Job description
At Roger Williams University, students are prepared to be thinkers and doers ready to solve challenging problems with innovative solutions. RWU offers 50 majors and robust offerings of graduate and professional programs across eight schools of study including Rhode Island’s only law school, with campuses on the coast of Bristol and in the heart of Providence, R.I. With small classrooms and a focus on undergraduate and graduate research and community engagement, a Roger Williams education blends the strength of liberal arts and professional studies, providing all students with the depth and breadth of interdisciplinary thinking and well-rounded knowledge necessary to succeed in our interconnected, global world. RWU is committed to strengthening society through engaged scholarship so that students graduate with the ability to think critically and apply the practical skills that today’s employers demand.
Roger Williams University seeks to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. We value all races, genders, identities, and abilities. RWU is committed to creating a thriving community that encourages lifelong learning, professional development, and academic innovation.
To learn more about Roger Williams University’s commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please visit https://www.rwu.edu/who-we-are/diversity-equity-inclusion.
Job Description:
The Vice President for Student Life directs and develops the University’s programs and activities and manages policies and procedures for a broad spectrum of student services which provides support for 5,000 full and part-time undergraduate and graduate students. In partnership with the Provost and academic deans, integrates co-curricular and curricular university life while advancing the mission of the university through proactive and productive administration of all functions entrusted to the Office of Student Affairs. The Vice President for Student Life provides leadership, coordination, guidance and recommendations to the senior staff for the purposes of aligning Student Affairs with the mission, goals and strategic objectives of the University.
Essential Responsibilities
Provide strategic and operational leadership for all Student Life functions, including student leadership and engagement, residence life and housing, dining, intercollegiate athletics and recreation, health and counseling services, student conduct and community standards, Title IX and compliance, public safety, and campus transportation.
Serve as a collaborative campus partner with Academic Affairs, the Center for Career and Professional Development, Enrollment
Management, and other divisions to strengthen integration between academic and co-curricular learning.
Advance a campus culture of belonging, connection, and engagement that reflects RWU’s values and responds to the evolving needs of an increasingly diverse student body.
Lead and support comprehensive approaches to student well-being and mental health, ensuring coordinated, proactive, and developmentally grounded care.
Provide thoughtful stewardship of financial, human, and physical resources, including oversight of large budgets and complex, multi-functional teams.
Lead effectively within a unionized environment, building strong, respectful labor-management relationships grounded in transparency and collaboration.
Represent the University to external constituencies, including families, community partners, and professional organizations.
Leadership Attributes and Competencies
Visionary leadership with the ability to inspire and unify diverse teams around a shared commitment to student success and belonging.
Demonstrated ability to translate strategic goals into actionable outcomes with measurable impact.
Lead with care, clarity, and operational strength, modeling an inclusive and student-centered leadership style that builds trust and shared purpose across the division.
Must be a visible presence in the lives of students, and not just an administrator, present on campus, approachable and engaged with students and staff, and skilled at navigating complexity with empathy, fairness, and sound judgment.
Confidence to make timely decisions, the humility to listen deeply, and the ability to unify diverse teams around a common commitment to student success.
Deep understanding of the evolving needs of contemporary college students, particularly in areas of wellness, inclusion, and engagement.
Effective communication and relationship-building skills across students, faculty, and staff communities.
Experience navigating unionized environments and complex institutional structures.
Position Profile Vice President of Student Life
Requirements:
Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, or a related field is required; a doctoral degree is preferred.
Substantial, progressively responsible leadership experience in student affairs or a closely related area, ideally at the senior or cabinet level.
Demonstrated success fostering inclusive, student-centered environments within residential higher education settings.
Experience leading within complex and unionized organizational environments.
Strong fiscal, operational, and organizational acumen, with the ability to oversee large budgets and diverse teams.
Preferred Qualifications
Doctoral degree.
Knowledge of national trends in student life, student well-being, residential education, and campus engagement.
Experience overseeing or partnering closely with intercollegiate athletics programs, including NCAA Division III environments.
Demonstrated ability to cultivate a positive team culture that supports professional growth, accountability, and excellence.
Commitment to fostering belonging and supporting students of all identities, with awareness of the evolving national context for DEI work in higher education.
At the University’s discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be accepted where the candidate can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the University, an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position.
Additional Information:
Roger Williams University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and com-mitted to a diverse workforce. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other basis protected by applicable state and federal law. For information on our Non-discrimination policy, visit here.
RWU prohibits all forms of discrimination on the basis of sex in its education programs and activities and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and its implementing regulations not to discriminate in such a manner. Complaints of Title IX sexual harassment should be reported to the Title IX Coordinator at the contact information listed below. Details regarding the formal complaint process can be found here: Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedures. All complaints of sexual harassment will be taken seriously and responded to promptly. TITLE IX COORDINATOR: Dr. Jen Stanley, 1 Old Ferry Road, Bristol, RI 02809 / Phone Number: (401) 254-3123 /Email Address: [email protected]
How to apply
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The priority consideration deadline for submission is February 1, 2026. Confidential nominations and inquiries are welcome. Please attach a resume, cover letter, and list of three (3) professional references. Candidates are invited to use the cover letter or a separate letter of interest to address how their background aligns with the key themes and opportunities as outlined in the position profile.
Questions or nominations can be sent directly to the Brian Williams, Chief of Staff, and VPSL Search committee chair at [email protected].
Roger Williams University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to inclusive excellence and encourages applications from underrepresented populations.
