Assistant Vice President for Equity and Student Engagement

Position Summary

This position the Assistant Vice President for Equity & Student Engagement (AVPESE) exists to serve as a senior leader within the Student Engagement and Well-being (SEW) unit of Enrollment & Student Affairs providing strategic direction operational oversight and organizational leadership for a portfolio of identity-based engagement programs student leadership development experiences and campus-wide engagement addition to serving on the SEW Leadership Team the AVPESE will serve as a member of the Enrollment & Student Affairs Leadership Team (Huddle).

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Student Engagement and Well-being & Dean of Students the AVPESE is responsible for cultivating a vibrant inclusive and sticky campus environment where students are meaningfully connected to the institution and to one another across academic co-curricular residential and community spaces. Guided by the Student Engagement and Well-being (SEW) model and the socio-ecological framework the AVPESE advances institutional goals related to recruitment yield retention persistence completion and post-graduate success. Through the intentional design of equitable high-impact experiences the AVPESE cultivates a vibrant campus environment that supports student well-being and fosters meaningful connections among commuter residential online and place-based learners across academic co-curricular and community spaces.

The AVPESE is a systems and relationship-oriented leader who operates both strategically and operationally balancing long-term vision with hands-on execution. This role requires the ability to lead complex multi-unit operations while activating high-impact programs events and initiatives that shape the student experience across MSU Denver and the broader Auraria Campus. The AVPESE carefully curates an inclusive student experience that recognizes the unique needs of a majority commuter institution while supporting an expanding residential population and increasing modalities of engagement including online hybrid and place-based learners.

The AVPESE plays a critical leadership role in advancing MSU Denvers identity as a Hispanic Serving Institution Minority Serving Institution and access-oriented university. This position ensures that engagement strategies are culturally responsive equity-minded and grounded in research and best practices that support diverse student populations.

The AVPESE operates within a highly complex multi-institutional environment on the Auraria Campus and provides leadership in tri-institutional coordination across MSU Denver the University of Colorado Denver and the Community College of Denver. This includes collaboration with the Auraria Campus (AHEC) and alignment of shared programs services and student engagement strategies across institutions.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

30% Supervision and Leadership

• Provides senior-level leadership and supervision for the Equity and Student Engagement programs including direct supervision of department leaders and indirect leadership of professional staff and student employees across multiple functional areas.

• Establishes organizational structures staffing models and accountability systems to ensure effective student-centered program delivery aligned with institutional priorities.

• Hires trains develops and evaluates department-level leaders administrative support staff and student employees.

• Leads organizational effectiveness efforts including staff development performance management and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Ensures alignment of all programs and services with institutional branch and strategic priorities with a focus on student engagement belonging well-being and equitable outcomes.

25% Strategy Program Development and Student Engagement

• Provides strategic leadership for campus engagement initiatives designed to foster belonging connection and student success.

• Develops and implements engagement strategies that contribute to enrollment goals including recruitment yield persistence retention and completion recognizing that meaningful student connection is foundational to student success and institutional vitality.

• Lead the development implementation and assessment of programs and initiatives that enhance student engagement across identity culture leadership and community-building domains in alignment with the SEW student engagement strategy focused on holistic well-being and student support.

• Activates a sticky campus environment by advancing programs events and experiences that encourage students to remain on campus for learning connection employment and co-curricular engagement.

• Designs experiences that reflect the diverse ways MSU Denver students engage with the institution including commuter students residential students transfer students online learners adult learners and students balancing employment and family responsibilities.

• Guides department leaders in identifying and scaling high-impact practices that increase student participation learning retention and persistence for the diverse populations that comprise the MSU Denver community ensuring opportunities for engagement are accessible relevant and responsive to students varied identities experiences and aspirations.

• Support programmatic alignment across supported departments and programs with post-graduate outcomes and career readiness in partnership with the Classroom to Career Hub.

• Ensures all programs are assessed for effectiveness and equity impact with a focus on closing opportunity gaps across student populations.

• Maintains expertise in emerging research theory and best practices related to student engagement identity development and equity in higher education.

20% Liaison Collaboration and External Partnerships

• Provides leadership for tri-institutional collaboration across the Auraria Campus coordinating programs services and engagement strategies that serve students from MSU Denver CU Denver and CCD.

