"Vice President of Student Life"

Job Details

Washburn University invites applications and nominations for a visionary, student-centered Vice President of Student Life (VPSL)—a rare opportunity to shape the student experience at a momentum-driven, mission-focused institution with a deep commitment to access, success, and community impact.

This is a cabinet-level leadership role reporting directly to the President, offering real influence, broad scope, and the chance to lead a comprehensive Student Life portfolio serving students across Washburn University and Washburn Institute of Technology. The VPSL will join an energetic senior leadership team at a time of historic enrollment growth, significant campus investment, and expanding national recognition for student success.

If you are a collaborative, innovative student affairs leader who thrives at scale—someone who believes student life is central to institutional strategy and student outcomes—Washburn offers a compelling platform to lead, build, and make a lasting difference.

Why This Role Is So Compelling:

• Cabinet-Level Impact: Serve as the University’s chief student affairs officer with direct presidential access and influence on enrollment, retention, campus climate, and student success.
• Institutional Momentum: Join Washburn during a period of historic enrollment growth, improved retention and graduation rates, and forward-looking campus investment.
• Broad, Integrated Portfolio: Lead a full-spectrum Student Life division including health, counseling, residential living, student engagement, career services, recreation and wellness, accessibility services, and crisis response.
• Student-Centered Culture: Work alongside a President and senior leadership team deeply committed to data-informed decision-making, collaboration, and courageous leadership.
• Distinctive Municipal University Model: Help shape student life at one of only three municipal universities in the nation, with strong town–gown relationships and meaningful community impact.
• Exceptional Quality of Life: Live and work in Topeka, Kansas—a capital city offering affordability, cultural vitality, outdoor recreation, and proximity to Kansas City.

The Role:

The Vice President for Student Life serves as the chief student affairs officer for all of Washburn’s campuses, providing strategic leadership, vision, and innovation in student life. The VPSL will lead initiatives that enrich the student experience, foster a supportive campus community, promote student success, and ensure compliance, risk management, and operational excellence.

The VPSL is a visible, engaged campus leader who builds shared vision, collaborates across divisions, partners with academic and enrollment leadership, and advocates relentlessly for students.

Essential Job Functions of Position:

As a position of significant impact on the Washburn, the Vice President for Student Life will perform the following essential functions as Chief Student Affairs Officer on the President's cabinet:

Washburn Leadership:

• Meet with and advise the president in all matters related to student life. Provides regular and timely support to the president and ensures she is prepared to communicate accurately about all student matters.
• Inspire and lead student life in a manner that creates a vibrant campus, encourages and challenges students to reach their full potential, and supports student success. Advocate for and cultivate a sense of community for all students.
• Serve as the primary advocate for student needs and concerns within the campus leadership ensuring that student voices are heard.
• Lead the development, review, and implementation of student-related policies and procedures.
• Serve as a key institutional leader in shared governance related to student policies and student life matters.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and Washburn regulations and policies.
• Maintain a visible campus and community presence attending various events, activities, and Athletic competitions.

Student Life:

• Develop and execute a strategic student life plan that ensures exceptional student experiences for students, supports student retention, authentically engages the campus community, and inspires interest in a Washburn education.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Student Life division, overseeing its key functional areas to support enrollment goals and student success. Areas of oversight for Washburn – University and Tech - include:
  • Career Engagement (which includes veteran services)
  • Counseling Services
  • Employee Wellness
  • Health Services
  • Residential Living
  • Student Accessibility Services
  • Student Involvement and Development
  • Student Life

Student Recreation & Wellness Center:

• Provide leadership, direction and oversight to direct reports who are responsible for student life programs, formulating and communicating short- and long-range goals for the Student Life area to ensure Washburn – University and Tech - students are afforded a complete, rich and meaningful social and educational experience at Washburn.
• Effectively work with students and student government to build trust and interpersonal communications.
• Ensure access to student medical and mental health services and coordinate efforts to communicate availability of services.
• Provide oversight of campus housing in a manner that provides supportive residential experience with strong financial and operations management.
• Maintain the student code of conduct and all student policies in partnership with other campus leaders, ensuring student policies and procedures serve the needs of Washburn and reflect current developments in higher education.
• Use data-informed strategies and early-alert indicators to proactively support students at critical transition points.
• Lead student crisis management and response efforts, in partnership with other campus leaders, leveraging knowledge of student mental health issues and laws impacting campus operations.
• Coordinate efforts to manage the Washburn's students of concern, crisis response, and threat assessment teams, and serve on other committees as appropriate.
• Provide leadership for student life risk management efforts, including identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks related to student behavior, residential life, campus events, and student travel.
• Utilize data, analytical reports, and input to evaluate Student Life programming to lead and guide student life efforts. Promote and lead a culture of program assessment ensuring alignment with Washburn goals.

