Vice President, Student Affairs

About the role

The Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) will lead the Division of Student Affairs at Boston College, a comprehensive or R1 research environment. Reporting to the Executive Vice President (EVP), the VPSA will oversee a division of dedicated professionals committed to the holistic formation of students in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition.

About the Division of Student Affairs at Boston College

The mission of the Boston College Division of Student Affairs is to help students grow as caring, engaged, mature human beings influenced by the social, intellectual, and religious heritage that has long shaped Boston College as a Jesuit, Catholic institution of higher education. The next VPSA will have an opportunity to shape the work of the student affairs division at a moment of sustained institutional momentum. Student Affairs is home to 15 affiliated departments that provide a rich array of co-curricular programs and services that promote student learning, health and wellness, leadership development, and community engagement. The division's 180–member staff works with faculty, administrators, and alumni to support the personal, professional, social, and spiritual growth of the University's undergraduate and graduate students.

Key departments under the VPSA’s purview

• Dean of Students
• Residential Life
• Murray Center for Student Wellness
• Career Center
• Bowman Intercultural Center
• Student Involvement
• Graduate Student Life
• Robsham Theater
• BC Bands
• Women’s Center
• Business Service Center

About the University

Since its founding in 1863, Boston College has changed dramatically in location, size, academic reputation, financial resources, and complexity. From its early years as a small, commuter, liberal arts college for men in the South End of Boston, it now is a coeducational, national, and increasingly international university enrolling approximately 14,000 students on a main campus of 240 acres. While remaining focused on undergraduates, the liberal arts and sciences, and student formation, Boston College also offers selected graduate and professional programs, and has more than 900 faculty engaged not only in teaching but also in research and scholarship. Boston College is committed to being:

• A preeminent university, dedicated to serious intellectual inquiry and the pursuit of truth, the discovery and transmission of knowledge in ways appropriate to its mission and resources, and quality teaching, learning, and service;
• A Catholic university called in a particular way to be a meeting place between faith and culture, especially between Catholicism and contemporary society;
• A Jesuit university, heir to a spirituality based on the religious experiences of St. Ignatius Loyola that continues to influence Jesuit schools and Catholicism, and the 470-year educational tradition of the Society of Jesus, which stresses the liberal arts, character formation, a rigorous approach to learning, and striving for the greater glory of God.

Requirements

• Executive Leadership: Significant experience leading large, complex student affairs organizations within a comprehensive or R1 research environment.
• Operational Acumen: Proven success in managing multi-million-dollar budgets, large-scale residential operations, and a diverse professional staff.
• Crisis Management: Ability to lead with composure and clarity during complex student-related or campus-wide crises.
• Mission-Driven: A genuine appreciation for how Jesuit values—such as discernment, service, and reflection—inform and shape student development and formation.
• Relationship Builder: An approachable leader who can engage authentically with students and parents while also building strong relationships with colleagues and members of the Board of Trustees.
• Strategic Thinker: The ability to look beyond day-to-day operations to anticipate student needs and appropriately adapt the Student Affairs organization to national trends affecting higher education, in particular Catholic higher education.
• Education: A graduate degree is required; an earned doctorate in Higher Education Administration, Student Development, or a related field is strongly preferred.

Closing Statement

Boston College offers a broad and competitive range of benefits depending on your job classification eligibility:

• Tuition remission for Employees
• Tuition remission for Spouses and Children who meet eligibility requirements
• Generous Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Low-Cost Life Insurance
• Eligibility for both University-Funded 401k and Employer-Sponsored 403b Retirement Plans
• Paid Holidays Annually
• Generous Sick and Vacation Pay

Additional benefits can be found on https://www.bc.edu/employeehandbook.