Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Housing and Residence Life
Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University (Grand Valley) invites applications, expressions of interest, and nominations of candidates in its search for the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Housing and Residence Life.
GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY: AN OVERVIEW
Grand Valley State University is a strong and vibrant public university with a clear, deeply held, unwavering commitment to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community. Grand Valley combines the expansive opportunities of a large university, including a wide array of programs, services, and spaces, with the close-knit, supportive atmosphere of a small liberal arts college. This unique blend offers students the best of both worlds: extensive resources and personal attention.
Grand Valley was founded in 1960 in response to the community's need for a public, four-year college in Michigan’s second-largest metropolitan region. Grand Valley’s creation was driven by local community leaders who recognized the value a university would bring to the area’s citizens and economy, leveraging public-private partnerships to make it happen. These partnerships continue today and are the strong foundation on which Grand Valley has been built. Since its first year, when there were 226 students and 14 faculty members, Grand Valley has continued a trajectory of growth to become a comprehensive university with over 19,000 undergraduates, over 3,000 graduate students, and over 148,000 alumni. Grand Valley boasts over 1,200 full- and part-time faculty members and close to 1,300 staff members. With its focus on liberal education and student success, Grand Valley has attracted students from every county in Michigan, 50 states, and 77 countries.
Grand Valley has full-service and interconnected campuses in Allendale and Grand Rapids, as well as regional centers across Michigan in Holland, Detroit, Muskegon, Battle Creek, and Traverse City. In Allendale, the Valley Campus is close to the shores of Lake Michigan, and the City Campus in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids consists of the Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus and the Health Campus. The University has experienced remarkable upward momentum in the last 20 years, including enrollment growth of more than 93 percent, substantial expansion of academic programs, and a four-million-square-foot expansion of facilities.
THE DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
The Division of Student Affairs at Grand Valley State University is dedicated to enhancing the holistic success of all Lakers by inspiring and supporting learning beyond the classroom. Anchored in a mission to elevate, challenge, and empower learning for all Lakers, the division drives student success through engaging experiential learning, comprehensive support services, and proactive community engagement. Its vision is to be a national leader in innovative and inclusive student affairs practice, where both students and staff thrive, teams lead with heart, and impacts last a lifetime. Core guiding principles include promoting well-being, fostering equity and belonging, nurturing a community of care, encouraging accountability and relationships, and enriching engagement across campus life.
The Division of Student Affairs comprises more than a dozen student-centered departments that together provide wide-ranging programs, services, and facilities to support student development and success. These units include dynamic offices such as Alcohol & Other Drugs Services, the Dean of Students Office, University Counseling Center, Recreation & Wellness, the Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity, and Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. Integral to this framework is Housing & Residence Life, which works collaboratively with other Student Affairs partners to cultivate inclusive living environments and vibrant campus communities that support student learning and connection.
Housing & Residence Life serves as a central pillar of the residential student experience, providing on-campus living opportunities designed to promote safety, belonging, and personal growth. Through a combination of student employment, residential programming, and community engagement initiatives, the department supports thousands of students living on campus, fosters meaningful connections among residents, and collaborates with academic and student life partners to integrate learning and development into residential settings. The department’s work advances the division’s mission by creating environments where students can thrive socially, academically, and personally during their time at GVSU.
To hear more about the Division of Student Affairs:https://www.youtube.com/embed/rnxClpnfYfc.
THE ROLE OF AVP FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS, HOUSING, AND RESIDENCE LIFEThe role of AVP provides visionary leadership for the university’s self-funded, university-owned residence halls and apartments while advancing the mission of the Division of Student Affairs. As a key member of the Student Affairs leadership team, the AVP collaborates with university partners to shape strategic direction, champion equity and inclusion, and enhance programs and services that support student engagement, health, and holistic development within the Division of Student Affairs and Housing and Residence Life. The AVP reports to the VPSA and directly supervises a team of 4 full-time staff and indirectly supervises approximately 30 full-time staff, 120 Resident Assistants, and 30-40 other student staff. In addition, they will oversee a budget of $60 million. The AVP collaborates closely with other leaders within the Division of Student Affairs, as well as with others across the university.
PROCESS OF CANDIDACY
The search committee will begin accepting nominations and reviewing applications immediately and through Early Spring 2026. Requested application materials include a letter of interest and curriculum vitae. Although applications will be accepted until the AVP is selected, for best consideration, all candidates should submit their materials as soon as possible to https://apptrkr.com/6873768.
For more information about Grand Valley State University, please visit www.gvsu.edu.
