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Vice President of Student Affairs

Employer
Central Connecticut State University
Location
Connecticut, United States
Salary
Salary Not Specified
Date posted
Dec 10, 2021

Job Details



[C21-093]

Vice President of Student Affairs

Student Affairs Division

Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) announces that its national search for the position of Vice President for Student Affairs is open and invites expressions of interest, nominations, and applications.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) announces and invites applications for the search for its next Vice President of Student Affairs (VPSA). As a key member of the university’s Executive Committee, the new VPSA will have the opportunity to partner with CCSU President Zulma R. Toro in using innovative strategies to pursue new challenges and tackle old problems, while sharing her commitment to serving CCSU’s many communities in new and more effective ways.

The University seeks an energetic and collaborative leader who will work collegially with all members of the University community. The ideal candidate will advise and collaborate with students, faculty, staff, and administrators on a variety of matters that shape the student experience and campus culture. The VPSA will share Dr. Toro’s commitment to expanding access to higher education and her vision for CCSU as a student-centered public university that addresses the needs of the whole student.

THE OLDEST PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATON IN CONNECTICUT

Founded in 1849 as New Britain Normal School, Central was the first public institution of higher education in Connecticut and the sixth normal school in the nation. It was first located in what was to be New Britain’s new Town Hall, which was still under construction, and which was modified and expanded to meet the needs of the school. Over the decades, the school’s needs surpassed its physical space, so in 1883 it moved to a new facility, jointly funded by the town and the State of Connecticut, overlooking Walnut Hill Park. In 1922, the school moved to its current location. In 1933, it was renamed the Teachers College of Connecticut and authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees. In 1959, it became Central Connecticut State College, and in 1983, the College became Central Connecticut State University, a comprehensive regional university authorized to grant baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Since then, Central’s campus has grown dramatically, and its curriculum includes baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. However, it is still an integral part of New Britain and the greater Hartford area and is a crown jewel of Connecticut public higher education.

CONNECTICUT STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Central is part of the 17-member Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system governed by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education. The system includes four regional comprehensive universities, 12 community colleges, and Charter Oak State College (an online adult education, degree-completion institution). As one of four CSCU universities, CCSU maintains strong relations with its system peers.

The president of each university serves as the institution’s chief executive officer and is accountable to the CSCU Board through a direct reporting relationship to CSCU System President Terrence Cheng, for the management of the university within Board policy.

The 21-member Board of Regents (15 voting members) is the governing authority of the CSCU system; its responsibilities include setting statewide tuition and student fee policies; establishing financial aid policies; reviewing, licensing, and accrediting academic programs; and, in collaboration with institutional stakeholders, conducting searches for and selecting campus presidents and the CSCU President. The Board also holds broad responsibilities for the development and coordination of statewide higher education policy.

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY

The largest of Connecticut’s regional comprehensive universities, CCSU enrolls 9,653 students (Fall 2021). This includes 6071 full-time undergraduates, 1677 part-time undergraduates, 484 full-time graduate students, and 1421 part-time graduate students. A third of its undergraduates are students of color, the largest group being Hispanic. Ninety-three percent of the students are from Connecticut. An increasingly residential campus, 57 percent of CCSU’s first-year students live on campus; 24 percent of all undergraduates live on campus (pre-pandemic percentages).

A longstanding strength of CCSU is its faculty. Partnered with its 419 full-time faculty are 415 part-time faculty, many of whom are practitioners in their fields and who add a breadth and depth of experience to the classroom. CCSU faculty members are actively engaged in research, scholarship, and other creative activity as well as the supervision of undergraduate and graduate research. At the same time, a sustained primary commitment to personalized teaching and learning permeates the campus. A 14:1 student-faculty ratio allows for substantial individual attention. Consequently, CCSU provides the diversity of educational opportunities generally found only at larger institutions with the close student-faculty relations found at the best private colleges.

CCSU also has approximately 450 full-time and 726 part-time staff and student worker, all of whom are true partners in the educational enterprise at CCSU. A strong network of collective bargaining units represents nearly every CCSU constituent group. A collective commitment to shared governance unites faculty and staff and is a hallmark of the University.

For more information about Central Connecticut State University, please visit www.ccsu.edu.

THE SCHOOLS

Central’s five schools – the Carol A. Ammon College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences; the School of Business, the School of Education and Professional Studies; the School of Engineering, Science, and Technology; and the School of Graduate Studies--offer 140 academic programs in over 80 fields of study. All undergraduates are required to complete the same general education curriculum. Because of this, education in the liberal arts and sciences permeates and defines Central’s academic program. The University also offers graduate degrees in 41 academic fields of study, including doctoral degrees in educational leadership and nurse anesthesia practice. Central offers a broad array of online courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. Accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, the University completed its decennial reaffirmation process in the fall of 2018.

