FA27-021: Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Student Services

About the Role

The Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Student Services (ADSA) provides strategic leadership, oversight, and coordination of all student-related functions within the School of Nursing. This role ensures a comprehensive, compliant, and student-centered infrastructure supporting students from admission through program completion. The ADSA leads development, implementation, and enforcement of student policies; oversees student services operations; ensures compliance with regulatory and clinical clearance requirements; and manages student-related data systems and reporting. The ADSA serves as the primary authority for complex student issues, including incident and injury reporting, and promotes a culture of professionalism, safety, and student success. This is a 12-month fiscal appointment with optional teaching responsibilities as determined by the Dean, and undergoes administrative review after the second year and every three years thereafter, incorporating faculty feedback.

Responsibilities

• Student Affairs Leadership & Oversight
  • Provides strategic leadership for all student affairs functions across undergraduate and graduate programs.
  • Oversees the full student lifecycle, including admissions processes (in collaboration with enrollment units), onboarding, progression monitoring, and graduation clearance.
  • Facilitates opportunities for engagement of direct entry nursing students.
  • Directs student support services to promote retention, progression, and student success.
  • Collaborates with the Student Nurses Association and Student Nurse Achievement Program faculty and student leaders for organizational support and integration within the School of Nursing.
  • Serves as the senior decision-maker for complex and escalated student concerns.
• Policy Development, Implementation, and Compliance
  • Leads development, interpretation, implementation, and enforcement of student-related policies and procedures.
  • Oversees maintenance and revision of student handbooks and related policy documents in collaboration with the Assistant Deans and with faculty governance.
  • Ensures consistent application of policies across programs and alignment with university standards.
  • Serves as liaison with the Office of the Provost and Office of General Counsel on student policy and compliance matters.
• Incident, Injury, and Risk Management
  • Serves as the central authority for student incident and injury reporting, documentation, and follow-up.
  • Acts as liaison with university units responsible for safety and risk management, including Emergency Management and Safety.
  • Ensures timely reporting, documentation, and resolution of student-related incidents in clinical and academic settings.
  • Develops and implements processes to promote psychological and physical safety for students.
• Student Compliance & Clearance Oversight
  • Oversees systems and processes for student compliance requirements, including clinical clearances, immunizations, background checks, drug screening, and credentialing.
  • Ensures adherence to regulatory and partner agency requirements.
  • Supervises platforms and personnel responsible for tracking and maintaining compliance data.
  • Coordinates with clinical partners to ensure students meet all onboarding and placement requirements.
• Data Management, Reporting, and Analytics
  • Oversees collection, analysis, and reporting of student data, including enrollment trends, progression metrics, and student compliance tracking.
  • Contributes to reports for the Dean, university leadership, and external stakeholders as needed, including annual AACN and IDFPR reports.
  • Utilizes data to inform decision-making, improve student services, and support strategic planning.
  • Ensures integrity and confidentiality of student records in compliance with institutional and federal guidelines.
• Supervision of Student Services and Leadership
  • Supervises and evaluates key student services personnel:
    • Director of Student Services/Student Affairs
    • Compliance and Clinical Clearance Staff
    • Other assigned administrative support staff
  • Provides leadership for student-facing operations, ensuring efficiency, responsiveness, and high-quality service delivery.
  • Collaborates with Student Success teams keeping abreast of innovative student success strategies in higher education.
  • Provides collaborative and visionary leadership that promotes collegiality and relationship building within the School of Nursing and across the university and clinical partner community.
  • Effectively leads groups, facilitates teamwork and decision-making, and fosters a culture of respect, inclusion, accountability, and continuous improvement.
  • Demonstrates strong interpersonal and conflict-resolution skills, addressing challenges with professionalism, diplomacy, and a solutions-oriented approach while maintaining positive and productive working relationships.
• Communication and Coordination
  • Serves as the primary liaison between students and School leadership.
  • Collaborates with Assistant Deans, Department Chairs, and Program Directors and Coordinators to ensure alignment between academic and student affairs functions.
  • Coordinates communication related to student policies, requirements, and expectations.
  • Oversees updates to student-facing materials, including handbooks, websites, and onboarding resources.
  • Coordinates internal and external requests for student participation in research.
• Community and University Engagement
  • Represents the School of Nursing in university committees and initiatives related to student success and engagement.
  • Participates in community and professional organizations that support student development and well-being.
  • Promotes inclusive excellence and a supportive learning environment for diverse student populations.
• Budget and Resource Management
  • Collaborates with the Dean on budgetary planning related to student services and operations.
  • Allocates resources to support student success initiatives and compliance infrastructure.
  • Oversees the Student Emergency Foundation Fund in collaboration with the student emergency task force.
• Other Responsibilities
  • Serves on the School of Nursing Leadership Team.
  • Undertakes special projects and initiatives assigned by the Dean.

Qualifications

• Earned PhD, DNP, or equivalent doctoral degree (preferably in nursing).
• Eligible for faculty appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or higher.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in student affairs, academic administration, or related area.
• Experience with student policy development, compliance, and regulatory processes.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Eligible for unencumbered RN licensure in Illinois and Missouri.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience overseeing student compliance systems in health professions education.
• Demonstrated success in managing complex student issues and risk mitigation.
• Experience with data analytics and reporting in higher education.
• Knowledge of federal and state regulations impacting student records and privacy (e.g., FERPA).
• Experience working in nursing or other clinical education programs.

Schedule

This is a 12-month fiscal appointment with optional teaching responsibilities as determined by the Dean.