Opportunity and Challenge Profile

Washington State University (WSU), a distinguished and comprehensive public research university with multiple campuses, seeks to hire a creative, innovative and experienced leader to serve as Vice President for Student Affairs (VP). This position is an opportunity for a dynamic and engaging leader to direct an organization that is essential to the success of the University. The next VP will be on the team to make WSU one of the nation’s leading public universities, preeminent in research and discovery, teaching, and engagement with a clear focus on the academic success and transformational experience of every student.

Founded in 1890 in Pullman, WSU is Washington’s land-grant university. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for all citizens — locally, nationally, and globally. WSU is committed to innovation and excellence in research and scholarship. Over 29,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and approximately 6,500 faculty and staff are located on WSU’s five campuses (Pullman, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, and Everett), online through its Global Campus, in extension offices in each of the 39 counties, and regionally based Research and Extension Centers in the state’s key agricultural areas. WSU offers 95 academic majors for undergraduates, 78 master’s degree programs, and 61 doctoral degree programs, as well as professional degree programs in veterinary medicine and pharmacy.

This is a dynamic time to join the University as Dr. Kirk Schulz recently assumed the position of the University’s 11th president. The University is deeply committed to providing a transformational experience to the increasingly diverse student body. WSU seeks a leader who can provide both stability and vision while delivering on this promise.

The Vice President for Student Affairs is responsible for the non-curricular facets of student life at Washington State University and is charged with ensuring that an exceptional university experience is accessible to all students. The VP will oversee a portfolio that includes: Health & Wellness; Access, Equity & Achievement; the Dean of Students; and Administrative Services. S/he is responsible for an annual Student Affairs budget of about $13 million and oversees 500 individuals in permanent and part time positions. For more information on the Division of Student Affairs please visit: https://studentaffairs.wsu.edu/.

In leading the Division of Student Affairs to achieve its strategic goals, the Vice President will address a set of key opportunities and challenges:

• Deliver on the promise of a transformative student experience for every student
• Build coalitions and serve as an advocate for students and Student Affairs
• Support an increasingly diverse student body and build an inclusive environment
• Inspire and lead the Division of Student Affairs
• Steward existing and create new resources

A list of the desired qualifications and characteristics of the Vice President for Student Affairs can be found at the end of this document. This profile was prepared by the search committee with the assistance of Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to provide background information and detail the key opportunities and challenges related to the position. All confidential applications, inquiries, and nominations should be directed to the parties listed at the conclusion of this document.

About Washington State University

Founded as the people’s university, Washington State University fulfills that commitment by transforming lives through education, research, and community outreach. The University recently celebrated 125 years of delivering life-changing knowledge and discoveries to citizens across the state, region, nation, and around the world.

WSU comprises the Colleges of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences; Arts and Sciences; Business; Communication; Education; Engineering and Architecture; Honors; Medical Sciences; Nursing; Pharmacy; Veterinary Medicine; the Graduate School; WSU Global Campus; WSU Extension; and the new Medical School that is currently seeking accreditation. WSU provides excellent opportunities for graduate study in 78 master’s degree programs and 61 doctoral degree programs, and two professional degree programs within the campuses located in Pullman, Spokane, Vancouver, Tri-Cities, as well as through WSU’s Global Campus. WSU has also recently announced a new partnership with Bellevue College that would provide a mix of associate and bachelor’s degrees, and perhaps even graduate degrees as a means to increase access for an under-served part of the state.

U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 “America’s Best Colleges” rankings place WSU in the top 75 public national universities. WSU was one of only three Northwest universities to be placed in the top two tiers, along with the University of Washington and the University of Oregon. WSU is ranked as a “very high research activity” institution by the Carnegie Foundation and is in the top 12 percent of research universities as reported by the National Science Foundation. Also, WSU was recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for its engagement activities with its Community Engagement Classification.

The WSU campuses are home to a wide array of organizations and activities, including arts, music, and theater; student-run media (including public radio and television stations); fraternities and sororities; recreational sports; and others. A high percentage of WSU students also participate in study abroad programs; WSU offers access to over 1,400 education abroad programs in nearly all countries around the world.

Home to over 29,000 students and approximately 6,500 faculty and staff, the University deeply values diversity among its students, faculty, and staff. WSU students represent diverse social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds: approximately 10 percent of WSU students hail from outside the state of Washington; approximately 6.8 percent are international students; and about 29 percent of students identify as multicultural. WSU annually awards more than $280 million in scholarships and financial aid to approximately 17,000 undergraduate students.