Carol A. Ammon College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences , named in honor of Central alumna of the Class of 1973 Carol A. Ammon, offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the fundamental fine arts, humanities, foreign languages, and social science disciplines. In addition, it has strong programs in communication, criminal justice, and journalism. Its faculty bear the major responsibility for teaching the general education curriculum.

School of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, finance, management and organization, management information systems, and marketing as well as an MBA and a master’s in accounting. It is the first of Connecticut’s regional comprehensive universities to be AACSB accredited.

School of Education and Professional Studies offers a broad range of undergraduate majors and graduate degrees in: early childhood, elementary and secondary education; all-level education in art, music, physical education, and technology and engineering; educational leadership and educational technology; nursing; social work; athletic training; exercise science and health promotion; and family and educational counseling, including college student development. It also offers several sixth-year certificates and doctoral degrees in educational leadership and nurse anesthesia practice. It will be the home of the new physical therapy program.

School of Engineering, Science, and Technology offers undergraduate majors and master’s degrees in the basic life and physical sciences—biology, biochemistry, chemistry, geology, and physics—as well as mathematics and computer science. It also offers degrees in civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering, manufacturing and construction management, electronics technology, industrial technology, manufacturing engineering technology, networking information technology, and robotic and mechatronic engineering technology. The School has a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and curricula. Bringing all the science, engineering, and technology disciplines together, the school is the only comprehensive STEM school in New England.

School of Graduate Studies serves as the organizational hub for the many graduate programs located in the other four schools. The Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies, Research, and Faculty Development, who leads the School, works very closely and collaboratively with the four school deans and their department chairs and faculty in developing, promoting, and administering the University’s expanding range of graduate offerings.

Curricular Development

The general education program consists of required coursework in four study areas--arts and humanities, social sciences, behavioral sciences, and natural sciences--and four skill areas—communication, mathematics, foreign language, and academic skills. In addition, there is a required first-year experience and an international requirement. Most requirements can be fulfilled with a variety of options, some depending on the student’s level of previous education.

Over the past several years, Central has created a number of new or revised degree programs designed to meet important educational needs in the community. The School of Business added a master’s in accounting and an MBA. The School of Engineering, Science, and Technology has added majors in electrical engineering, network information technology, and robotics. The School of Education and Professional Studies has added baccalaureate and master’s degrees in exercise science, as well as a higher education track in its doctoral degree in educational leadership. The University also has a doctoral program in nurse anesthesia practice. Many of Central’s new programs are strongly interdisciplinary: dance education, digital printing and graphics technology, manufacturing management,

media studies, STEM education, and strategic communication. These programs meet important educational needs of both the students and the community of which they are a part.

CAMPUS COMMUNITY

Central is a campus community focused on students and their educational development. The low student/faculty ratio allows for close interaction with faculty and individual attention to students. The average class size is 25; no classes are taught by graduate students. The faculty serve as teachers, mentors, advisers, and research partners with students.

The University offers a four-year interdisciplinary honors program to eligible students in any of the undergraduate schools. The program requires two four-credit courses per semester during the first two years and a capstone honors thesis during the junior year. All honors courses are team-taught. Honors students are eligible for a $4500 scholarship which is renewable for up to three years.

Central’s students have a variety of opportunities to do individual research with the guidance of a faculty member, both during the year and over the summer. The University has an annual research day where students of all disciplines can present their research or creative activity. The University awards travel support for the best work in each academic area so that students can present their work at national meetings such as the National Council for Undergraduate Research.

Central also has a robust commitment to community service. Under the direction of the Office of Community Engagement, the University provides a variety of service opportunities for students, faculty, and staff. Options include service-learning courses, service projects, and volunteering. The Office of Community Engagement works collaboratively with the Community Engagement Committee, a standing committee of the Faculty Senate consisting of faculty and staff committed to community engagement. In 2016, the Community Engagement Committee was awarded the first CT Campus Compact Campus Leadership Award in recognition of its efforts to foster more community engagement activity by CCSU faculty and students. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized Central’s work by designating it a Community Engagement Institution; Central was also selected for the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Central also sponsors the Institute for the Study of Crime and Justice and the Center for Public Policy and Social Research.

Reflecting the growing diversity of Connecticut, Central is an increasingly diverse campus. The largest minority groups in the student body are Hispanic/Latino (15.7 percent), Black/African-American (11.8 percent), and Asian (4.6 percent). Hispanic/Latino students and Black/African-American students have both increased significantly in number over the past several years. Seventeen per cent of the faculty are people of color: Asian 4.7, Black/African America 5.6, and Hispanic 3.7. Twenty-three percent of the staff are people of color: Asian 3.3, Black/African American 9.1, and Hispanic 9.3. Central offers a variety of academic and co-curricular programs that support diverse students and offer them opportunities to explore the many cultures and issues that are important to our increasingly multicultural society.

