College of the Holy Cross - Associate Vice President and Dean of Students

The College of the Holy Cross, the nation’s only Jesuit liberal arts college with an exclusive commitment to the education of undergraduate students seeks an experienced, committed and visionary student affairs leader to serve as the Associate Vice President and Dean of Students (AVP/Dean). This newly created position at Holy Cross is designed to support the college’s strategy to center residential and undergraduate student formation and engagement to create the conditions for a diverse and talented student body to take full advantage of the rich intellectual, personal and spiritual resources available at Holy Cross.

Dr. Michele Murray, the Senior Vice President for Student Development and Mission assumed her expanded role as the senior officer leading two separate and closely aligned divisions of the college in July of 2022. The AVP/Dean will recognize the opportunities for partnership with colleagues in Mission to build on the work of the talented staff to create a vibrant, student-centered and inclusive student development program. This is an extraordinary opportunity for a creative and visionary student life generalist to lead the following four units toward the overall goal of enhancing a culture of well-being and engagement within the college’s Jesuit values: the Associate Dean of Students including areas of residence life, housing, student integrity and community standards and case management; the Associate Dean for Student Engagement including areas of student involvement, campus recreation, bands and divisional assessment initiatives; the Associate Dean for Student Development/Director of Disability Services including areas of accessibility services, wellness programming, counseling center and health services; and the Director of Parent and Family Programs, including coordination of Commencement and other key initiatives and programs of the division.

In addition, the AVP/Dean will lead professional development efforts for student-facing units – within and outside of student development – and create opportunities for common understanding and experience that place student development and mission at the heart of the student experience at Holy Cross. The Holy Cross strategic plan Aspire is built upon the desire to create a robust student experience that celebrates growth, development, engagement and a commitment to Jesuit ideals, and positions the student development units for a significant role in the plan’s implementation. The AVP/Dean will be a leader in those efforts and will have the stature and experience to join a community ready for new levels of collaboration and engagement in the broadest issues of the College and its students.  

A master’s degree is required and a doctorate is preferred in higher education, student affairs, management, counseling, or a related field. Candidates should have at least ten years of progressively responsible experience working in a campus environment. An understanding of and appreciation for student development in a Jesuit Catholic context and a passion for working with students as a highly visible campus leader is preferred. Candidates must demonstrate multicultural competency and an ability to foster an inclusive environment for students, staff and faculty.

All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile. Application materials should be submitted to WittKieffer’s candidate portal using the buttons below. Nominations and questions can be directed to the consulting team of Shelia Murphy and Jenna Brumleve at HolyCrossAVPDOS@wittkieffer.com. 

It is the policy of the College of Holy Cross to adhere to all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination and discriminatory harassment. The College does not discriminate unlawfully in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment, in its programs and activities on the basis of a person’s race, religion, color, national origin, age, marital or parental status (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), veteran status, sex, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other legally protected status, while reserving its right where permitted by law to take action designed to promote its Jesuit and Catholic mission.