earned.

While applications and nominations will be accepted until a new VPSA is selected, the position will be open until filled. For fullest consideration, application materials should be submitted by March 5.