Saginaw Valley State University
Executive Director of Student Success
Saginaw Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, 49503
Executive Director Of Student Success
The Director of Student Success leads and manages various programs aimed at fostering student achievement and reports directly to the Provost's Office. This role involves designing targeted initiatives in collaboration with many offices on campus to enhance student retention, create a supportive, student-centered environment, and support strategic initiatives related to becoming a fully student-ready university. The director serves as a liaison between student success services and academic leadership to ensure alignment of support services with Saginaw Valley State University's six dimensions of student success while addressing students' academic needs. The six dimensions of student success include academic progress/graduation, engagement and belonging, career preparation, student satisfaction/wellbeing, academic optimism, self-efficacy, personal goal attainment, and cross-cultural competency. The position is funded by a grant from Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential through February 29, 2028, with the possibility of renewal. Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
Develop, implement, and manage a comprehensive student success program to assist incoming students in transitioning successfully from high school to college. Map existing initiatives and assess the university plan for barriers to student success. Facilitate communication with students, faculty, and staff regarding student support on campus. Provide strategic leadership for campus-wide student academic success and retention strategies in collaboration with other campus leaders. Provide leadership and administrative support to various student success initiatives. Oversight includes but is not limited to: TRIO, Rural Pathways, College Transitions 100, GEAR UP, and Thompson Scholars. Develop programming that allows for the implementation of SVSU's six dimensions of student success. Actively recruit students for participation in Student Success initiatives and monitor their academic journey. Partnering with campus constituents to secure data that will allow for the tracking of student progress, the identification of at-risk students, and the production of timely interventions. Foster connections between faculty and students that will enhance engagement and belonging. Share ideas with the SVSU Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning as they develop programs for faculty success in the classroom. Complete an Academic Program Report and assist academic support programs with developing and implementing their own assessment plans as part of the annual university assessment process. Use the findings and other available data sets to improve services and develop plans to increase student retention and graduation rates. Recommend innovative strategies that support student retention and persistence. Provide training for staff and monitor the rollout of policy changes. Collaborate with partners to create structured policies and programs to resolve gaps in services. Foster a culture of assessment and continuous improvement for student success. Perform other duties as assigned. General supervision is received from the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. Supervision Exercised:
Functional supervision is exercised over the student success initiative staff (TRIO, Rural Pathways, College Transitions 100, GEAR UP, and Thompson Scholars) and staff in the Office of Student Success. Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree. Three (3) years of experience in higher education, student success program, or a related field. Experience as an academic advisor or academic student support. Experience working in programs to enhance students' academic skills. Experience in assessment, evaluation, and program planning to enhance student success program effectiveness and student outcomes. Demonstrated understanding and application of student-centered approaches to student success. Demonstrated proficiency in managing an operational budget. Ability to plan effectively and work under multiple deadlines in a professional, friendly manner. Ability to effectively work and communicate with diverse student populations, faculty, and staff as well as external organization personnel. Demonstrate strong interpersonal, organizational, and management skills to promote a sense of community amongst students. Exemplary oral and written communication skills. Knowledge of existing literature in academic student support. Knowledge of best practices related to FERPA, ADA, and other applicable regulations. Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodation. Strong leadership skills in conflict resolution, team building, and advocacy. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and ability to learn new software quickly. Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodations. Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree preferred. Five (5) years of experience in higher education, student success program, or related experience. Education in pedagogical best practices. Duties are generally performed inside and not exposed to adverse conditions. Saginaw Valley State University is a comprehensive university with more than 100 programs of study for its roughly 7,000 students. Located on a suburban campus in Michigan's Great Lakes Bay Region, SVSU is committed to a supportive and empowering environment for students, faculty, and staff. For eight consecutive years, SVSU has been recognized as a "Great College to Work For" (2016-2023). SVSU emphasizes undergraduate teaching and learning, and community-based research. SVSU earned the Community Engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a distinction achieved by only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities. By their senior year, 84 percent of students have engaged with community employers and agencies in internships, field placements, or some other component of their academic preparation. SVSU is establishing itself as a leader in STEAM education for the Great Lakes Bay Region, partnering with businesses, foundations, and school districts to improve students' performance in math, science, and the arts at the middle school, high school, and university levels. More than 70 percent of SVSU freshmen live on campus in student housing that has been rated No. 1 among public universities in the U.S. (2018-2023). SVSU fields 19 varsity sports at the NCAA Division II level. The average class size is 23 students.
