Opportunity

Northeastern Illinois University
Vice President for Student Life
Chicago, Illinois

Vice President for Student Life
Northeastern Illinois University

Northeastern Illinois University, a public state university located in Chicago, Illinois, invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for the position of Vice President for Student Life. Founded in 1867, NEIU has a rich tradition of educational innovation and prides itself in preparing teachers and administrators who make a difference in Chicago. That tradition continues to this day and has expanded to include all of the University’s academic disciplines, allowing the University to fully embrace the community in which it resides. NEIU is regarded as the most diverse university in the Midwest and is designated by the United States Department of Education as an Hispanic Serving Institution. Diversity is an important factor in the character of the institution and in the social fabric of the student body. NEIU has an enrollment of over 12,000 commuter students and ALANA students represent 60% of the student body. Located on 67 acres in an attractive residential area on the northwest side of Chicago, the university offers more than seventy undergraduate and graduate programs in the arts, sciences, education, and business.

Northeastern recently developed a strategic plan that focuses on efforts to increase the level of student success. The first goal outlined in the plan is to “Ensure student success from recruitment through graduation by creating a culture in which all members of the University community are engaged in attracting, educating and graduating students who achieve the objectives for baccalaureate and graduate degrees.” Among the actions called for in the plan are: “Improve coordination among student and academic support programs and services with a focus on quality, customer service, and intentional integration with the curriculum;” and “Strive to make NEIU, as a designated Hispanic Serving Institution.” The new Vice President has an important and exciting opportunity to create a vision that maximizes the potential of Student Life to develop strong partnerships with academic affairs and the surrounding community in support of co-curricular programs and activities that focus on student success.

Reporting to the President, the Vice President for Student Life will have responsibility for Student Activities, Health Services, Counseling Services, Adult and Women Student Programs, Campus Recreation, Placement Office, and the Office of the Dean of Students. With eight full-time staff reporting to the Vice President, the incumbent will additionally be responsible for an overall division budget of approximately $3.2M. The Vice President also coordinates communication between campus constituencies and departments, and works cooperatively with the university’s senior leadership team to ensure successful achievement of institutional and divisional goals.
The successful candidate will be a high-energy professional who is an exceptional communicator, team builder and collaborator. The Vice President must be a student-centered professional who demonstrates: a high level of knowledge about the issues that confront an urban university; an up-to-date understanding of and the ability to clearly communicate the importance and effectiveness of student development theory; and a record of success in enhancing the quality of student learning and development outcomes. Additional qualifications include: the ability to develop and maintain productive community and campus partnerships; the proven ability to work collaboratively with a wide array of constituencies; and strong strategic planning skills.
The successful candidate will hold an earned doctorate and have specific, progressively responsible experience in meeting the developmental needs of diverse student groups. He or she should possess a minimum of seven to ten years of increasing responsibility and leadership experience in student affairs at comparable institutions. The successful candidate will also be a person who is pro-active in responding to student concerns, and an experienced and effective educator who is familiar with and effective in applying best practices in the areas of student affairs represented at NEIU.

Interested individuals should send a letter describing their interest in and qualifications for the position, a curriculum vitae, and contact information including mailing and email addresses for five references. The packet should be sent electronically (Microsoft Word attachments preferred) toVPStudentLife@wspelman.com. The subject line in email should be VPSLNEIU. Confidential inquiries will be received at 585.787.9742.

Documents that must be mailed should be sent to William Spelman Executive Search at 667 Midship Circle, Webster, NY 14580. Confidentiality will be maintained, and references will not be contacted without prior knowledge or approval of the candidate. Review of applications will begin on March 31, 2010 and continue until the position is filled.

Northeastern Illinois University is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer.

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