Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students

Reports to: Dr. Patty Perillo, Vice President for Student Affairs Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students The Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students (AVP/DOS) is UMD’s foremost student advocate, leading the mission to serve as an advocate for students and their support networks in personal, academic, and community crises. This AVP/DOS provides oversight of and participates in the university’s student CARE team and chairs the Behavioral Evaluation and Threat Assessment (BETA) team. The AVP/DOS will build constructive and collaborative relationships with academic and student affairs colleagues and the departments they oversee to effectively and caringly respond to student behavior and culture. They will lead a progressive educational program that equips colleagues across campus to respond to ever-changing student needs. This position reports to the Vice President for Student Affairs and serves as a member of the Vice President for Student Affairs Council and the Student Affairs Leadership Team. The AVP/DOS supervises the Assistant Dean of Students, Assistant Dean/Director of Family Engagement, Assistant Dean/Director of Student Conduct and the Assistant Dean/Director of the Thrive Center for Essential Needs. Responsibilities Student Advocacy (30%) Provides leadership for a comprehensive dean of students (DOS) model that supports students experiencing significant academic, personal, financial, health, behavioral, or other challenges. Oversees the DOS teams’ daily advocacy/case management functions, including but not limited to: student emergencies; faculty/staff/administrative consults; parent and community inquiries. Ensures students experiencing significant difficulties are connected with appropriate University and community resources via supervision of the Assistant Dean of Students and Dean of Students team. Advocates for students while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and considering institutional policy, legal requirements, and the interests of the broader university community. Develops and strengthens coordinated approaches to complex student cases that cross departmental and divisional boundaries. Participates on the student CARE team. Leads efforts to enhance and sustain a campus climate that supports students’ success, stimulates personal growth and leadership, and engages students in a dynamic, integrated learning experience that extends beyond the classroom. Develops educational opportunities for campus partners to better understand how to respond to students in crisis. Fosters students’ personal and intellectual growth through active engagement in a culturally diverse learning community. Serves as the executive lead for the family assistance center. Leadership and Supervision (30%) Serves as a member of the Vice President for Student Affairs Council and Student Affairs Leadership Team. Supervises the Assistant Dean and Director of Family Engagement. Supervises Assistant Dean and Director of Student Conduct. Supervises Assistant Dean and Director of the Thrive Center for Essential Needs. Supervises Assistant Dean of Students, who leads the Dean of Students Office. Works to develop strategic and important partnerships with parents and families and integrates this work across the division and campus. Works with the office of belonging and community, resident life, fraternity and sorority life and other offices on bias-related incident resolution. Serves as a member of the conflict resolvers network. Serves as a member of task forces or committees formed to address issues of divisional or university concern. Crisis Response, Safety, and Behavioral Risk (15%) Provides senior leadership during significant student emergencies and University crises. Leads and participates in institutional responses to behavioral concerns, threats, acts of violence, deaths, mental health crises, and other situations involving potential risk to students or the University community. Chairs and provides leadership and oversight for the Behavioral Evaluation and Threat Assessment (BETA) team. Leads the student and campus death response team. Collaborates closely with university police, counseling and mental health services, general counsel, academic leadership, residence life, student conduct, and other partners to assess and manage complex situations. Develop and Assess DOS Impact (15%) Manages human and fiscal resources and is responsible for the departments’ budgets. Facilitates strategic planning and program development within the Dean of Students Office. Assesses and evaluates the impact of departmental programs and services on student learning and success. Reviews, revises, develops, and implements policies related to student needs and interests, and communicates effectively with internal and external. Collaboration and Relationship Management (10%) Builds strong, productive relationships with academic deans, faculty, senior administrators, university police, general counsel, health and counseling professionals, student leaders, and other campus partners. Serves as a bridge between students and institutional leadership when complex issues require coordinated resolution. Establishes trust with diverse constituencies while maintaining appropriate neutrality, confidentiality, and professional judgment. Represents the university professionally with parents, families, alumni, community partners, and other external stakeholders as appropriate. Required Qualifications Master’s degree from an accredited college or university. Fifteen years of significant progressively responsible experience in higher education, student affairs, or a related field. Demonstrated experience leading complex student issues and/or institutional initiatives. Demonstrated supervisory and organizational leadership experience. Experience managing crisis situations, complex student concerns, or behavioral risk. Significant experience with behavioral threat assessment and management. Significant understanding of student conduct administration. Strong understanding of the higher education environment and the legal, ethical, and policy considerations affecting student affairs. Exceptional written, verbal, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality in highly sensitive situations. Identifies patterns and systemic issues rather than focusing solely on individual cases. Understands institutional culture, governance, competing interests, and the broader implications of decisions. Handles confidential and sensitive information with the highest level of professionalism. Preferred Qualifications Doctoral degree from an accredited college or university Experience developing university-wide policies and procedures. Experience leading cross-divisional initiatives and institutional change. Experience managing budgets and complex organizational structures. Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws and regulations affecting higher education and student affairs. In addition to the qualifications stated above, key stakeholders seek a successful candidate who will: Combine deep compassion for students with the ability to build sustainable systems. Bring significant experience in crisis management and crisis communications, remaining calm, focused, and adaptable during complex or rapidly evolving situations. Use meaningful data to identify trends, assess needs, inform decisions, and advocate for resources. Be a collaborative campus citizen who is passionate about supporting students throughout their academic and personal journeys. Bring gravitas to the role and be willing to support and defend difficult or potentially controversial decisions. Earn the trust and respect of students, colleagues, and senior leadership while advocating confidently for students and the DOS team. History of the Position Dr. Andrea Goodwin was appointed as the inaugural Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students in 2021. She had previously served in the Office of Student Conduct, most recently as the Director. Goodwin is retiring in 2027 after 32 years of service to the university. Spelman Johnson is partnering with the university to secure Goodwin’s successor. Opportunities and Challenges of the Role The next AVP/DOS will have an important opportunity to guide the continued development of a relatively new office. The inaugural dean has established a strong reputation for the office and demonstrated its value across the university. The next leader can build on that foundation, while creating greater clarity around the office’s mission, responsibilities, and boundaries. A central opportunity will be to develop systems and processes that are sustainable regardless of who holds the position. This process includes articulating a clear vision for the office, determining which responsibilities appropriately belong within the Dean of Students portfolio, and empowering academic units and other campus partners to address student concerns within their own areas when appropriate. Additional opportunities and challenges of the role include: Approach and lead the concept of student care from new, innovative, and critical angles, constantly deepening and refining the vision around strategies and initiatives that will create educational intersections and conditions for students to thrive. Maintain the office’s strong ethic of care while creating boundaries, delegating effectively, and avoiding mission creep. Manage increasingly complex student needs and growing caseloads in an environment where staffing and other resources are unlikely to grow at the same pace. Balance direct engagement with students and families with the role’s strategic and organizational leadership responsibilities. Lead cross-campus teams and initiatives through collaboration and consensus, often without direct authority over participants. Preserve strong partnerships with university police, particularly through the BETA team and coordinated responses to mental health concerns. Respond to a growing need to support faculty and collaborate with the Office of Faculty Affairs. Encourage frank conversations with staff, students, and faculty about the university’s strengths and needs in student care, crisis support, and efforts to model a culture of measurable improvement. Serve as a fierce advocate and ally in support of creating a sense of belonging for all students, but especially cognizant and centered on the impacts historically white institutions have on the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of marginalized student populations, as well as their families. Measures of Success The items listed below will define the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students’ success throughout the first year of employment: The AVP/DOS will establish and communicate a clear vision, mission, and scope for the office. The AVP/DOS will preserve the office’s strong reputation and ethic of care while establishing appropriate boundaries around its work. The AVP/DOS will create a sustainable model for managing cases, including effective delegation and reduced dependence on the AVP/DOS for routine case management. The AVP/DOS will strengthen the capacity of academic units and campus partners to respond appropriately to student concerns. The AVP/DOS will develop trusted relationships with students, families, faculty, academic leaders, university police, senior leadership, and other key campus partners. The AVP/DOS will maintain effective leadership of the CARE and Behavioral Evaluation and Threat Assessment (BETA) teams. The AVP/DOS will utilize data to demonstrate the office’s impact, identify emerging needs, and guide decisions about services and resources. The AVP/DOS will respond to crises with sound judgment, calm leadership, and effective communication. Overview of the Division Of Student Affairs The Division of Student Affairs (DSA) plays a central role in advancing the university’s educational mission and supporting the success and well-being of its students. With a broad portfolio encompassing 17 departments and more than 2,600 staff members, including student employees, the division touches virtually every aspect of the student experience beyond the classroom. Its departments include: Accessibility & Disability Service, Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Conferences & Visitor Services, Counseling Center, Dean of Students, Development & External Relations, Dining Services, Family Engagement, Fraternity & Sorority Life, Resident Life, Residential Facilities, Student Conduct, Student Experience & Culture, Thrive Center for Essential Needs, University Career Center, University Health Center, and University Recreation & Wellness. DSA is guided by the vision "Every Student Thrives" and is focused on creating an environment in which students can learn, grow, connect, and flourish. The division’s strategic priorities emphasize student thriving and holistic well-being, co-curricular learning, belonging and community, essential needs, employee development, organizational excellence, and collaboration across the university. This breadth and scale position student affairs as a critical partner in UMD’s overall student success strategy and create an opportunity for senior leadership to shape an increasingly integrated and student-centered experience. The division’s work is grounded in six core values: Community - Building relationships grounded in care, empathy, dignity, and respect. Equity & Social Justice - Supporting the success and thriving of every member of the university community. Learning & Growth - Embracing lifelong learning and continuous development for students and staff. Inclusive Excellence - Integrating inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism into the pursuit of educational excellence. Innovation - Challenging the status quo and embracing creativity, calculated risk-taking, and continuous improvement. Integrity - Acting with honesty, transparency, compassion, accountability, and respect. The Dean of Students supports Terps who are having trouble meeting their financial obligations, need to address food insecurity issues, and/or are seeking assistance in navigating a complex university life. They connect students to other UMD offices that offer specific resources and support. Vision The Dean of Students Office envisions a community of care and belonging that helps our students thrive inside and outside the classroom. Mission We contribute to the University of Maryland student experience by providing care, advocacy, and education through student-centered resources, services, and partnerships that support academic success and personal wellness. Values Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion We embrace our community’s diverse identities, experiences, and values. We are committed to creating an environment in which students, faculty, staff, and families from different backgrounds and perspectives are respected and served equitably. We strive to create a sense of belonging, advocate for systematically excluded communities, address inequities in power and privilege, and reduce barriers that may exist across identities and experiences at the university. Care We engage students, faculty, staff, and families with care, consideration, and kindness. As part of this culture of care, we communicate clearly, consistently, and compassionately during critical incidents. We lead with empathy while balancing our students’ rights with their responsibilities. We incorporate a trauma-informed, strength-based approach to support students through academic and personal challenges. We seek to understand the multitude of experiences and circumstances that affect students and their success. Learning Guided by a learner-centered and learner-driven philosophy, we are committed to the holistic growth and development of students. We engage and support students in utilizing campus resources, navigating the university, and achieving their educational goals. As we engage students in this learning process, we prioritize self- efficacy, self- #J-18808-Ljbffr The Spelman & Johnson Group