Assistant Vice President of Student Development

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 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 mix of residential, commuter, and online students.

The AVP serves as a member of the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Development and Success Senior Leadership Team, leading Division efforts towards the achievement of the University Strategic Plan and the Division’s Strategic Plan.

• 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.
• Assess facility conditions and operations, develop plans for new facilities as needed, and ensure compliance with all emergency protocols in collaboration with multiple departments.
• 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.

VUU is nourished by its African American and Christian heritage and energized by a commitment to excellence and diversity. Its mission is to: 1) Provide a nurturing, intellectually challenging and spiritually enriching environment for learning; 2) Empower students to develop strong moral values for success; and 3) Develop scholars, leaders, and lifelong learners of a global society.

Established in 1865, Virginia Union University gave newly emancipated slaves an opportunity for education, for establishing a community, and for gaining economic, political and social advancement. The University is the result of a merger among four historic institutions: Richmond Theological Seminary, Wayland Seminary, Hartshorn Memorial, and Storer College. Richmond Theological Seminary held its first classes at Lumpkin’s Jail, a former holding cell for runaway slaves. The Wayland Seminary was founded in 1865 by the American Baptist Home Mission Society in Washington, DC. Two years later Storer College was founded in West Virginia, and Hartshorn Memorial College opened its doors in 1883 as the first college for African American women in the country. After operating independently for three decades, these notable seminaries joined forces to form Virginia Union University in 1899. Hartshorn Memorial and Storer Colleges would eventually join this Union in 1932 and 1964, respectively.

Located in the heart of Virginia’s capital city, Virginia Union University, a Baptist affiliated private institution, is best known for its world-renowned graduate school of theology. It also offers a broad range of educational opportunities in the liberal arts, teaching, research, science, technology, continuing education, civic engagement, and study abroad. VUU’s commitment to student success has included an emphasis on student engagement and retention, and close interaction between faculty and students, both of which produce a synergy among scholarship, teaching, and learning.

At Virginia Union University®, we consistently search for and create growth opportunities that forge groundbreaking research, state of the art technology, or top-of-the-line curriculum. We welcome and encourage new ideas and processes that positively impact experiences. We require the following core values.

Spiritual Formation, as a faith-based University, we welcome the regular practice of prayer, worship, silence, and mediation that matures one’s relationships, values, and life purpose that lead to ongoing spiritual growth and transformation.

Integrity, we value our commitment to fairness, honesty, and truth reflected in each person’s words and deeds while holding ourselves accountable for our personal and words and actions.

Diversity & Inclusion, as one of the nation’s oldest HBCUs, we value diversity in thought, perspective, and embodiment, trusting that we are stronger when various voices, traditions, and experiences are present.

Excellence, we provide the highest quality of experiences and interactions while remaining flexible, responsive, and open-minded in developing and delivering programs, services, and facilities committed to exceeding the standards of what it means to be Best-In-Class.

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Applications Deadline:

Review of candidate materials will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. If you have any questions, please contact Askhr@vuu.edu

The selected applicant may be required to submit to a background investigation. VUU is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, protected veteran status, or other protected class.

For more information about Virginia Union University, visit https://www.vuu.edu/about-vuu