Assistant Vice President and Dean for Academic Advising and Student Success

Job Description

Position Overview

The Assistant Vice President and Dean of Studies serves as the College’s senior leader responsible for coordinating academic advising, advancing student progress toward degree completion, and supporting the academic success of Sarah Lawrence students. Rooted in Sarah Lawrence College’s distinctive educational model—where faculty dons play a central role in academic advising—this position ensures that institutional advising structures, policies, and timelines effectively support students in meeting their educational goals.

The Dean of Studies provides strategic leadership for class deans and related academic support functions, establishes clear advising rhythms and expectations across cohorts, and leads an academic student-centered case management approach that integrates academic advising, retention efforts, and leave/return processes. This role partners closely with faculty, the Provost’s Office, the Registrar, and Student Affairs colleagues to translate Sarah Lawrence’s academic values into coherent systems that promote belonging, persistence, and graduation.

In keeping with Sarah Lawrence’s identity as a small, residential liberal arts college, the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Studies is expected to be an active and visible presence in the campus community. The role requires someone who values regular engagement with students, faculty, and staff and who approaches the work with genuine curiosity about students’ educational and personal goals. The successful candidate will bring a passion for student development and academic exploration, contributing to the relational culture that defines the Sarah Lawrence experience.

Essential Duties Summary

Essential Functions

Academic Retention, Persistence, and Completion

• Provide institutional leadership for student academic success, persistence, and degree completion, with a particular focus on identifying and addressing academic risk early.
• Develop and implement a coordinated advising and outreach strategy that supports students’ progress toward graduation requirements across all class years.
• Use a case management framework to oversee complex student situations involving academic difficulty, enrollment status, leaves of absence, and return-to-study planning.
• Partner with the Provost Office, Student Affairs, and Institutional Research to inform retention strategies and continuous improvement of academic support systems.
  
  

Advising Structure and Faculty Partnership

• Lead and support a class dean model that complements and reinforces the central advising role of faculty dons, ensuring clarity of roles, shared expectations, and effective communication.
• Establish and maintain an advising timeline for class deans aligned with key academic milestones (course registration, mid-semester alerts, academic standing review, degree audits, and graduation review).
• Facilitate collaboration with faculty dons to address academic concerns, clarify policies, and support students’ educational planning.
  
  

Supervision and Program Oversight

• Directly supervise and mentor class deans, ensuring consistent, high-quality advising practices across cohorts.
• Provide oversight of:
• The First-Year Experience program (via the First-Year Class Dean)
• The Learning Commons, including academic tutoring and the Writing Center
• The College’s Fellowship Program, supporting student access to competitive and developmental fellowship opportunities
• Pre-Health Program to guide and support students in exploring and pursuing a career in the health professions.
• Foster professional development, shared practices, and accountability within the Dean of Studies team.
  

Academic Policy and Governance

• Chair the Committee on Student Work, guiding decisions related to academic standards, student progress, and academic integrity.
• Represent the Dean of Studies Office on the Curriculum Committee.
• Oversee the directed study review process in collaboration with relevant committees and offices.
• Partner with the Registrar and Provost Office to interpret and apply academic policies consistently and equitably.
• Serve as a key liaison between undergraduate and graduate studies, providing consultative guidance on academic policies and curricular alignment. Oversee the review process for undergraduate applicants to combined degree graduate programs, ensuring academic preparedness and alignment with undergraduate degree requirements. Continue to co-monitor combined degree students’ academic progress in collaboration with the Graduate Studies Office.
  
  

Senior Class and External Reporting

• Serve as the primary academic dean for the senior class, with responsibility for graduation requirement review and degree completion advising.
• Oversee external academic reporting, including dean’s certifications for professional schools and verification of enrollment or withdrawal.
  
  

Leave of Absence and Enrollment Policies

• Provide leadership for the oversight, evaluation, and continuous improvement of the College’s Leave of Absence and return-from-leave policies and procedures.
• Ensure that leave processes are clear, humane, administratively sound, and aligned with student success and institutional goals.
• Serve as a key decision-maker and advisor in complex leave, withdrawal, and re-enrollment cases.
  
  

Additional Responsibilities

• Respond to student and parent inquiries related to academic standing, policies, and support pathways.
• Collaborate with Admissions, Advancement, and Student Affairs colleagues to provide insight into academic progress and student success trends.
• Maintain accurate and accessible Dean of Studies resources and guidance for students and faculty.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Vice President and Dean of Students
  
  

Physical And Cognitive Requirements

• Primarily sedentary, involving extended periods of sitting and significant computer use.
• Frequent verbal and written communication required.
• Ability to synthesize complex information and exercise sound judgment.
• Occasional walking and standing required.
  
  

Required Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Counseling, Education, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in academic advising, academic administration, or student affairs.
• Demonstrated expertise in student success, retention, academic policy interpretation, and case management.
• Significant experience supervising professional staff and leading complex, student-centered systems.
• Ability to work effectively within a faculty-driven advising model.
  
  

Leadership and Personal Qualities

The Assistant Vice President and Dean of Studies will serve as a key partner to the Vice President and Dean of Students and a leader within the College’s student success ecosystem. The successful candidate will bring a combination of strategic leadership, sound judgment, and collaborative spirit.

Key Characteristics Include

• Demonstrated professionalism in addressing complex academic and student matters.
• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students.
• Maturity of judgment and the ability to navigate sensitive situations with discretion and care.
• Strong communication skills and the capacity to build trust across diverse constituencies.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment where competing priorities and urgent student needs arise.
• A commitment to student development, academic exploration, and the distinctive advising culture of Sarah Lawrence College.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree preferred.
• Experience in a residential liberal arts college environment.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and student belonging.
  
  

Posting Number: S00437P

Open Date

Close Date:

Open Until Filled: Yes

Salary: $120K - $135K

Special Instructions to Applicants

To apply, visit https://slc.peopleadmin.com/postings/2478

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