Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success and Equity

The University of California, Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz) announces the search for the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success and Equity. The campus community seeks an innovative, collaborative and student-centered leader who is eager to support campus-wide strategies advancing equity, access, retention and belonging.

Widely recognized as an academically vibrant and student-centered university, UC Santa Cruz is proud of its profile as one of the most diverse campuses in the United States and as a member of both the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the prestigious, ten-campus University of California system. UC Santa Cruz, founded in 1965, is distinguished by its residential "college" system through which students live and learn in small communities organized around themes of broad intellectual interest. The institution is known throughout the world for its interdisciplinary approach to research for the public good and for its commitment to social and environmental justice. Santa Cruz is located on the edge of Monterey Bay, approximately 70 miles from San Francisco and is ideally suited for year-round outdoor activity.

Reporting directly to the vice chancellor for student affairs and success, the AVC serves as a key member of the Division of Student Affairs and Success leadership team and advises the division and broader campus community on matters of student success, retention, equity, climate and belonging. The AVC for student success and equity provides leadership, vision and strategic direction for a $14 million portfolio that includes the following organizational units: African American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC); Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center (AA/PIRC); American Indian Resource Center (AIRC); Disability Resource Center (DRC); Chicanx/Latinx Resource Center (El Centro); Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP); UCSC Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives (HSI) grant and campus committees/programs; The Lionel Cantu Queer Center (LGBTQ+); Learning Support Services (LSS); Services for Transfer and Re-entry Students (STARS); Renaissance Scholars Program; Veteran Resource Center; Women’s Center (WC); Undocumented Student Services (USS); and the Student Success and Equity Administrative and Business Unit. With a staff of approximately 64 FTE, UC Santa Cruz's next associate vice chancellor will ensure that student services are contributing to student retention and success while also meeting the needs of the K-16 pipeline.

The activities and support structures that operate under the purview of the AVC for student success and equity help enhance a strong sense of belonging and affinity to the UC Santa Cruz community while also advancing equity issues and identifying equity gaps related to access, retention and success work. The AVC will therefore play a central role galvanizing campus leadership and partners around creative initiatives that bolster the student experience; permeate across campus with a complex, decentralized institutional model; and create the optimal conditions for student growth and development in an environment committed to student success and wellbeing. The AVC should be a collaborative leader with sensitivity to multiple and diverse campus stakeholders and appreciative of the contributions of student activists. As the University transitions to its post-COVID environment, the AVC will support the vice chancellor in engaging students and faculty to assess every aspect of the student experience and consider the implications of the past two years in shaping the environment for living and learning at Santa Cruz.

The successful candidate will be a creative and skilled leader with strong administrative, financial and managerial skills and proven experience in a dynamic and complex professional environment. The AVC will have broad knowledge of current equity, student success, retention and access strategies to collaboratively facilitate the success of all students including those from underrepresented, low-income, minority, ethnically diverse, LGBTQIA+, community college transfer and first-generation backgrounds. A Ph.D. or Ed.D. and a record of progressively responsible and relevant leadership in higher education is strongly preferred.

WittKieffer is assisting University of California Santa Cruz in this search. Applications will be accepted through November 19, 2021 or until the position is filled.

All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume, a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile and a Contributions to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion statement. Information about the expectations for this statement can be found here. Professional references are not requested at this time.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Jen Meyers Pickard, Ph.D. and Lauren Bruce-Stets at UCSC-AVCSSE@wittkieffer.com 

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees. Inquiries regarding the University’s equal employment opportunity policies may be directed to: Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064.  (831) 459-3676.