Assistant Vice President for Student Well-Being

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION

Reporting to the vice president for student affairs, the assistant vice president for wellbeing (AVP) provides leadership for staff who support student success through mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. The AVP provides oversight and direction for the center for young adult addiction and recovery, counseling and psychological services, health promotion and wellness, and sports and recreation. The AVP is responsible for the overall vision, direction, leadership, and continued development of a student-centered team and program within the division and the university offering programs and services focused on wellbeing at KSU; and, through centralized communication with campus partners, oversees the coordination and collaborative efforts among the offices within the division of student affairs, auxiliary services, academic colleges, and other campus stakeholders.

Additional responsibilities of the position include:

• Provide leadership in the areas of planning, human resources, policy development, operations, facility, and budgetary aspects for all reporting units;
• Responsible for continuous assessment of assigned areas, resulting in ongoing improvements, appropriate changes, and new interventions or services as warranted;
• Engage in ongoing benchmarking of best practices to ensure strong evidence-based services and programs;
• Develop short- and long-term goals for the areas of direct supervision to successfully implement and achieve divisional goals and objectives;
• Establish expected outcomes for each area’s programs and services, evaluate outcomes and prepare reports as appropriate;
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and/or federal agencies as related to the programs and services within the offices;
• In collaboration with division leadership, provide leadership and coordination in times of crisis and serve on the behavioral response team;
• Leads initiatives supporting division priorities as outlined by the division leadership team.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

A master’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization and at least seven years of progressive leadership experience in higher education are required. A terminal degree and experience in senior leadership in student affairs are preferred. The ideal candidate will possess management experience in staff development, budgeting, research, and customer service; experience and/or ability to support students and staff from a variety of diverse backgrounds and perspectives; and outstanding interpersonal, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving, independent judgment, organization, communication, time management, project management, and presentation skills.

Additional knowledge, skills, and abilities of the ideal candidate for the AVP position include:

• A desire to remain competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as required by the vice president.
• Ability to serve as a member of the student affairs senior leadership team and the division of student affairs council.
• Experience to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the major units.
• Ability to lead and serve on divisional and university committees.
• Ability to multitask and handle high-stress situations.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks or projects at one-time meeting assigned deadlines.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Proficiency with computer applications and programs associated with the position.
• Strong attention to detail and follow-up skills.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF THE ROLE

The AVP must possess a broad and deep understanding of national best practices and innovations concerning counseling, health promotion, recreation, and wellness, as well as technology, finances, and models for success in a large, growing, public university setting. The AVP should be an experienced or aspiring leader who has had success building and advancing a progressive program at another institution or related entity. They should be capable of managing multiple priorities and be equipped to contribute at both a strategic and tactical level to a vibrant and fast-paced division of student affairs at KSU.

The ability to grow, develop, and mentor a large and diverse professional staff while building a strong, dedicated, and cohesive team, will be critical for success. The staff in student wellbeing is large and diverse, with both seasoned and newer staff members, so the AVP must be a strong motivator with high-level supervisory and staff-development skills. The vision of the vice president for student affairs is of a division that works together to promote a holistic and comprehensive plan for the health and well-being of the student body, all the while embracing excellence and service from each of the units that make up the division. Support for the staff is critical, as professional development and involvement at all levels is expected.

Kennesaw State merged with Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) in 2014 creating an educational and economic powerhouse in suburban Atlanta. The former SPSU campus is now the university’s Marietta campus and is home to three colleges: The College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, the College of Architecture and Construction Management, and the College of Computing and Software Engineering. The culture of the campuses is distinct and will require different approaches for wellbeing programs and services.

KSU has a large, diverse student population. The university is deeply committed to cultural and ethnic diversity, support of international students, students with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ students, first-generation students, and other underrepresented populations—and encourages a culture of equity and inclusion. The AVP will be expected to continue to develop programs and services that align with those broader institutional characteristics and values.

The new AVP will need to quickly become familiar with all aspects under their purview and develop a comprehensive list of priorities. They will need to prioritize a great deal of time upon arrival for learning the nuances and goals of the internal units, the campus, and the division of student affairs, discovering the needs of the staff and the individual departments, and beginning the process of reaching out across the university to establish themselves in this position. The AVP will be expected to get out of their office, attend student and university events, listen carefully to needs and expectations and establish themselves as the “face” of the organization

Kennesaw State is a young but maturing institution on the move. The university, as well as the division of student affairs, has innovative and energized leaders so there is a fresh and vibrant environment in which to work. KSU can be nimble and think “outside the box” on many issues with an entrepreneurial spirit, possessing good resources, great talent, and highly engaged students.

The new AVP must commit to a comprehensive culture of collaboration and partnering across campus for maximum effectiveness. KSU is committed to building relationships as a foundation of the campus culture, and strong collaboration is an absolute necessity in all endeavors to ensure success. Student wellbeing touches a large number of individuals, departments, and other entities, so it will be crucial that the new AVP quickly reach out across campus to build strong partnerships that foster ongoing positive relationships and be a “connector” in all instances. These connections are essential to assess real needs, design student-centered programs, and provide high-end customer service at all times.

It will be helpful for the new AVP to understand and/or be well-versed in at least one of the areas of supervision. While deep expertise is not necessary in all four areas, the AVP will need to build their knowledge, with the assistance of an experienced staff, to effectively support and advocate for the departments. A strong understanding of organizational development will greatly assist the AVP in this endeavor, as will effective and transparent communication skills.

Kennesaw State auxiliary services contracts with Wellstar Medical Group for student health services. There is currently a good partnership but the AVP will need to build a strong relationship with the provider.
The recreation and wellness center on the Marietta campus is currently closed for renovation and is scheduled to reopen for the 2023 fall semester. Renovations will upgrade the facility, expand the fitness space, install new equipment, and offer more opportunities to enhance community wellbeing.

MEASURES OF SUCCESS

The AVP will work with the vice president for student affairs to determine specific measures of success and related timetables. Campus stakeholders offer the following general metrics for the position:

• The AVP has established strong working connections with all members of the vice president’s leadership team.
• The AVP has thoroughly and thoughtfully assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the department’s operational and fiscal infrastructure and has developed a set of recommendations to move the department to its next best iteration.
• The AVP has formulated and articulated a clear vision that focuses the work of all functions in their portfolio on student success and advocacy.
• The staff and functions who report to the AVP feel supported and can connect their work to the broader vision of the department and division.
• The AVP has established themselves as a knowledgeable and trusted partner with stakeholders across campus.
• The AVP is visible and engaged and has earned credibility and respect from students.