Department: SA Admissions & Outreach Salary: Commensurate with experience
Description:
The Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine at the University of Houston invites applications for a non-tenure track, Open Rank - Clinical Faculty - Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
Reporting to the Vice Dean for Education, The Associate Dean for Student Affairs provides strategic leadership and oversight for all aspects of the medical student experience, supporting student success across the continuum of medical education. This role leads the Office of Student Affairs and is responsible for student-centered programs and services, including academic advising, career advising, student wellness, registrar services, financial aid, and learning communities.
Working collaboratively with institutional leadership, faculty, and students, the Associate Dean fosters a supportive and effective learning environment; ensures compliance with LCME accreditation standards; and leads continuous quality improvement efforts related to student affairs and the learning environment.
Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership and Administration
• Provide vision, leadership, and operational oversight for the Office of Student Affairs.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive student affairs strategy aligned with institutional mission, values, and accreditation requirements.
• Supervise student affairs leadership and staff across advising, wellness, registrar, financial aid, and learning communities.
• Collaborate with academic leadership, student affairs colleagues, and institutional partners to support student success and program effectiveness.
2. Academic Advising and Academic Support
• Lead and continuously improve a comprehensive academic advising program that supports student success across all phases of the curriculum.
• Ensure timely identification and support of students experiencing academic challenges through appropriate advising, academic support, and intervention strategies.
3. Academic Progress Monitoring and Advancement
• Monitor student academic progress, promotion, and advancement in accordance with institutional policies and academic standards.
• Oversee processes related to academic performance review, remediation, promotion, leave of absence, and dismissal, ensuring consistency, fairness, and compliance with institutional requirements.
4. Career Advising and Professional Development
• Direct a comprehensive career advising program, including specialty selection and preparation.
• Ensure alignment with national best practices in undergraduate medical education and the residency application process.
• Foster partnerships with clinical partners, residency programs, and professional organizations to develop and expand student opportunities.
• Develop and support programming related to professional identity formation and career readiness.
5. Student Wellness
• Lead development and implementation of a comprehensive student wellness strategy.
• Ensure access to confidential, high-quality physical and mental health resources in accordance with accreditation standards.
• Promote a culture that supports resilience, well-being, and work-life integration.
• Collaborate with institutional partners to address barriers to student success and well-being.
6. Registrar and Academic Records
• Oversee medical student registrar functions, including enrollment, registration, scheduling, and academic records.
• Ensure accuracy, integrity, and confidentiality of student records.
• Maintain compliance with institutional, state, and federal regulations.
• Advance the use of technology to enhance efficiency and student service.
7. Financial Aid Administration
• Provide oversight of medical student financial aid programs.
• Supervise financial aid advising, including debt management and financial literacy initiatives.
• Ensure compliant and effective administration of scholarships, grants, and loan programs.
• Collaborate with the university financial aid office and external stakeholders.
8. Learning Communities and Student Engagement
• Provide strategic direction and oversight of the learning communities program.
• Recruit, develop, and support faculty who serve as learning community professors.
• Promote longitudinal relationships that support advising, mentoring, and student belonging.
• Enhance student engagement, professionalism, and community-building initiatives.
9. Learning Environment and Student Experience:
• Lead efforts to assess, monitor, and improve the medical student learning environment.
• Ensure systems are in place for safe, confidential reporting of concerns, including mistreatment.
• Oversee timely, fair, and transparent processes for investigation and resolution of student concerns.
• Promote a culture of respect, professionalism, and accountability.
10. Accreditation, Compliance, and Continuous Quality Improvement:
• Ensure compliance with all relevant Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) standards related to student affairs (e.g., Elements 11 and 12).
• Lead preparation for accreditation and continuous quality improvement activities, including data collection, self-study, and site visits.
• Utilize data and outcomes to drive continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Partner with institutional leaders to address identified gaps and sustain compliance.
Qualifications:
• Doctoral degree in Medicine or related field required; MD or DO preferred.
• Previous experience in academic administration, preferably in student affairs within a medical school setting.
• Strong leadership and managerial skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate.
• Demonstrated commitment to student-centered education and success.
• Excellence in leadership, communication, and collaboration.
• Ability to manage complex systems and lead organizational change.
• Strong understanding of medical education accreditation regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders.
Required Attachments by Candidate:
• CV
• Contact information of three references through the University of Houston's Human Resources job portal or Letters of recommendation.
Applicants must have a PhD, MD or DO, dependent on the position, from an accredited institution. Official transcripts are required for faculty appointment and will be requested upon selection of the final candidate(s). Physician applicants must possess an unrestricted Texas Medical License and board certification in their specialty. While exceptions may be considered, approval must be obtained from the Vice Dean of Education and/or the Dean of the College of Medicine and the Office of the Provost. All positions within the University of Houston System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check. Physician applicants are required to provide documentation of current licensure and board certification as part of their application materials.
