Vice President for Student Affairs & Inclusive Excellence
University of Portland
Portland, OR - United States
University of Portland (UP), a thriving and diverse community of more than 3,300 undergraduate students and approximately 400 graduate students from around the nation and the world, is seeking a dynamic, visionary, strategic, and mission-driven leader to be the inaugural Vice President for Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence (VPSAIE) and to join a leadership team that is reimagining the University for a new age of Hope, Renewal, and Transformation. This premier Catholic and Holy Cross University is located on a bluff in a residential neighborhood overlooking the Willamette River and the city of Portland. The University’s scenic location is the inspiration for its nickname, “The Bluff.” The beautiful campus is situated near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, home to some of the most skilled mariners in the world. UP’s athletic teams are known as the “Pilots,” as an homage to the expert riverboat pilots who guide ships around Portland’s waterways and into the Pacific Ocean.
Since shortly after its inception in 1901, UP has been guided by the Congregation of the Holy Cross, a Catholic order of priests and brothers. The founder of the order, Blessed Basil Moreau, CSC, said, “The mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart.” This commitment to educating the hands, heart, and mind are hallmarks of the University’s belief in educating the whole person.
UP is Oregon’s only comprehensive, liberal arts-grounded university with schools of business, education, engineering, and nursing; a College of Arts & Sciences; and a graduate school. It is also the state’s only Catholic university and largest private undergraduate institution. It offers more than 40 undergraduate programs and 30 minors, as well as 18 graduate programs and more than 1,300 courses. The University features small class settings (11:1 student-faculty ratio) and an award-winning faculty committed to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. The University is proud to boast the highest six-year graduation rate among all institutions of higher education in Oregon – public and private. UP also achieves high marks across key outcomes, including positive post-graduation career outcomes and median income after graduation.
In accord with its Holy Cross identity, UP places a strong emphasis on the undergraduate campus and residential experience. The University is a proud member of the West Coast Conference (WCC) and its varsity athletics programs compete at the NCAA Division I level. Over 40,000 University alumni reside in the Portland metropolitan area, along the West Coast, throughout the country, and around the world.
Since July 2022, the University has been led by President Robert D. Kelly, Ph.D. President Kelly is the first layperson and first person of color to lead UP. His tenure on The Bluff has featured the launch of the visionary Strategic Plan 2022-2027: Hope, Renewal, Transformation, the dedication of the state-of-the-art Shiley-Marcos Center for Design & Innovation, the formation of an exceptional leadership team, the unveiling of several new academic programs, a renewed commitment to UP’s Catholic, Holy Cross identity, and strengthened relationships locally, nationally, and globally.
As the University is now poised to reach even greater heights in service of its mission and its students, they are eager to welcome an inaugural Vice President for Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence. As a Holy Cross institution committed to holistic student success and well-being, UP’s Student Affairs Division plays a critical role in mission fulfillment. Further, as a Catholic institution that uplifts the dignity and value of all God’s creation, UP views cultivation of a diverse, inclusive campus environment as a core strategic imperative. Thus, the search process upon which the University now embarks is of singular importance.
The VPSAIE will report directly to President Kelly and serve as a member of his President’s Leadership Cabinet. Additionally, the VPSAIE will staff the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Regents and will be among the most visible leaders on campus. The division’s $15M portfolio of over 70 full-time staff will encompass Campus Safety & Emergency Management; Campus Ministry; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Moreau Center for Service & Justice; Student Activities; Residence Life; Student Wellness; Student Conduct; and the Student Health and Counseling Center.
In its inaugural VPSAIE, UP seeks a deeply experienced leader in student affairs and DEIJ. The VPSAIE must possess a proven track record of effective, innovative, inclusive, transformational leadership in student affairs, preferably at a Catholic or faith-based institution. The VPSAIE must understand, appreciate, and embrace the institution’s Holy Cross mission and identity. The VPSAIE must be capable of continuing and strengthening UP’s culture of compassion, care, accompaniment, and formation. The VPSAIE must be effective at building and leading teams, collaborating with other senior leaders and individuals throughout the organizational chart, and thinking “institutionally” rather than “individually.” The successful candidate will have a Master’s degree, with an earned doctorate or terminal graduate degree being preferred.
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as two separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile. WittKieffer is assisting the University of Portland in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by September 23, 2024.
Application materials, nominations, and inquiries can be directed to Jen Meyers Pickard, Ph.D. and Meredith Davis, Ph.D. at [email protected].