Director of Student Services (DOSS)

Overview

The Director of Student Services is a key member of the campus leadership team and holds an administrative position with primary responsibilities of student services leadership and management, campus culture and safety; student engagement; community engagement including community, business, and industry relationships; and enrollment management. The Director of Student Services may be assigned the main administrative role of an area within the Statewide Campus Region and is the assigned administrator in the absence of the Associate Vice President for regional campuses (at residential campuses the Associate Campus Director may be the assigned administrator in the absence of the Associate Vice President). The Director of Student Services, in consultation with the Associate Vice President, implements the strategic direction for the campus. The Director of Student Services innovates leading efforts and services that support students to realize their educational goals and identifying opportunities for growth within the region. The position serves on numerous committees, collaborates with peers within the system, and coordinates with the Statewide central team, under the direction of the Assistant Vice President for Statewide Campuses.

Responsibilities

Student Services (Primary Stewardship)

• Lead the campus student services team with responsibility for day-to-day student servicesrelated operations; provide student services staff with professional development experiencesand training; ensure staff participation in system efforts including attendance at meetings andevents related to their role. Maintain a communication feedback loop (i.e. performancemanagement check-ins)

• Lead campus student success team and host regular meetings with the team to:

• Identify and provide support for vulnerable/academically at-risk students and triage support (i.e. make assignments and hold accountability for follow-through)

• Identify potential barriers to student success, take action to mitigate them, and develop strategic approaches to improve support and processes around the student life cycle

• Promote environments that provide meaningful opportunities for student learning, development, and engagement

• Student Academic Achievement Alert (SAAA) campus lead and Maxient case manager

• Assist students through conduct and grievance procedures according to university policy in coordination with appropriate unit/personnel

• Raise awareness of institutional and community resources and services for students, assist students in accessing resources through a highly effective student services team

• Be competent in emergency procedures, crisis response, and prevention efforts, including identification of threatening conduct of students, faculty, and staff, and incorporate a system for responding and reporting

• Student of Concern and the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) campus lead

• Lead point of contact for students in crisis at the campus, providing on-the-groundsupport, resources, and referrals in conjunction with appropriate units

• Collaborate to develop, implement, and maintain university programs, services, and initiatives to meet the needs of students and improve the student experience

• Stewardship and vision for all Student Involvement and USUSA

• At residential campuses, oversight of resident and student life staff & functions

Enrollment Management

Recruitment

• Access, understand, and disseminate recruitment data for the region; use data to inform recruitment goals and plans; share relevant data with others to support efforts, identify opportunities, and celebrate successes
• Implement the strategic enrollment vision and goals of the campus/region Associate Vice President
• Lead the creation, implementation, and execution of the annual campus/region recruitment plan in coordination with the Director of Recruitment for Statewide Campuses and related recruitment and enrollment-focused roles
• Responsible for ensuring engagement of the campus/region recruitment-focused staff
• Coordinate contact of all new admits to welcome and orient them to USU and their center/campus
• Oversee orientation events at the campus

Retention

• Access, understand, and disseminate retention data for the region; use data to inform retention goals and plans; share relevant data with others to support efforts, identify opportunities, and celebrate successes

• Responsible for ensuring engagement of the campus/region retention-focused staff

• Oversee communication to current students including

• Success Messaging calendar, MyUSU, Facebook, Instagram

• Oversee text messaging to students who are AWOL and other campaigns

• Participate in DOSS welcome email to students every semester

• Oversee campus scholarship efforts and awards, awareness of institutional scholarships, emergency hardship opportunities, and financial resources for students

Completion

• Identify completion barriers impacting students in the region; collaborate to address issues and support student completion
• Understand the reasons students leave and implement efforts to mitigate attrition
• Support re-enrollment efforts to engage former USU students in returning to USU to complete degree
• Responsible for ensuring engagement of the campus/region completion-focused staff
• Oversee the annual commencement/graduation event under the direction of the AVP; participate or assign a delegate to represent campus on the Statewide commencement committee led by the Director of Student Success and Strategic Initiatives; responsible for ensuring event success; ensure alignment to USU commencement procedures and advocate for campus needs; participate in post-event debrief and annual planning Community Engagement (May be under duties of Associate Director at Residential Campuses)
• Under the direction and strategy of the Associate Vice President, build and maintain relationships with community, business, and industry stakeholders to identify and advance mutually beneficial partnerships and opportunities
• Actively seek support for programs and students within the community
• Coordinate with USU Regional Pathways Coordinator to identify educational pathways, increase opportunities for students, and strengthen the local workforce
• Coordinate with the Statewide Director of Recruitment to identify corporate partnership opportunities and develop aligned recruitment strategies and initiatives
• Oversee the scholarship process of local financial scholarships and awards for students
• Collaborate with the Associate Vice President and USU Advancement office to maintain, celebrate, and remain accountable to donors and partners within the region

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in a related field with five years experience in advising, student affairs, or enrollment management, OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Leadership experience in student services, advising, or related field
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaborative leadership skills
• Knowledge of budget/fiscal planning
• Experience in using assessment and data-informed strategies to support student retention and success

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading retention, recruitment, and/or student initiatives
• Familiarity with higher education policies and procedures
• Experience with student government, marketing, recruitment, and student affairs
• Masters degree in higher education, student affairs, counseling, or a related field

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to be sensitive to and understand the needs of a diverse, rural student population
• Ability to work on ones own with little supervision
• A desire to strive for continuous improvement
• Commitment to centering the work on the current needs of students
• Collaborative and transparent leadership
• Crisis response and decision-making skills
• Ability to make data-driven decisions to maintain a nimble environment
• Commitment to student-centered practices
• Ability to think strategically and see the big picture of this role as part of a whole University

Review for this position will begin the 1st part of June. Position to start July 1, but no later than August 1.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under Resume/CV Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

Document size may not exceed 10 MB.

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits.

ADA

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utahs premier land-grant, public service university. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving the public good through innovative research and scholarly activities that are grounded in reciprocal engagement with local, regional, and global communities. USU prepares students to be active, civically engaged leaders who are prepared to address critical societal challenges. Dedicated to providing a high-quality and affordable education, USU remains a leader in research, discovery, and public impact.

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah States 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

Competing at the NCAA Division I level, USU is a proud member of the Mountain West Conference and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the 2026-2027 season. The Aggies long-standing tradition of athletic and academic excellence is exemplified by recent Mountain West regular-season and tournament championships in womens volleyball, three consecutive Mountain West tournament titles in womens soccer conference championships, and a first-ever conference championship for gymnastics, reflecting USU''s commitment to perseverance and achievement.

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU.

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the universitys ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu.

• updated 12/2025

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

Utah State University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination including harassment in employment including in hiring, promotion, transfer, or termination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy or any other federal, state, or local law.

Utah State University does not discriminate in its housing offerings and will treat all persons fairly and equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability, national origin, source of income, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Additionally, the University endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations when necessary and to ensure equal access to qualified persons with disabilities.

In all circumstances, Utah State University follows state and federal laws related to sex-segregated spaces.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USUs non-discrimination policies:

Matthew Pinner

Executive Director

Civil Rights & Title IX Office

matthew.pinner@usu.edu

435-797-1266 | Old Main Rm. 401D

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

Cody Carmichael

Title IX Coordinator

cody.carmichael@usu.edu

435-797-1266 | Old Main Rm. 402D

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit crtix.usu.edu or contact:

U.S. Department of Education

Denver Regional Office

303-844-5695| OCR.Denver@ed.gov

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

800-421-3481 | OCR@ed.gov

• updated 10/2025