Adding to campus diversity are the University's international programs and activities supported by the George R. Muirhead Center for International Education (CIE). Founded in 1987 as a state-wide center for excellence in international education, the CIE has established a number of community and university partnerships around the globe. It also offers both short-term, faculty-led programs as well as semester- and year-long programs. The CIE is also home to the Intensive English Language Program. Central enrolls international students in both degree- and non-degree programs. During the past ten years, Central has become a more residential campus. Fifty-seven percent of first year students live on campus. Central offers its students a full range of clubs and activities, including musical groups; academic, honorary, and special interest clubs and societies; dance and theatre groups; student government; various student-run media; campus ministry; and social fraternities and sororities. As Central has become more residential, the level of student activity has increased, making the campus more vibrant.

At the same time, a large portion of Central’s students are commuters, many of them balancing their academic work with family obligations and full-time employment. Central values its commuter students, recognizes their special needs, and makes every effort to integrate them into campus life.

The Central Connecticut Blue Devils, an NCAA Division I athletics program that competes in the Northeast Conference, offers intercollegiate competition in six men's sports and eight women's sports. Central students are offered a variety of recreation, fitness, and wellness options, including 25+ intramural activities and club sports, five fitness centers across campus, and a variety of wellness and fitness classes. The past seven years have been a period of significant achievement for the Blue Devils.

THE CAMPUS

Central’s 165-acrecampus sits on the northern edge of New Britain, with easy access to major highways and Interstate 84. In 1999, Dober, Lidsky, Craig, and Associates completed a campus master plan that analyzed the current space available and projected campus growth over the next two decades. In 2009, a detailed campus master plan for facilities renewal and expansion through 2020 was adopted with the promise of State support. Since then, the University has methodically implemented this plan and in so doing has made Central’s campus highly functional, much more supportive of its core mission and student needs, and aesthetically pleasing.

In 2012, a new Engineering lab was completed; in 2013, the new $34 million Social Science Hall was completed to LEED Gold standards; in 2014, a $10 million Athletic complex for baseball, football, soccer, and track was completed; and in 2015, a $65 Million 600-bed Mid-Campus Residence Hall was completed. Willard-DiLoreto Hall, a $63 million renovation, expansion, and joining of Frank J. DiLoreto Hall and Emma Hart Willard Hall was completed in 2019. The Paul J. Manafort, Sr Garage, a 600-car parking facility, and the 70,000 square foot, $25 million C.J. Huang Recreation Center were also recently completed. Recently finished are a 9500 square foot, $22 million renovation and expansion of Barnard Hall and a 100,000 square foot and a $65 million Applied Innovation Hall. Construction of a $16 million expansion of Burritt Library and the Willard-DiLoreto Parking Garage are in progress. In total, these projects represent an impressive investment by the State of Connecticut in Central’s future and a major transformation of the campus.

Central was a signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, and the University subsequently has become a leader in sustainability efforts. As a result, Central is recognized by the Princeton Review as “one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the USA and Canada.”

NEW BRITAIN

Located nine miles southwest of Hartford, New Britain is a town of approximately 70,000. Part of the Greater Hartford area of 1.2 million residents, New Britain is centrally located in the state and is within easy reach of much of Connecticut and several of the metropolitan areas in the region. New Britain’s population is characterized by a high degree of racial and ethnic diversity. Known as “Little Poland,” 17 percent of its population are of Polish background. New Britain is also 3 percent Asian, 13 percent Black/African American, 41 percent Hispanic/Latino, and 42 percent White, non-Hispanic. Hartford, a city of approximately 120,000, is 3 percent Asian, 37 percent Black/African American, 45 percent Hispanic/Latino, and 15 percent White. New Britain is the home of the New Britain Symphony, founded by CCSU faculty. It is also home to the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and the Repertory Theatre of New Britain. Charter Oak State College, the online branch of the CSCU system, is also in New Britain. Often known as “Hardware City,” New Britain is the home of Stanley Black & Decker. The largest employer in New Britain is the Hospital of Central Connecticut. Other major employers are the State of Connecticut, the City of New Britain, the Hospital for Special Care, and Tilcon Connecticut. A few years ago, New Britain acquired the Bees, an unaffiliated professional minor league baseball team.

In addition to its close proximity to Hartford, New Britain is 40 minutes from Springfield, Massachusetts, two hours from Boston, and two hours from New York City. It is also part of the Hartford-Springfield “Knowledge Corridor” and therefore, within easy driving distance of a host of private and public institutions of higher education and many cultural opportunities. The CTfastrak bus rapid transit system, begun in March 2015, offers frequent connections between New Britain and Hartford and points as far west as Waterbury.

