Vice President of Student Life

The Opportunity:

The Vice President for Student Life at Gordon College will join an experienced senior leadership team that serves the largest Christian community (over 20,000 including students, faculty, staff and alumni) in the global capital of higher education. The Vice President for Student Life leads the entire co-curricular dimension of the Gordon experience for undergraduate students and works closely with the academic division to integrate with curricular programs. Recognizing the value in a holistic student experience, particularly one supported by a strong Christian community, the Vice President for Student Life provides thoughtful, strategic leadership for all initiatives that contribute to students’ social, spiritual and vocational development and formation.

This position provides oversight to Student Life, the First-year Experience, Chapel Office, the Counseling Center, the Health Center, Residence Life, the La Vida Center for Outdoor Education and Leadership, the International Student Organization, the Multicultural Initiatives Office and the Career and Connection Institute (which houses several other programs including the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership), Campus Events Council, the Bennett Center, Athletics, and all student programming including student activities, recreation/intramurals and leadership development. In engagement, programming and relationships, the Vice President will demonstrate and equip students to have healthy civic engagement, to practice listening, respect and interdependence even amid disagreements. He or she will foster an environment of trust, hospitality, integrity, collaboration and celebration.

The Vice President for Student Life will focus on three critical areas of formation and discipleship: intercultural competence (healthy relationships among the Body of Christ), embodied discipleship (healthy relationship to God and self), and civic engagement for the common good (healthy relationships with those outside the Body)—with the ultimate goal of equipping the next generation of Christian leaders to engage with the issues of the day. As Gordon has increased its academic offerings to include more graduate programs and fully online degrees, specifically for adult learners, the definition of a student is evolving beyond the traditional, residential, undergraduate profile. The Vice President for Student Life will envision and enact care for a new kind of student body comprised of diverse ages and locations.

The Vice President for Student Life reports to the President and serves as 
a key member of the President’s Cabinet. Responsibilities of the Vice 
President for Student Life include the following:

• Guides the College on all matters of Student Life.
• Provides leadership and support for diversity and the College’s commitment to advancing intercultural literacy among students as outlined in the College’s Shalom Statement. 
• Serves as the final arbitrator and decision maker on Title IX rulings that are appealed.
• Recruits, hires, reviews and leads personnel in Student Life, including all relevant departments; makes recommendations for salaries, promotions and terminations.
• Provides leadership and administrative supervision for Student Life, including the First-year Experience, Chapel Office, the Counseling Center, the Health Center, Residence Life, the La Vida Center for Outdoor Education and Leadership, the International Student Organization, the Multicultural Initiatives Office and the Career and Connection Institute (which houses several other programs including the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership), Campus Events Council, the Bennett Center, Athletics, and all student programming including student activities, recreation/intramurals and leadership development.
• Working collaboratively with the Chaplain, provides broad oversight to the Chapel Office in the development of worship, ministry and service opportunities to enrich the spiritual growth of students.
• Advises and counsels students.
• Recommends and annual budget for campus life to the President and Senior Working Group and oversees its implementation.
• Evaluates and identifies student facility needs and makes recommendations regarding use, renovation or construction.
• Completes other responsibilities as assigned by the President.

The Candidate:

We are looking for an energetic, irenic, thoughtful leader who feels called to serve the next generation through student development leadership. We recognize that God has gifted every person with unique gifts and backgrounds, and while the selected candidate may not meet every qualification, we believe there are several things that are important for Gordon’s Vice President for Student Life, including the following:

• A Christian leader who professes faith in Jesus Chris as Lord; accepts Gordon’s Statement of Faith; practices Christian values in daily interactions with students, faculty, staff and the public as outlined by Gordon’s Life and Conduct Statement; works to advance Gordon’s mission through this position; and is actively involved in Christian ministry and local church life.
• A collaborator who reflects godly character, excellent work ethic, an optimistic outlook, confident humility and impeccable integrity.
• An articulate, positive communicator who can collaborate, motivate and delegate among a team of high energy colleagues.
• A bridge builder who can naturally develop and maintain relationships at both the individual and institutional levels.
• A firm commitment to the highest ethical standards and the ideals for Christian living and leadership.
• An inspiring, magnetic leader who can win the trust and confidence of the College community and develop alignment around the College’s priorities.
• A wise decision-maker who can both seize opportunities and thoughtfully manage complex issues.
• A resourceful entrepreneur who can stretch limited resources for maximum impact.
• A trustworthy diplomat who maintains confidences, exercises confidentiality when necessary, embodies sound judgment in complex situations and engenders extraordinary trust.

Link to View Full Opportunity Profile: https://www.gordon.edu/download/galleries/Job%20Description%20-%20Opportunity%20Profile%20for%20Vice%20President%20for%20SL.pdf

Link to Apply Online: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2-xRAi1Od0CUmEAyiseU6VaZ78BOMQJAiGjLu2N4tPZUN0Y3SUVTU1JQQlFJQlRQUTJOUEhRTFVXUS4u