Associate Dean – Student Success, CHSS Full Time

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Utah Valley University invites applications for an Associate Dean of Student Success. This full-time, student-focused position will provide strategic leadership to advance student success across the college. As a key member of the college leadership team, the Associate Dean will work closely with the Dean, department chairs, faculty, and staff to develop and implement initiatives that support recruitment, retention, academic achievement, and post-graduate outcomes.

The Associate Dean collaborates with departments on curriculum planning and course scheduling to improve access and promote timely degree completion; addresses student concerns with professionalism and care to foster a supportive and inclusive academic environment; contributes to accreditation, assessment, and strategic planning to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and best practices in higher education; analyzes student data to identify trends, evaluate outcomes, and implement evidence-based strategies that promote engagement and completion among diverse student populations; and demonstrates strong organizational and project management skills to ensure completion and success of initiatives.

Candidates Must Have The Following Qualifications

• A terminal degree is required.
• Must have experience as a tenure-track faculty member, demonstrated leadership experience, and success in the areas described in this position.
• Utah Valley University is located in Orem, Utah, and requires candidates to establish residency in Utah upon hire.

Please submit a cover letter that outlines how you meet the job requirements and a curriculum vitae. References will be solicited at a later point in the hiring process.

Summary Of Responsibilities

• Student Success: Provides leadership within the college to advance student success initiatives, including close collaboration with Student Affairs to promote effective use of academic advising and tutoring services. Serves as a resource for student support, student rights, and accountability in compliance with institutional policy. Acts as a point of escalation for employee–student conflicts or disagreements, working in coordination with the Ombuds and Conflict Resolution office. Oversees scholarship award process and supervises instructional assistant coordinator.
• Leadership and Oversight: Develop, implement, and maintain student-related guidelines and procedures, e.g., a college-wide student handbook. Coordinate and ensure compliance with institutional standards, including policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Academic Programs, Curriculum, and Enrollment Management: Provides leadership to ensure that academic programs and curricula align with the mission and strategic objectives of the college and the university. Responsibilities include oversight of graduate programs, collaborative leadership with academic departments and program directors, and active support of all academic initiatives. Works with department leaders on enrollment management, focusing on student needs, removing barriers to timely graduation, improving course availability, and ensuring efficient use of instructional resources.
• Accreditation: Oversees and manages university, state, and national accreditation processes for the college. Prepares or coordinates required reports related to accreditation and academic program assessment. Evaluates departmental program effectiveness and assesses performance in alignment with the college’s goals and strategic objectives.
• Strategic Planning and Operations: Participates in long-term strategic and facilities planning to advance the mission and goals of CHSS. Provides leadership and representation in college-wide and university-wide planning initiatives, continuous improvement efforts, and assessment of strategic priorities. Leads special projects and task forces, as assigned, to strengthen organizational effectiveness and ensure alignment with institutional objectives.

Qualifications / Licenses / Certifications

• Terminal degree from an accredited institution.
• Achievement of tenure at the rank of Associate Professor.
• Evidence of three years of effective administrative experience.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge of current trends, research, and best practices in student recruitment, success, and retention.
• Demonstrated knowledge and a strong record of ongoing scholarly contributions.
• Knowledge of academic program assessment, including specialized accreditation and program review standards and processes.
• Knowledge of educational units and initiatives dedicated to student success and retention.
• Knowledge of the principles, methods, and practices of higher education administration, including supervision, personnel management, and office procedures.

Skills

• Skilled in curriculum and program planning, development, and implementation.
• Skilled in program learning outcome assessment.

Abilities

• Ability to conduct research, analyze data, write, and prepare papers and reports.
• Ability to conduct assessment in accordance with discipline best practice and university requirements.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to develop, implement, interpret, and evaluate policies, procedures, and processes.
• Ability to provide vision and adapt effectively to change.