The larger region provides excellent opportunities for CCSU to partner with major corporations and organizations. It currently has close ties with: Travelers, Pratt & Whitney, CohnReznick, GKN Aerospace, Stanley Black &Decker, The Hartford, UTC Aerospace Systems, Otis Elevator Company, Sikorsky, General Dynamics, Electric Boat, Parker Hannifin, and the Kaman Corporation.

ROLE OF THE VPSA

As the chief student affairs officer, the VPSA is a key partner in student decision-making, providing leadership in all student affairs matters and working collaboratively with the directors, faculty, staff, and administration to further the University’s mission and strategic plan. The VPSA reports directly to the President, serves on the Executive Committee, and works collaboratively with other members of the President’s leadership team. There must be close and collegial relations between the VPSA and the Provost, given the many ways in which they must partner to achieve the best educational outcome for our students.

The VPSA will be responsible for providing leadership and administrative oversight of all student affairs programs and services that promote and advance the University’s mission and strategic plan. The VPSA supervises the following departments: Student Wellness Services (Health, Counseling, and Wellness Education), Residence Life, Student Activities and Leadership Development, Recreation, Student Center, Student Rights & Responsibilities, Student Disability Services, and Veterans Affairs.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate must meet all the required qualifications, which include :
  • Master’s degree from an accredited institution
  • Seven or more years combined administrative and academic experience in higher education
  • Exceptional record of leadership experience in student affairs employing a student-centered philosophy
  • Experience developing, sustaining, promoting, and evaluating student development programs, including knowledge of current strategies in student affairs
  • Demonstrated contributions and role in improving student retention and graduation rates
  • Experience with planning, budgeting, and fiscal management in a complex organization
  • Experience working collaboratively with a student government organization and other student organizations
  • Experience in employee recruitment and retention, promotion decisions, and the ability to recruit and retain a diverse staff
  • Capacity to effectively communicate with a variety of constituency groups, both internal and external to CCSU
  • Commitment to shared governance and ability to build consensus, develop new approaches to problem solving, and adapt to an ever-changing environment
  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
In addition to the required qualifications, the ideal candidate will also have :
  • Advanced degree
  • Management experience
  • Demonstrated experience establishing partnerships with academic affairs
  • Demonstrated experience in successful community engagement
  • Demonstrated success in meeting the holistic needs of college students
  • Experience working in a unionized, public institution of higher education
APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS

For full consideration, applications must be received by February 18, 2022 .

To begin the application process, click on the Apply button and electronically submit the following documents:
  • Letter of interest addressing qualifications for the position
  • Current curriculum vitae
  • Names and contact information of a minimum of three professional references; references will not be contacted without prior knowledge
Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Emailed and mailed applications will not be accepted. Please redact any personally identifiable information (i.e., Social Security number, date of birth, marital status, country of origin) from any documents submitted. Please ensure your Social Security Number is not listed on any documents submitted.

For more information, contact Dr. Kimberly Kostelis, Search Committee Chair, at 860-832-2228 or Kimberly.Kostelis@ccsu.edu

The Vice President of Student Affairs is compensated at the Executive 3 salary level in accordance with the CSCU Human Resources Policies for Management and Confidential Professional Personnel,

https://www.ct.edu/files/policies/4.8%20HR%20Policies%20for%20Mgmt%20Conf%20Employe es.pdf

The State of Connecticut and CCSU are proud to offer its employees competitive wages and a wide range of fringe benefits including voluntary and supplemental benefits.

Fringe benefits include personal, vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, medical, dental, and prescription plans, group life insurance, a choice of retirement plans, retirement health care, tuition waiver for employee and eligible dependents at any of the Connecticut State Universities (CCSU, Eastern, Southern or Western), as well as an array of voluntary and supplemental benefits, such as Deferred Retirement Compensation plans, Dependent Care Assistance and Medical Flexible spending accounts, long term and short term disability plans. For more detailed information, please visit CCSU Human Resources .

Central is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. The University seeks to enhance the diversity of its faculty and staff. People of color, women and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Company

Central Connecticut State University

Central Connecticut State University (Central) is the largest university in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. Founded in 1849, Central is also the state’s oldest publicly funded university. The University welcomed its 13th president, Dr. Zulma R. Toro, in January of 2017. She is the university’s first female president and its first Hispanic chief executive. 

The university comprises five academic schools — the School of Business, the School of Engineering, Science, & Technology, the School of Graduate Studies, and the School of Education & Professional Studies, and the Carol A. Ammon College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. As a comprehensive public university, we offer quality degree programs at the baccalaureate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Explore each school in depth here. 

Central is a proud Community Engagement University designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Central offers a welcoming and attractive campus that is minutes from the state capital and few hours from Boston and New York City.

Central Connecticut State University is a community of learners dedicated to teaching, research, and outreach. We prepare students to be thoughtful, responsible, and successful citizens.

Central Connecticut State University

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