Vice-President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

Application Deadline: February 19, 2025

Salary: $170,000-$175,000

About Arkansas Tech:

Founded in 1909, Arkansas Tech University is a comprehensive public institution with a rich history, maintaining regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and classification as a Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) level III institution. ATU was ranked the No. 1 regional public university in Arkansas by U.S. News and World Report in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and CollegeNET recognizes ATU as the No. 1 institution in Arkansas on its Social Mobility Index. Since 2019, Arkansas Tech has been the host institution for the prestigious Arkansas Governor’s School. The 559-acre Russellville campus, located in the scenic Arkansas River Valley between the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, is just one hour from the capital city of Little Rock. Russellville features a charming blend of historic and modern architecture as well as the recreational opportunities provided by Lake Dardanelle and several state parks. Offering more than 100 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degree and certificate programs across five academic colleges and two campuses, Arkansas Tech strives to provide a solid educational foundation for life-long learning to a diverse community. For more information about Arkansas Tech University and the surrounding community, please visit our website at www.atu.edu/hr to find our “Live Here” informational resources.

Position Summary:

The Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management (VPSAEM) serves as the senior student affairs and enrollment officer for the University and is responsible for providing vision, innovation, and strategic leadership for that division. This is a full-time, non-classified, 12-month position.

Reporting directly to the President, the VPSAEM is a key member of the Executive Council advising on best practices for the student experience, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, across a variety of learning modalities. The VPSAEM provides leadership and support for Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management through a team of unit leaders consisting of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students, an Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management, and a Dean of Student Engagement. The VPSAEM portfolio is vast and includes supervision for the following student-support services and functions:

Department of Student Conduct

Department of Student Wellness

Department of Public Safety

Center for Academic Advising and Career Development

Admissions

Financial Aid

Marketing and Communications

Campus Life and Student Union

Veteran Services

Parent and Family Relations

Residence Life

The VPSA also provides oversight for the Title IX Office and the University behavioral intervention team as well as assessment functions for the Division.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Developing and fostering leadership skills and qualities within the Student Affairs team through mentorship, professional development, and inspiration; cultivating talent; and quantifying results through measurable goals.

Creates, assesses, updates, and implements a strategic enrollment plan that is data informed and aligns with the mission and vision of the university.

Defines enrollment management objectives and ensures they align with the mission and vision of ATU

Collaborates with the enrollment management team to design and execute a comprehensive recruitment and retention plan.

In partnership with the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, cultivating a culture of data analytics, assessment, and evaluation for data-informed decision-making, iterative design, and continuous improvement to understand and augment the experience of all students, remain in compliance with accreditation standards, and inform the development and management of co-curricular resources that effectively support student success.

In coordination with the Office of the Vice President for Administration and Finance, developing and managing a robust fiscal strategy for the Division of Student Affairs, including budgeting and financial planning, resource allocation, expenditures, and efficiencies.

Partnering with Academic Affairs, Administration and Finance, and other divisions in developing a business plan to enable sustainable investment in residential, social, and recreational spaces for students that appeal to a diverse population of nonresidential and residential students, including a long-range plan for the University's student-residence portfolio of legacy dormitories and recently completed assets.

Fostering positive student relations by maintaining effective lines of communication with student leaders and serving as a strong advocate for non-academic, extracurricular, and co-curricular student needs.

Working closely with Advancement to enhance philanthropic support for student support and success.

Participating, as appropriate, in state-wide activities pertaining to student affairs and representing the President, as requested.

Annually reviewing and recommending student fees.

Collaborate with ATU-Ozark and ATU-Career Center leadership on policy, decision-making, and recruitment/retention efforts.

Develop a plan to ensure maximum post-attendance earnings for graduates at all levels.

Performing other related duties and participating in special projects as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Proven ability to collaborate effectively across campus, as well as in the community.

Possess and convey a positive, motivational, and inspirational attitude for the team.

Lead by example and maintain the division's collaborative culture and work ethic by providing a caring and supportive environment.

Excellent analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Detail-oriented and the ability to prioritize.

Lead and actively manage staff in the execution of goals by creating a supportive and collaborative environment for success and professional development.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office software and knowledge of campus computer software used for student information and other administrative systems.

Strong working knowledge in behavioral intervention teams, Clery Act compliance, FERPA, and Title IX.

Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.

Minimum Requirements:

Master's degree in Higher Education Administration (or related field) from an accredited university.

Significant senior-level management experience in Student Affairs with expertise in student safety and wellness.

At least ten years of experience in higher education, with significant levels of direct supervision of others and teams.

Experience in recruitment and admissions as it relates to an undergraduate student population.

Experience in budget development and fiscal management, including auxiliary services in residence life and other fee-based funded entities.

Experience with BIT teams, Clery compliance, FERPA, and Title IX.

Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

Doctorate degree in Higher Education Administration (or related field) from an accredited university.

Demonstrated expertise with market segmentation, positioning and marketing, and data collection and analytics.

Strong quantitative aptitude and experience with predictive modeling and financial aid leveraging.

Experience in balancing the implementation of both short term and long range enrollment plans.

Experience with advancing access opportunities to Pell Grant recipients.

Experience with a system that contains campuses at the 2-year, 4-year, and career center level.

Work Location, Environment, and Physical Demands:

Primarily located on the Russellville campus with minimum travel expectations.

Office setting, minimal physical demand.

Some evening and weekend work is required to effectively administer services and programs and assist the campus community during crisis situations.

Expected attendance at campus-wide activities (such as graduation) and on-call for all crisis and emergency situations.

What to Submit:

Please submit a resume, a cover letter, and five (5) professional references.

To be considered for the position of Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, all applications must be received and processed through our applicant tracking system Cornerstone prior to the closing date on February 19, 2025, before 6:00 pm central time.

Please go to https://atu.csod.com/ats/careersite/search.aspx?site=1&c=atu to