• Works in partnership with Enrollment Management to support recruitment yield onboarding and student success initiatives through coordinated student engagement strategies and interventions. Collaborates on orientation programs transfer student engagement yield events and targeted communication/drip campaigns that support enrollment growth student connection and retention efforts.

• In coordination with the Associate Vice President/Dean of Students supports alignment and engagement with the Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board (SACAB) ensuring student voice is represented in campus-wide governance and decision-making.

• Represents the University in internal and external partnerships that advance student engagement belonging and success including community partnerships that advance our students connection to the cultural and historical significance of Auraria Denver and Colorado.

• Represent MSU Denver in regional national and other professional organizations fostering strategic partnerships advancing institutional priorities and elevating the universitys visibility and reputation within the higher education and Denver community.

15% Student Leadership Governance and Advocacy

• Provides executive oversight and support of the Student Advocacy Council (TSAC) supporting student leadership development and shared governance.

• Guides student organizations and leaders in navigating institutional systems policies and governance structures.

• Supports the advising and operational needs of TSAC and associated student governance bodies recognizing the complexity and responsiveness required to effectively support student advocacy and leadership.

• Cultivates civic engagement and democratic participation through leadership development opportunities and engagement with local state and national public policy issues.

• Promotes student voice and leadership as a critical component of institutional decision-making and campus culture.

• Prepares information briefings and presentations to senior leadership shared governance groups and to the Board of Trustees on behalf of Enrollment & Student Affairs.

• Serves as a visible and accessible resource to student leaders and elected representatives supporting the development of a robust shared governance culture and ensuring student perspectives inform institutional priorities

10% Operations Events and On-Call Leadership

• Provides operational oversight of major campus engagement programs and events including those occurring during evenings and weekends.

• Provides oversight and leadership for tri-institutional partnerships representing MSU Denver in collaborative programming with the CU Denver CCD and the Auraria Campus.

• Ensures successful planning and execution of large-scale programs that contribute to campus vibrancy and student connection.

• Identify cultivate and secure grant and donor funding opportunities to advance student equity belonging engagement and success initiatives including developing partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to sustain and expand programming.

• Manages financial resources including student fee funding grants donor funds and tri-institutional memoranda of understanding.

• Serves as a senior administrator in the universitys on-call rotation providing leadership and decision-making support for critical incidents and campus needs.

• Responds to time-sensitive situations with sound judgment and coordination across institutional partners.

• Provides visible leadership during major campus traditions evening and weekend events and institutional initiatives that contribute to a vibrant and connected campus culture.

Position Competencies

• Champions CADRE values-based leadership and creates a positive workplace culture by setting expectations eliciting feedback and coaching across departments ensuring accountability and excelling in conflict management.

• Aligns operations across teams by optimizing resources maintaining compliance and empowering leaders to deliver consistent measurable outcomes.

• Translates University strategy into coordinated action by guiding decision-making prioritizing initiatives and adjusting plans to drive long-term progress.

• Builds cross-functional partnerships sharing information widely and facilitating dialogue to break down silos and advance University goals.

• Creates a positive workplace culture of belonging by embedding equitable leadership and talent processes fostering feedback and holding leaders accountable.

• Drives innovation by aligning initiatives to University priorities anticipating change and empowering leaders to implement sustainable improvements.

Required Qualifications

• Masters Degree

• Eight years (8) of experience in student support student equity or student engagement in higher education.

• Eight years (8) of supervision and performance management experience.

• Experience advancing student engagement belonging equity and student success through policy practice and student development.

• Experience advising supporting or partnering with student government shared governance or student leadership organizations.

• Experience using assessment and data to evaluate and improve programs.

Important Note: Successful applicants will ensure their resumes clearly demonstrate that their work experience describes how they meetALLrequired qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

Work Hours

Salary for Announcement

We anticipate the qualified candidate to be placed between$112131-$156984. The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors including but not limited to internal equity experience education specialty and training.

The above salary range represents the Universitys good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Full Consideration Date

Complete applications received bySeptember 7 2026 at 11:59 PM MSTwill receive full consideration; however applications will be accepted after this date until the position is filled.

Application Review

We are committed to providing a transparent hiring experience. Applications will be reviewed beginning September 7 after the full consideration date.

Instructions to Apply

For full consideration please submit the following documents:

Official transcripts will be required of the candidate selected for hire.

If you are an Internal applicant please apply via the Career tab within theWorkDayMenu