Job Description

Position title: Vice President for Student Affairs

Reports to: President

Department: Student Affairs

Position Number: A4A001

FTE: 1.0

Salary: $113,000-120,000

Date: Open until filled; applicants are encouraged to apply before March 5,

2021 for full consideration; Final candidate to begin employment

before the end of April, 2021

Position Summary:
The mission of the Division of Student Affairs at Adams State University, a Hispanic-Serving

Institution (38%) and a Minority-Serving Institution (54%), is to provide student-centered

services and opportunities for personal development and campus engagement. We promote and

model a supportive, inclusive, and civil environment where success, leadership, and learning are

encouraged and celebrated throughout the ASU community. The Vice President for Student

Affairs (VPSA) is responsible for ensuring that the overall Student Affairs philosophy, policies,

and procedures align with the strategic plan of the institution and provide a responsive and high

quality out-of-classroom student experience. The Vice President reports to the President of the

University and serves an active role on the Executive Team to advance the strategic imperatives

of ASU.

The Vice President provides forward-thinking and strategic leadership for a holistic,

multidisciplinary approach in support of student success, including administrative oversight,

support, and leadership for the areas of Counseling, Career and Accessibility Services; Student

Union Building; Housing and Residence Life; Co-Curricular Recreation and Engagement

(CoRE); ASU Police Department; Veterans and Military Affairs; Grizzly Testing & Learning

Center; Auxiliary Services including dining, housing, bookstore, Rex Center; and the following

grant-funded programs: TRIO Programs (Student Support Services and Upward Bound);

Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI); College Assistant Migrant Program

(CAMP); and the Migrant Education Program (MEP).

Specific Job Duties (Essential Functions and Responsibilities):

Institutional Leadership:

• Collaborate with other senior officials of the institution to identify and address critical

issues impacting the university’s mission, vision, and strategic direction.

• Work closely with all members of the University community to provide a cohesive and

comprehensive student experience.

• Coordinate the development and management of co-curricular learning and service

opportunities with campus constituencies and community leaders.

• Serve as an active member of the Executive Team, representing the needs of students and

the perspectives of the Student Affairs Division.

• Serve as an ambassador for the University with alumni, parents, students, neighbors,

community leaders, and professional staff.

Management, Supervision, and Program Development:

• Develop, oversee, and support student-centered programs and services to complement the

academic mission of the institution.

• Work closely with student leadership as an advisor, mentor, and advocate, including

serving as advisor to the ASU Student Government.

• Help establish a student culture where diversity is encouraged and where students learn to

respect differences, take responsibility for their actions, and exercise leadership.

• Establish standards and management practices to ensure the quality and contemporary

validity of all Student Affairs programs, including the oversight of program reviews and

other means of assessment.

• Oversee resource allocations for all areas of responsibility, including regular review and

reallocation of resources according to strategic priorities and identified needs.

• Remain current on all legal matters regarding student affairs and due process, including

student rights under FERPA.

• Responsible for the leadership and administration of institutional student judicial

processes, including Athletics, Student Housing, and the ASU Student Code of Conduct.

• Responsible for the communication of University policies and procedures pertaining to

all students and student activities, including internal judicial and disciplinary procedures,

the Student Handbook, and other documents.

• Responsible for administering the process of complete withdrawal from the University.
• Serve as Chair of the Behavioral Intervention Team, Students of Concern Committee, and

the Incident Management Team.

• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
Required: Master’s degree with at least 10 years of increasingly responsible experience in

Student Affairs. Excellent leadership and managerial skills, and the capacity to supervise and

lead a diverse Student Affairs team. Excellent communication skills. Successful experience

working in a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and/or Minority Serving Institution (MSI) is also

expected. Demonstrated appreciation for the regional, economic, and cultural context of Adams

State University.

Preferred: Doctoral degree in Student Affairs or related discipline; Spanish-language proficiency.

About Adams State University – Alamosa, Colorado

Adams State University is a state-supported regional comprehensive university in Alamosa,

Colorado, United States. Adams State is Colorado’s premier Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI)

and is also a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) with over 54% of our students representing

diverse backgrounds. We have a high percentage of first-generation students with an equally

high percentage of students who are Pell eligible. The university offers undergraduate programs

in physical and social sciences, kinesiology, fine arts, business and nursing, and specializes in

educator curricula in several disciplines. Adams State also offers graduate degrees in history, art,

business (MBA), and educator programs, including counselor education; the university also has a

doctoral (PhD) program in counselor education. The university has an active athletic program,

both in participatory sports and in athletics educator training as well as a thriving theater and

musical performance opportunities Students play a major role in shared governance through

AS&F.

About Alamosa, Colorado

The city of Alamosa was established in May 1878 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and

quickly became an important rail center. The railroad had an extensive construction, repair, and

shipping facility in Alamosa and for many years headquartered its remaining narrow

gauge service in Alamosa with tracks reaching many points throughout southwest Colorado and

northern New Mexico. Alamosa is a notable tourist town with many nearby attractions, including

the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado Gators Reptile Park, surrounded by

national forest and several mountain ranges with peaks exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation. The

town hosts "Summer Fest on the Rio" which occurs the first weekend in June, the Early Iron car

show over the Labor Day weekend, and "Weekends on the Rio" on various Sundays throughout

the summer. The city takes its name from the Spanish adjective Alamosa, meaning

"of cottonwood," for the cottonwood forests which grow along the Rio Grande and throughout

town.

Alamosa is over 7,500 feet in elevation and is a high desert basin. The San Luis Valley is known

for its abundant sunshine with over 320 days of sun. The altitude and dryness of the air

cause day-night temperature differences to be severe year-round. Surrounding Alamosa, the

region is rich with large and small farms with high agriculture output. Alamosa's geography and

nighttime temperatures account for it often being listed as the coldest city in the contiguous

United States. Alamosa features a cold desert climate with long, cold winters and warm

summers, and dry weather year-round. Normal temperatures range from a low of 4 °F ( 20 °C)

in January to a high of 82 °F (28 °C) in July. Annual precipitation is only 7.25 inches (184 mm),

with summer being the wettest. The aridity depresses mean snowfall to around 32 inches (81 cm)

and the median to only 22.3 inches (57 cm).

Applications must include the following:
A letter of application that specifically describes their qualifications and professional

experience addressing their philosophy and vision for Adams State’s Student Affairs

Division, the position description, essential responsibilities, professional attributes, and

qualifications described above;

A current resume or CV;

An unofficial transcript;

List of four professional references with contact information

Submit all application materials electronically, in PDF format to the search committee

chair, Dr. Mark Manzanares at markmanzanares@adams.edu.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.