Vice President for Equity and Inclusion

St. John's University
Vice President for Equity and Inclusion

St. John’s University—one of the nation’s most diverse higher education institutions headquartered in the most pluralistic borough in the world’s most important financial center—invites applications and nominations for the position of Vice President for Equity and Inclusion.  

St. John’s University is a Catholic and Vincentian university that prepares students for personal and professional success in today’s global society. With campuses and locations in Queens, on Staten Island, in Manhattan, and in Hauppauge, NY; Rome, Italy; Paris, France; and Limerick, Ireland, the University has 1,393 full-time and part-time faculty, 15,693 undergraduate students and 4,450 graduate students who come from 45 states and 121 countries.

Last year, St. John’s University celebrated 150 years of contributing to the betterment of the lives of its students and the communities it serves. St. John’s is one of the top 40 universities in the nation for social mobility, according to U.S. News & World Report. Additional information about St. John’s can be found at: www.stjohns.edu.

The Vice President for Equity and Inclusion (VPEI) reports to Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., President, and serves as a member of the senior leadership team. The vice president provides strategic leadership and collaborates with alumni, faculty, administrators, staff, and students to advance the University’s vision of an inclusive, equitable, and antiracist community.

This is an opportunity for a dynamic, confident, collaborative and insightful diversity leader to partner with the President and the entire St. John’s community. The vice president builds upon past efforts to develop and advance policies and practices that promote diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism. The vice president is expected to create and endorse a vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism for the University; provide leadership and support in the development of antiracism plans; design and support a culture of data collection and assessment around equity issues; and serve as a champion for diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism.

Candidates should have an in-depth practice serving people of different and intersecting identities as it relates to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility issues. The vice president will have demonstrated success in leading efforts for meaningful change in a complex organization. Experience in facilitating nuanced conversations when convening multiple constituencies around diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism is required. Candidates should also demonstrate an understanding of the values specific to Catholic higher education, Catholic social teaching, and the relationship between the University and the Catholic Church. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five years of senior level experience. An advanced degree is required. 

All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile at www.wittkieffer.com.

WittKieffer is assisting St. John's University in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by January 28, 2022.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:
Christine J. Pendleton, Jevon Walton and Lucy Leske
StJohnsVPEI@wittkieffer.com

Consistent with its mission as a Catholic, Vincentian, metropolitan, and global institution of higher education, St. John’s University abides by all applicable federal, state and local laws, and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, gender, gender identity, sex (including sexual harassment and sexual violence), sexual orientation, marital status, alienage, citizenship status, status as a victim of domestic violence, genetic predisposition or carrier status, status in the uniformed services of the United States (including veteran status) or any other characteristic protected by law. The University also abides by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The University’s policy of nondiscrimination extends to employment opportunities, admission of students to its programs, and to the administration of its educational policies, scholarships, loan programs, athletics and other institutionally administered programs or activities generally made available to students at the University.