Working/Functional Title
Associate VP for Student Affairs, Dean of Students
Position Summary
The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students (AVP/DoS) serves as a key member of the Vice President for Student Affairs’ senior leadership team and is one of the university’s most visible student-facing leaders. This role provides strategic direction for student advocacy, care, accountability, engagement, and crisis response. As Dean of Students, you will lead a comprehensive portfolio that touches nearly every aspect of student life- from student conduct and crisis management to fraternity and sorority life, student engagement, major campus traditions, and student organization support. You will serve as a steady and strategic institutional leader during critical and complex student situations, ensuring responses are timely, coordinated, trauma-informed, and aligned with university values.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Masters -Higher education, student affairs, or a related field
Desired Degree
Doctorate -Related field
Minimum Requirements
- Master's in Higher Education, Student Affairs, or a related field.
- 7 to 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in student affairs or a closely related area within higher education.
- Demonstrated experience leading or coordinating institutional responses to student-related crises and critical incidents.
- Significant experience overseeing comprehensive student services, including student conduct, expressive activities, and student and family support programs.
- Strong understanding of institutional policies, regulatory requirements, and applicable laws impacting student affairs.
- Proven ability to advance student success, well-being, and community standards through impactful programs and services.
- Extensive experience leading large teams, managing complex budgets, and overseeing multifaceted operations.
- Exceptional communication, political acumen, and the ability to navigate complex organizational environments.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with academic partners and senior university leadership.
Desired Qualifications
- Doctorate in related field.
- Experience in a large, research-intensive university environment.
- Knowledge of student conduct processes, CARE/BIT models, threat assessment protocols, and risk management.
- Experience leading organizational change initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to build high-performing teams through mentoring and feedback.
- Experience overseeing large student-serving facilities such as unions or student services buildings.
- Prior experience serving as a Dean of Students, Associate/Assistant Vice President, or comparable executive leader.
Required Application Materials
Please submit a current resume and cover letter.
Special Instructions
The application process is being managed by the search firm Another Source. Please follow the link to submit materials.
As an institution of higher learning, Michigan State University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff in support of its educational mission. With this commitment, the University will conduct a professional misconduct review of individuals seeking employment in executive management and academic positions (e.g., President, Provost, Vice President, Vice Provost, Dean, etc.)
A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for all interviewees to be selected for this position. Interviewees will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person’s employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.), and retaliation. At the interview stage, candidates will be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate’s current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Although the declaration and authorization will be signed at the interview stage, the University will not reach out to the current and former employers until the semi-finalist candidates are identified for on campus interviews but before a formal offer of employment is made by the University.
The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the information, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether the professional misconduct history is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files. If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn.
Review of Applications Begins On
03/27/2026
MSU Statement
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