Intercollegiate athletics plays an important role at WSU, and “Cougar Pride” is evident throughout the state of Washington. More than 500 student athletes compete at the NCAA Division I level as members of the PAC-12 Conference, nicknamed the “Conference of Champions.” Eight of the twelve conference schools are members of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and all of the institutions are highly ranked by various groups, including the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (Times). WSU’s football team has attended bowl games two of the last three years and has a new 88,880 square foot Cougar Football Complex.

The University operates as an integrated university, with all campuses adhering to the same set of practices and policies: degree requirements are similar across campuses; all instructors and researchers, regardless of their location, are considered part of one faculty; and the offices of finance and administration are regarded as distinct, but highly integrated components of one division. WSU has been redefining its administrative and operational structures to ensure delivery of an integrated set of services while allowing each campus autonomy and a clearly defined identity. More information about the WSU campuses and the history of the University is available in Appendix I at the conclusion of this document.

The operating budget of the University for the 2015-17 biennium is approximately $2.05 billion, and capital budget authority during the 2015-17 biennium is $311.7 million. The University’s endowment is $886 million, including $418 million from the WSU Foundation and $468 million in land-grant endowments.

WSU has an ambitious 2014-2019 strategic plan available at https://strategicplan.wsu.edu that is built on the core values and broad mission of the University. Goals and strategies were developed to achieve significant progress toward WSU’s aspiration of becoming one of the nation’s leading land-grant universities and emphasize the institution’s unique role as an accessible, approachable research institution that provides opportunities to an especially broad array of students while serving Washington State’s broad portfolio of social and economic needs. The plan reaffirms WSU’s land-grant mission by focusing greater attention system-wide on increasing access to educational opportunity, responding to the needs of Washington State through research, instruction, and outreach, and contributing to economic development and public policy.

In the fall of 2015, WSU prioritized its research agenda to focus on five Grand Challenges:

• Sustaining Health: The Uncompromising Pursuit of Healthier People and Communities
• Sustainable Resources for Society: Food, Energy, and Water
• Advancing Opportunity and Equity: The Land-grant Mission in Today’s World
• Improving Quality of Life through Smart Systems
• Fundamental Research in Support of National Security

Please see the Washington State University research website at https://research.wsu.edu for more details about the WSU’s research agenda.

About the Division of Student Affairs

Washington State University places a high priority on providing enriching experiences to students both in and out of the classroom. The Division of Student Affairs serves students and potential students from the minute they have initial contact with WSU through graduation. The Division’s staff members specialize in community outreach, student health and wellbeing, leadership building, civic engagement, cultural appreciation, and other areas.

Student Affairs at Washington State University works with constituents throughout the state, country, and world to deliver on the University’s core mission of providing a transformative experience to prepare students for productive and successful lives. As a result, WSU students prosper personally and academically from being part of an exciting, dynamic, and diverse student body. WSU has a reputation for producing exceptional team players, problem solvers, and creative thinkers. These qualities attract a wide range of prospective employers. A recent Wall Street Journal survey put WSU in the top 25 U.S. universities from which recruiters most want to hire graduates—the only university in the Northwest to make the list.

Students engage with Student Affairs in many ways. Through the Center for Student Involvement, the University offers more than 300 student clubs and organizations focused on a broad range of interests, including student government, music, communication and publications, performing arts, nationality and diversity, academics, and religion and faith. More than 75 club and intramural sports, plus an awardwinning Student Recreation Center on the Pullman campus, provide a variety of recreational opportunities. Each campus tailors its student services and extracurricular activities and programs to the needs and interests of its students.

About 20 percent of the Pullman student body participates in the more than 50 chapters of national sororities and fraternities active on campus. Since 1906, fraternities and sororities have played an integral role at the WSU campus in Pullman, enriching campus life, hosting community service events, and raising money for local and national charities. Today, that legacy continues. Greek life has flourished during the past 10 years and now has a significant, highly engaged alumni base.

The University also has made significant investments in facilities designed to enhance the overall experience of students. Among the most notable facilities completed statewide in recent years are: two new residence halls and major renovations to several existing halls on the Pullman campus to add amenities and community space. One important new facility currently under construction is a new multicultural center on the Pullman campus and is slated to be an iconic symbol and gateway to campus, intended to encourage people of intersectional identities to create, connect, collaborate and share a manifestation of “Cougar culture.” It will also serve as a space to provide cultural programming, social justice outreach, and community engagement.