Collaboration:

• Collaborate and build relationships with other campus leaders and find solutions to concerns across administrative boundaries.
• Partner with academic affairs to foster meaningful curricular/co-curricular partnerships to integrate student life initiatives with academic programs to enhance the student experience and success.
• Maintain close and productive relationships with Strategic Enrollment Management and with Athletics.
• Provide regular reports encouraging understanding and engagement in student life functions and activities with the appropriate and transparent dissemination of data and information.
• Partner with campus leaders to improve student persistence, retention, and timely degree completion.
• Collaborate with all areas of the Washburn that support the student experience.

Supervision and Mentorship:

• Oversee a team with a focus on employee development and retention.
• Foster a collaborative environment and empower direct reports to lead within and across their teams in a manner that supports division-wide goals and institutional objectives.
• Enhance professional development through formal and informal opportunities to support employee growth and foster best-in-class student life programs.
• Lead and mentor a high-performing student life team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
• As a senior leader of Washburn, attend community events and organization meetings, establish and nurture professional relationships that affect mutual benefit to Washburn and the surrounding community.

Financial Acumen:

• Identify and track key performance indicators ensuring effective use of resources.
• Oversee residential housing to assist in meeting institutional enrollment and retention goals while maintaining sustainable financial performance and facility maintenance.
• Provide budgetary oversight for all offices in student life, allocating resources appropriately ensuring most effective use of resources in serving students and creating a vibrant student experience.
• Serve on Washburn and/or community committees as assigned. Identify and perform other tasks and duties that support students, Student Life and Washburn Community.
• Performs additional job-related duties as assigned or as appropriate.

Education and Experience:

• The Vice President for Student Life must hold a master's degree in higher education, student affairs administration, or a related field.
• A doctorate in higher education, student affairs or a related field is preferred.
• The VPSL will possess at least 10 years of demonstrated progressive leadership success in student affairs.
• Residence in Shawnee County preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

In addition, the successful candidate will also possess many of the following abilities and characteristics:

Vision and Leadership:

• Demonstrated ability to develop and communicate a positive, compelling, distinctive vision and related goals to motivate a team to execute actionable, creative plans toward achieving institutional student life goals.
• Extensive knowledge of current trends in student affairs and student development with demonstrated ability to use this knowledge to make innovative improvements to programs and services.
• Knowledgeable in Title VI, Title IX, FERPA, ADA, and other relevant laws relating to student affairs.
• Enthusiasm for working directly with students, supporting student learning and success, and addressing issues with care and empathy.
• Exceptional leadership and team development skills, with a commitment to staff mentorship and professional growth.
• Demonstrated ability to identify key opportunities and concerns and develop and communicate potential solutions and strategic imperatives.

Collaboration, Communication, and Analytical Skills:

• Ability to be bold, creative, and visionary while also being collegial, collaborative, and inclusive; a strong desire to contribute to a successful leadership team.
• Proven ability to work with diverse constituencies, both on and off campus; propensity to serve as an ambassador for Washburn and to engage effectively with prospective students and families, current students and families, faculty, staff, alumni, and community-based organizations.
• An understanding of NCAA regulations for Division II athletics and demonstrated experience building partnerships and processes with coaches and athletic administrators to support student athletes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across the organization.

Personal Qualities:

• Commitment to and respect for Washburn’s mission and unwavering commitment to serving students, with the ability to reflect institutional values and goals in student life strategies.
• Maintains the highest level of confidentiality.
• Progressive leader who is willing to take calculated risks and lead with sensitivity and integrity.
• Even-keeled, thoughtful temperament, with high integrity, appropriate transparency, and judgment.
• Exceptional work ethic and excellent organizational and delegation skills to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and handle highly confidential information.
• Self-motivated, critical thinker with advanced problem-solving abilities and creativity.

Application Process:

The Search Committee invites letters of interest and nominations to be submitted directly to the search firm, Anthem Executive |Anthem Academics. Correspondence should include a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest describing relevant experience and interest in the position. Submit materials to Michael Ballew, Scott Watson, JR Wheless, or Florene Stawowy at:

VPStudentLifeWU@anthemexecutive.com

While applications and nominations may be accepted until the position is filled, interested parties are strongly encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible to ensure consideration. Anthem and the University reserve the right to end or extend the application and nomination at any time. Expressing interest is the first step in receiving consideration and does not make one an applicant for the position.

Washburn University is committed to providing an environment for individuals to pursue educational and employment opportunities free from discrimination and/or harassment. The University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, or marital or parental status.