Chief Student Affairs Officer and Dean of Students in the University

Department
Office of the President: Leadership

Job Information

Job Summary:

The Chief Student Affairs Officer and Dean of Students of the University serves as the University of Chicago's senior student affairs leader, responsible for advancing a positive comprehensive strategy for student life and the student experience across undergraduate, graduate, and professional education. Reporting to the President and the Provost, the Dean of Students helps shape institutional strategy through the lens of the student experience.

As a key member of the University's senior leadership team, the Dean of Students serves as a trusted advisor and collaborative partner across the University, advancing opportunities, addressing complex challenges, and ensuring students remain at the center of decision-making. In a rapidly evolving higher education environment, the Dean of Students will lead efforts to respond to changing student needs, including enrollment growth, the expansion of master's and 4+1 programs, support for international students, and the opportunities and implications of emerging technologies, such as AI.

The Dean of Students serves as a critical partner to colleagues across campus, bringing a nuanced understanding of the relationship between the academic mission and the broader student experience. With attention to school and division-specific cultures, the Dean of Students aims to coalesce the University-wide resources available to students in a way that enhances the offerings of specific schools and divisions. The Dean of Students provides leadership and coordination across the University's network of area Deans of Students and is responsible for the development and implementation of student life policies and practices that reflect the University's values and priorities. Equally important, the Dean of Students serves as a university-wide convener, fostering collaboration across the institution, aligning academic and administrative stakeholders around shared goals, and ensuring that the University remains responsive to the changing needs of its students while preserving its distinctive intellectual culture.

The ideal candidate for this position will combine deep understanding in student affairs with the ability to operate as an enterprise leader within a complex research university. They will bring the strategic judgment, credibility, and relationship-building skills necessary to navigate the institution effectively and build trust across faculty, students, staff, and senior leadership while advancing the University's distinctive commitment to open inquiry, academic excellence, and student development. The successful candidate will also bring strong financial and operational acumen, with the ability to align finite resources with strategy, make thoughtful tradeoffs, and advance institutional priorities with discipline. They will understand the critical role of student affairs in advancing institutional priorities and will be equally comfortable serving as a strategic advisor, champion of a positive vision, collaborative partner, crisis leader, and organizational steward.

The successful candidate will bring a record of senior-level leadership, broad experience across student facing and campus life functions, and a demonstrated ability to advance student success in academically rigorous environments. They will possess the maturity and presence to engage effectively with diverse constituencies; the strategic perspective to help shape the future of the student experience; and the resilience, adaptability, principles, and sound judgment required to lead through ambiguity, complexity, and change.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the University's senior student affairs leader, providing strategic counsel to the President, Provost, and University leadership on matters affecting the student experience, student resilience, well-being, and campus community.
• Shape and advance a comprehensive vision for student life that supports the University's academic mission, institutional priorities, and long-term aspirations.
• Anticipate emerging trends and challenges across higher education, and at the University of Chicago, and develop strategies that position the University to meet the evolving needs and expectations of today's students.
• Lead teams and experiences for students where the University's values and principles must be applied with clarity and consistency.
• Build, develop, and inspire high-performing teams, fostering a culture characterized by accountability, collaboration, innovation, and service.
• Steward financial and organizational resources with discipline and strategic intent, ensuring investments align with institutional priorities and student needs.
• Serve as a visible and trusted ambassador for the University, engaging effectively with students, families, alumni, trustees, faculty, staff, community partners, and external constituencies.
• Lead the University's response to complex student-related issues and crises including in real time, exercising sound judgment and ensuring decisions reflect institutional values, priorities, and responsibilities.
• Oversee the development, communication, and implementation of student life policies and practices that support student success and uphold University principles.
• Provide leadership for and coordination of the University's network of area Deans of Students, strengthening consistency, communication, and collaboration across schools and divisions.
• Steward certain student-facing spaces on campus including serving as a strategic partner in relevant capital planning projects.
• Advocate for a student experience that promotes well-being, belonging, engagement, leadership development, and personal growth while supporting academic excellence.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Competencies:

• Ability to establish a clear and compelling vision for the student experience that reflects the University's distinctive culture, academic mission, and aspirations.
• Skilled in strengthening the Dean of Student's role as a trusted institutional partner and strategic voice on student affairs matters across the University.
• Commitment to increase coordination and collaboration among academic and administrative stakeholders responsible for various dimensions of the student experience.
• Strong ability to position Campus and Student Life as a proactive and influential partner in institutional planning, enrollment growth, and student success efforts.
• Strong financial acumen and disciplined stewardship, with demonstrated ability to manage finite resources, establish priorities, and align investments with institutional strategy.
• Demonstrated ability to advance a holistic approach to supporting undergraduate, graduate, and professional students while maintaining alignment with UChicago's academic values and principles.
• Proactively builds systems for resiliency and skills to ensure the University is well-positioned to respond effectively to student crises, emerging risks, and evolving regulatory and societal expectations.
• Other personal characteristics:
  • Intellectually curious and academically credible.
  • Strategically and operationally balanced.
  • Embodies the values and principles of the University of Chicago.
  • Collaborative, low ego, and relationship-oriented.
  • Politically astute and organizationally savvy.
  • Resilient and steady under pressure.
  • Warm, approachable, and student-centered.
  • Strong listener who values diverse perspectives.
  • Comfortable with ambiguity and complexity.
  • Integrity, humility, and sound judgment.

Additional Responsibilities

Education, Experience, or Certifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution required.
• Advanced degree preferred.

Experience:

• Significant senior leadership experience in student affairs, campus life, university life, or a related field within a complex higher education environment preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading through organizational complexity, ambiguity, and change preferred.
• Experience working closely with senior academic leaders, faculty, and governing bodies preferred.
• Experience managing institution-wide student issues, including crisis response, student conduct, wellness, free expression, compliance, and reputational risk preferred.
• Experience leading diverse teams and complex service and support organizations preferred.
• A record of advancing strategic initiatives that improve the student experience and strengthen institutional outcomes preferred.

Required Documents:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• References (3)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
Senior Administrators

Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5

Drug Test Required
No

Health Screen Required
No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No

Pay Frequency
Monthly

Pay Rate Type
Salary

FLSA Status
Exempt

Pay Range
$400,000.00 - $500,000.00
The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible
Yes
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.