In 2015, the Division of Student Affairs finalized a strategic plan centered on engaging all students in a transformative university experience to prepare them for success at WSU and beyond. The goals are:

• To welcome and engage students as members of a safe, healthy, and inclusive campus community
• To provide experiences which cultivate personal, academic, and professional skills for success in higher education, the workforce, and society
• To develop informed and engaged leaders with a lifelong connection to WSU
• To promote the successful graduation of all students
• To demonstrate excellence in professional practice through effective leadership and responsible stewardship of resources

To learn more about the Division of Student Affairs visit http://www.studentaffairs.wsu.edu/.

Role of the Vice President for Student Affairs

The Vice President for Student Affairs will promote the goals of Student Affairs, ensuring that all programs and initiatives are integrated and effective in supporting the overall mission, goals, and objectives of the University. The VP reports directly to the President of the University, is a key member of the senior leadership team, and participates in institutional planning.

The Vice President oversees six direct reports and the departments of Health & Wellness; Access, Equity & Achievement; the Dean of Students; and Administrative Services. These services include integral mental health sources, Multicultural Student Services, federally and privately funded programs, housing and dining, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and more.

The Division of Student Affairs employs over 500 individuals in permanent and part time positions. The Vice President for Student Affairs is responsible over $13 million that includes an annual operating budget of over $5 million, a self-sustaining operating budget of $1 million, grants and contracts in excess of $2 million, and additional operating funds just under $5 million. Funding comes from a variety of sources such as self-sustaining and revenue generating operations, student fees, and state and federal funding. This requires close collaboration with student governing boards, the Board of Regents, and external agencies.

The Vice President serves as an advocate for students and fosters an institutional climate that supports the multicultural and global engagement of all students. The Vice President plays a pivotal role in the implementation of the University’s strategic goals of providing a transformative student experience. To accomplish this goal, the Vice President collaborates, communicates, and cooperates with other student-related programs and departments across the University’s campuses, Global Campus, and other locations.

Key Opportunities and Challenges for the Vice President for Student Affairs

In carrying out these broad duties, the Vice President faces several key opportunities and challenges, as detailed below:

Deliver on the promise of a transformative student experience for every student 

Washington State University is poised for even greater recognition in the next few years and the next VP will be integral to the discussion on how the University will achieve its goals while enhancing the student experience. The VP will bring visionary leadership, innovative ideas, and a broad understanding of the evolving role and complexity of student affairs in higher education that will rejuvenate and inspire the Division of Student Affairs and the WSU leadership team.

The next VP must be keenly aware of the services necessary to recruit, support and retain a diverse, growing, and changing student population, including student services, health and wellness programs, outreach programs, marketing, and related infrastructure. The VP will engage early and often with the student community to take a proactive stance in understanding and solving the issues of WSU students.

The VP for Student Affairs will work with the Division of Student Affairs on the implementation of the new strategic plan. S/he will use data and assessment to create a seamless student experience and to communicate the success of WSU locally and across the country. S/he will be expected to be a key figure in student affairs associations and professional organizations nationally and demonstrate broad knowledge of the latest trends and issues in the field.

Build coalitions and serve as an advocate for students and Student Affairs

In addition to serving as a visible and accessible student advocate, the Vice President must also partner with constituents and stakeholders across the University. S/he will build greater collaboration with Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, Athletics, Marketing and Communications, Student Affairs leadership on all campuses, and others to more closely align curricular and co-curricular learning experiences. S/he will be expected to create better alignment and effectiveness of efforts focused on student success and to help set policy for the University. This will also include creating relationships in the local Pullman community and with other WSU campuses around the state.

The Vice President for Student Affairs should be an equal and effective member of the University’s senior leadership team, which will include other new members, and provide strong support for students and their development. S/he will be known as an innovative builder of programs and services who can engage other leaders in solving problems related to student issues, and who is capable of persuasively moving ideas forward and coordinating initiatives across the University.

S/he should be community-oriented and embrace a vibrant undergraduate, graduate, and professional student community and identify opportunities to further university identity and pride. S/he will also be a visible and approachable presence on campus with students, faculty, and staff. The next VP will communicate and inform the campus of existing Student Affairs programs and to begin a dialogue about how student services can be further enhanced to serve the evolving needs of the campus.

