Dean of Students

Andrews University; Berrien Springs (MI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Andrews University in Michigan seeks a Dean of Students to lead student engagement, co-curricular life, and care for the whole student under the Vice President for Student and Campus Life. The Dean fosters a Christ-centered environment where students grow mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.

This role involves directing staff, coordinating campus programs, orientation, and student leadership bodies, and collaborating with faculty and administration to support student well-being.

Qualifications

• Master's degree and three or more years of student affairs or administration experience in Seventh-day Adventist education are required.
• Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.
• Experience in higher education is desirable but not required.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and supervision for key student life staff.
• Chairs the University Student Intervention Team (USIT) and leads care case management.
• Plans, budgets, and implements co-curricular programming and events.
• Leads New Student Orientation and coordinates First Stop and budgets.
• Sponsors student government and leadership bodies, supports AUGSA/AUSA.
• Represents Student Life in committees and liaises with administration and students.

Skills

Leadership

Crisis response

Program planning

Mentoring

Staff supervision

Education

Master's degree

Job description

STUDENT & CAMPUS LIFE - Dean of Students

Job Classification

Position summary

Andrews University is seeking a Dean of Students to lead student engagement, co-curricular life, and care for the whole student,under the Vice President for Student and Campus Life. Following the pattern of Luke 2:52, the Dean cultivates a Christ-centered environment where students grow mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. It's a role with real joy in it: watching a first-year student find their footing, cheering on a team, seeing a student discover leadership gifts they didn't know they had. For someone called to student ministry, this is deeply meaningful work.

Qualifications summary

The successful candidate will be a committed Seventh-day Adventist whose life reflects the mission and values of Andrews University, with strengths in student engagement, program planning, crisis response, leadership, and mentoring. A genuine love for students and the ability to intervene wisely are essential. A master's degree and three or more years of student affairs or administration experience in Seventh-day Adventist education are required; higher education experience is desirable but not required.

Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Duties and responsibilities

• Provides leadership and direct supervision for the Assistant Dean for Student Involvement, Leadership & Activities (SILA), the Andreasen Center for Wellness (ACW) Manager, and the Athletics Director.
• Chairs the University Student Intervention Team (USIT) and serves as the division's lead care case manager, coordinating training and response for students of concern and in crisis.
• Plans, budgets, and implements co-curricular programming, including Tuesday 11:30 programming, the Student Life events calendar, and preview weekends.
• Leads the planning and coordination of New Student Orientation programming, including First Stop coordination and budget management.
• Provides sponsorship and support for student government and leadership bodies, serving as sponsor for the AUSA Senate and in a supporting role to the AUGSA sponsor.
• Provides leadership for the programming side of Student Life staff development, in coordination with other division leaders.
• Plans and manages the Student Life events calendar.
• Represents Student Life at preview weekends, engaging prospective students and families.
• Serves on key university and division bodies, including the Transitions Committee, the Assessment Committee (ex officio), the Academic Operations Committee (AOC), and the Student Life Conduct Council (SLCC).
• Participates in Student Life Division and Director/Team Leader meetings, and serves as a liaison with administration, faculty, parents, alumni, students, and other constituents on student life matters.
• Maintains active engagement with professional peers and organizations in student life.

A Note on the Calling

The Dean of Students holds a wide-ranging role that blends student engagement, care, programming, and mentorship. Few positions offer a closer view of students discovering their voice, building lifelong friendships, stepping into leadership, and growing spiritually through the rhythms of campus life,and there is real joy in walking alongside them through it. Co-curricular life, orientation, and campus events are among the most formative touchpoints in a student's university experience, and the Dean shapes the environment in which students lead, connect, and grow. The responsibilities are significant and sometimes demanding, but they are carried out within a capable team and under the broader support of the Student & Campus Life division. For the right person,someone called to student ministry, grounded in Christ, and committed to the mission of Adventist education,it is a deeply meaningful and rewarding ministry.

Supervisory responsibilities

The Dean carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Andrews University policies and applicable laws, with direct supervisory authority over the Assistant Dean for Student Involvement, Leadership & Activities (SILA), the Andreasen Center for Wellness (ACW) Manager, and the Athletics Director, and a supporting role to the AUGSA sponsor. Supervisory duties include interviewing, hiring, training, scheduling, and evaluating professional staff; directing work assignments; and addressing concerns constructively.

Qualifications

A master's degree in a related field and three or more years of student affairs, student life, or administration experience in Seventh-day Adventist education are required. Experience in higher education is desirable but not required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Mission and Faith Commitment

• A committed Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing whose beliefs, values, and lifestyle are consistent with the fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
• A demonstrated commitment to the redemptive philosophy of Adventist education and the mission and values of Andrews University.
• A strong Christian role model with a growing personal spiritual life and a pastoral heart for students.

Knowledge and Skills

• Skills in program planning and budgeting, event management, care coordination, crisis response, public speaking, group dynamics, leadership, and mentoring, paired with a working knowledge of today's youth culture and the developmental, social, and emotional challenges facing university students.
• Willing to engage with professional organizations such as the Adventist Student Personnel Association (ASPA), National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA), and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), and a commitment to ongoing professional learning.

Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Technical competencies

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to analyze information and produce clear reports, correspondence, and procedural documents, along with basic quantitative skills for fiscal management and program oversight.
• Sound reasoning and problem-solving in decisions that affect the engagement, care, and wellbeing of students, with the ability to prioritize a high volume of responsibilities and respond promptly to urgent needs.

Interpersonal interactions

• The Dean communicates effectively with administrators, colleagues, faculty, staff, students, parents, and members of the public, and demonstrates competence in personal support, case management, and the public presentation of programming and educational content.
• Equally important is the capacity to uphold policy faithfully while recognizing when a situation calls for something beyond the written guideline. Not every circumstance fits neatly within established expectations, and the Dean exercises principled judgment in the gray areas without compromising the integrity of the system as a whole. This is especially significant in work with young adults who, by the very nature of their developmental stage, seek rationale for expectations while navigating the tension between autonomy and the need for care.

Physical demands

The Dean's work includes typical office activities such as computer use, walking across campus, climbing stairs, and attentive listening and observation of both verbal and non-verbal cues. The role also requires mental acuity and emotional steadiness, particularly in balancing administrative responsibilities with decisions that touch the lives of students. Because student engagement, events, and care needs arise around the clock throughout the year, the Dean must have the stamina to manage interruptions and to adapt priorities as situations arise.

Work environment

Student Life is an active, year-round division supporting hundreds of students across programming, events, orientation, and care. As a result, routine matters such as event logistics, scheduling conflicts, or emerging student needs can require rapid response outside normal planning cycles. The Dean must be able to carry out planned work while accommodating frequent interruptions and unexpected needs, partnering with the broader team to maintain a safe, healthy, and engaged campus community.