The Director of Student Success leads and manages various programs aimed at fostering student achievement and reports directly to the Provost's Office. This role involves designing targeted initiatives in collaboration with many offices on campus to enhance student retention, create a supportive, student-centered environment, and support strategic initiatives related to becoming a fully student-ready university. The director serves as a liaison between student success services and academic leadership to ensure alignment of support services with Saginaw Valley State University's six dimensions of student success while addressing students' academic needs. The six dimensions of student success include academic progress/graduation, engagement and belonging, career preparation, student satisfaction/wellbeing, academic optimism, self-efficacy, personal goal attainment, and cross-cultural competency. The position is funded by a grant from Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential through February 29, 2028, with the possibility of renewal. Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
Develop, implement, and manage a comprehensive student success program to assist incoming students in transitioning successfully from high school to college. Map existing initiatives and assess the university plan for barriers to student success. Facilitate communication with students, faculty, and staff regarding student support on campus. Provide strategic leadership for campus-wide student academic success and retention strategies in collaboration with other campus leaders. Provide leadership and administrative support to various student success initiatives. Oversight includes but is not limited to: TRIO, Rural Pathways, College Transitions 100, GEAR UP, and Thompson Scholars. Develop programming that allows for the implementation of SVSU's six dimensions of student success. Actively recruit students for participation in Student Success initiatives and monitor their academic journey. Partnering with campus constituents to secure data that will allow for the tracking of student progress, the identification of at-risk students, and the production of timely interventions. Foster connections between faculty and students that will enhance engagement and belonging. Share ideas with the SVSU Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning as they develop programs for faculty success in the classroom. Complete an Academic Program Report and assist academic support programs with developing and implementing their own assessment plans as part of the annual university assessment process. Use the findings and other available data sets to improve services and develop plans to increase student retention and graduation rates. Recommend innovative strategies that support student retention and persistence. Provide training for staff and monitor the rollout of policy changes. Collaborate with partners to create structured policies and programs to resolve gaps in services. Foster a culture of assessment and continuous improvement for student success. Perform other duties as assigned. General supervision is received from the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. Supervision Exercised:
Functional supervision is exercised over the student success initiative staff (TRIO, Rural Pathways, College Transitions 100, GEAR UP, and Thompson Scholars) and staff in the Office of Student Success. Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree. Three (3) years of experience in higher education, student success program, or a related field. Experience as an academic advisor or academic student support. Experience working in programs to enhance students' academic skills. Experience in assessment, evaluation, and program planning to enhance student success program effectiveness and student outcomes. Demonstrated understanding and application of student-centered approaches to student success. Demonstrated proficiency in managing an operational budget. Ability to plan effectively and work under multiple deadlines in a professional, friendly manner. Ability to effectively work and communicate with diverse student populations, faculty, and staff as well as external organization personnel. Demonstrate strong interpersonal, organizational, and management skills to promote a sense of community amongst students. Exemplary oral and written communication skills. Knowledge of existing literature in academic student support. Knowledge of best practices related to FERPA, ADA, and other applicable regulations. Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodation. Strong leadership skills in conflict resolution, team building, and advocacy. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and ability to learn new software quickly. Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodations. Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree preferred. Five (5) years of experience in higher education, student success program, or related experience. Education in pedagogical best practices. Duties are generally performed inside and not exposed to adverse conditions. Saginaw Valley State University is a comprehensive university with more than 100 programs of study for its roughly 7,000 students. Located on a suburban campus in Michigan's Great Lakes Bay Region, SVSU is committed to a supportive and empowering environment for students, faculty, and staff. For eight consecutive years, SVSU has been recognized as a "Great College to Work For" (2016-2023). SVSU emphasizes undergraduate teaching and learning, and community-based research. SVSU earned the Community Engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a distinction achieved by only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities. By their senior year, 84 percent of students have engaged with community employers and agencies in internships, field placements, or some other component of their academic preparation. SVSU is establishing itself as a leader in STEAM education for the Great Lakes Bay Region, partnering with businesses, foundations, and school districts to improve students' performance in math, science, and the arts at the middle school, high school, and university levels. More than 70 percent of SVSU freshmen live on campus in student housing that has been rated No. 1 among public universities in the U.S. (2018-2023). SVSU fields 19 varsity sports at the NCAA Division II level. The average class size is 23 students.