Associate Dean for University Life

George Mason University 
Associate Dean for University Life 
 

The George Mason University Division of University Life solicits applicants for the position of Associate Dean for University Life. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment. 
 

Responsibilities: 

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for University Life, the Associate Dean is an engaging and energetic member of the division’s senior leadership cabinet. This individual: 
Collaborates with faculty and peers to ensure the comprehensive success of division-wide goals and objectives;

• Oversees the division’s diversity portfolio and University Life services at designated regional campuses; and 
• Provides supervision to directors and an assistant dean in the administration of the following departments:

• Special Diversity Initiatives; 
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer (LGBTQ) Resource Center;
• University Life at regional campuses (Mason Korea, Science and Technology, and Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation);
• Faculty fellows; 
• Women and Gender Studies; and 
• The Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME). 
   

Duties: 

Additional areas of focus for this position include division-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives/training, campus climate assessments, academic diversity partnerships, institutional responses to student activism, and the cultural competency of the student body. Specific duties include, but are not limited to: 

• Ensuring that departments within the portfolio remain aligned with divisional goals and priorities via best practices in student affairs assessment and strategic planning;
• Coordinating the division’s response to student activism and campus climate concerns; (work collaboratively with student leaders, University life personnel, University Police, Environmental Health and Safety, and others as necessary to ensure a comprehensive response to diversity concerns); 
• Providing division-wide leadership for multicultural initiatives (coordinate and assess University Life professional staff diversity training and the cultural competence of the student body);
• Serving as an engaged University Life partner for academic/curriculum diversity initiatives (work collaboratively across divisional lines to ensure holistic and forward-thinking diversity initiatives in support of student success);
• Serving as a member of the Dean on Call rotation, assisting with parental notifications, student discipline, and other administrative functions as directed; and 
• Other duties as assigned. 
   

Required Qualifications: 

• Earned master’s degree in higher education or a related field (doctorate is strongly preferred);
• Minimum of five or more years of supervisory experience at the director level or higher;
• Demonstrated experience in advising, counseling, program development, global education, or a related field (a minimum of eight years is strongly desired);
• Demonstrated leadership in an educational setting, with the ability to serve as an effective advocate for student success;
• Ability to manage difficult conversations, relationships, and other challenging situations that require thoughtful and effective verbal and/or written communication; and 
• Experience leading institutional diversity initiatives and/or programs. 
   

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Advanced administrative skills in budgeting, supervision, assessment, and strategic planning;
• Program planning and event management experience; 
• Direct experience in one of the departments represented in the Associate Dean portfolio; and 
• Ability and desire to serve as an advocate and coalition-builder for diverse communities. 
   

For full consideration, applicants must apply for position number FA230z at http://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information. Priority application deadline August 21, 2017. 
 

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.