Through building bridges across campus and a focus on improved communication, the Vice President will have the opportunity to increase the Division’s visibility as a valuable and important part of the University’s success.

Support an increasingly diverse student body and build an inclusive environment

As the Washington State University community of students continues to grow in size and diversify in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, geography, disabilities, veteran status, and in other ways, there is a continued need to develop new programs and partner effectively across the University to support and retain undergraduate and graduate students. The next VP must stay ahead of the curve on national issues involving student health, wellness, sexual assault, compliance, diversity, and inclusion, and seek to be a role model in welcoming and supporting students with different life experiences.

The Vice President for Student Affairs will also be expected to lead an ongoing, institution-wide commitment to promoting the value of diversity in all forms, as an essential ingredient to improving the student experience. In order to do so, s/he must continue to build and maintain strong relationships with student leadership in all aspects, including creating stability and accountability for the Greek life system.

Inspire and lead the Division of Student Affairs

The Division of Student Affairs comprises dedicated and talented staff with a deep commitment to enhancing the student experience. The Division has experienced a series of leadership transitions over the past year and a half and is eager for a Vice President to guide the division in a clear and strategic direction that creates a whole greater than the sum of its component departments.

The VP will be responsible for strengthening a culture of trust, transparency, empowerment, excellence, and professional development. S/he will more fully coordinate activities, encourage the sharing of ideas, and communicate priorities across the Division and throughout the University. This will involve not only effective resource allocation, but also budget planning and program evaluation, all undertaken within a culture of accountability and transparency, with a focus on providing students with the best possible experience.

Steward existing and create new resources

With a lean operating budget and increasing demand for student support and services, the need to steward scarce resources and identify new opportunities for increasing revenue are ongoing challenges. The Vice President for Student Affairs will need to explore various avenues for resource generation and use data and assessment to conduct realistic evaluation of existing programs to ensure that they are meeting student demand.

The collective desire to expand new programs and facilities for students will also require that the next VP play an active role in fundraising. Being at the nexus of a number of income streams, the next VP will have to understand the business aspects of Student Affairs, resource management, and be creative yet judicious with available funding.

Qualifications and Characteristics

The successful candidate should be an innovative and collaborative student affairs leader for a diverse and broad-ranged student body and university. The university seeks a proven leader with a distinctive record of achievement. The successful candidate must have a bachelor’s degree and ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in student affairs leadership in higher education. A Master’s degree in education administration, student personnel, counseling, psychology, or closely related field is highly desired and may be substituted for up to one (1) year of the required experience.

Additionally, candidates will possess many of the following professional qualifications and personal characteristics:

• Ten (10) years of progressive student affairs leadership experience in higher education, at least five (5) years in advanced leadership roles in one or more areas of student services.
• Knowledge and experience working effectively with varied student populations including first-generation students, students from various socio-economic backgrounds, students from diverse cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, international students, students with disabilities, veterans, and students pursuing degrees at various stages in their careers and lives.
• Experience working with students and alumni with strong ties to student groups such as the Greek community, athletics, and multi-cultural organizations.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective partnerships with academic affairs and other areas across a complex university.
• Demonstrated executive leadership skills including visionary leadership, strategic thinking, and an innovative spirit with a commitment to promote excellence in education.
• Excellent collaboration and consensus-building abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, resolve and consult on a wide range of administrative and personnel issues with a clear sense of institutional needs and priorities with demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment.
• Demonstrated experienced securing and/or managing extramurally funded projects.
• Extensive professional experience in Student Affairs with progressive leadership and supervisory responsibilities, including experience/involvement with crisis management, student conduct programs, student safety and care, and Title IX.

Location

This position is located in Pullman, Washington, a close-knit, family-friendly town of approximately 31,000 people located in southeastern Washington, 75 miles south of Spokane. Pullman offers the stimulation of a research university in a small town living environment. It is close to mountain ranges, scenic lakes, and rivers in an area that offers excellent outdoor activities. Spokane is the largest metropolitan area (a population of over 484,000 in Spokane County) between Seattle and Minneapolis and is the state’s second largest city. Moscow, Idaho, home of the University of Idaho, Idaho’s land grant university, is 8 miles from Pullman, making the area rich in university-based activities. For more information, see http://www.pullman-wa.gov/.

Applications, Inquiries, and Nominations

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website for the search: www.imsearch.com/5930. Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.

Washington State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action educator and employer. Members of ethnic minorities, women, specially disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veterans, persons of disability, and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.

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