Vice Chancellor of Enrollment and Strategic Initiatives

Vice Chancellor of Enrollment and Strategic Initiatives

The University of Wisconsin-Stout (UW-Stout) invites applications and nominations for the position of Vice Chancellor of Enrollment and Strategic Initiatives.

University Overview

The University of Wisconsin-Stout offers a rich, dynamic, and collaborative environment in which to work and grow. A member of the University of Wisconsin system, UW-Stout is unique within the University of Wisconsin System—it is named after its founder, James Huff Stout, and holds the distinction of being Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, a designation which highlights its combination of applied learning, real-world experiences, and an integrated liberal arts foundation. 

UW-Stout offers 49 undergraduate and 22 graduate degrees, including three terminal degrees. The current enrollment is approximately 8,000 students. The UW-Stout campus community enjoys opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration, state-of-the-art facilities, and a modern digital environment. UW-Stout values innovative approaches to solving problems in society and industry and encourages collaboration within and across disciplines and professions. 

The university is on a beautiful campus in Menomonie, situated in western Wisconsin, 60 minutes east of Minneapolis-St. Paul on Interstate 94. Located in the scenic Chippewa Valley region with a population base of more than 200,000. Menomonie is a city of more than 16,400, surrounded by lakes, streams, and woodlands. For more information about the UW-Stout community and region visit: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/our-community.

Position Summary

This Vice Chancellor is a newly structured position that will be responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction for all aspects of university enrollment management. The Vice Chancellor reports to the Chancellor and supervises the following areas: Admissions, the Advisement Center, Financial Aid, Registration and Records, Stout Online, Continuing Education, and Professional Education. These areas work in collaboration with leaders in Academic Affairs, Student Life, and other Divisions to meet campus goals for recruitment and retention.

The Vice Chancellor of Enrollment and Strategic Initiatives will be a proven leader who is able to establish and maintain effective and responsible working relationships. This individual will have demonstrated abilities in strategic enrollment management planning, budget, and assessment; a record of proven results to promote an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment; possess the ability to build a strong team and develop and maintain collaborative relationships; and exhibit excellent oral and written communication skills. A successful candidate will demonstrate ethical values, creativity, energy and will be committed to student success and the mission of UW-Stout as Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University.

The ideal candidate will:

• Provide strategic enrollment leadership by maximizing data, research, and thoughtful and thorough assessment of UW-Stout’s unique positioning as Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University; 
• Lead a team that will guide all facets of the university’s enrollment, including existing student classifications and identifying new markets;
• Possess the skills and mindset to lead and champion institutionally innovative recruitment and retention strategies necessary in a post-COVID, post-secondary context;
• Lead work with units across campus to recruit and retain a more diverse student population through intentional alignment with university efforts regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion;
• Lead development of a university-wide strategic enrollment management plan and ensure comprehensive involvement, shared responsibility, and integration with the institutional planning process;
• Maintain a clear understanding of each stage of the enrollment process and how to work with appropriate campus partners to successfully enhance the results at each stage for various student populations;
• Have experience recruiting for and working with a wide variety of student markets including traditional, online, transfer, adult learners, and non-traditional students;
• Have budgeting experience, including a comprehensive understanding of various funding sources; the ability to identify, expand, and diversify revenue streams; and the skills to lead thoughtfully through budgetary constraints and limitations; 
• Actively engage in collaborative endeavors with both internal and external stakeholders that assist individual departments and divisional units in reaching goals and initiatives;
• Have proven leadership abilities through dynamic and changing environments and have the trust of those with whom they work;
• Have successfully supervised professional staff and intentionally seek to develop staff who are relevant, thoughtful, and forward-thinking in their work with faculty, staff, and students;
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing and effectively serve as a spokesperson for units in their area of supervision.  

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree (terminal degree in related field preferred);
• Experience in strategic enrollment management, including effective data-driven planning and decision-making through collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders;
• Minimum of five (5) years of management experience in higher education student services administration or a related field, including supervision experience and fiscal management; 
• Demonstrated experience in working with a wide variety of student groups and learning modalities; 
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion work resulting in tangible outcomes within an organization or institution;
• Demonstrated knowledge, ingenuity, and creativity in developing successful recruitment and retention strategies and identifying new and emerging markets. 

Application and Nomination Process

The Search Committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and will continue to accept applications and nominations until the position is filled. Submission of materials via e-mail is strongly encouraged and applications submitted by January 29th, 2021 will receive priority consideration.

Applicants must submit a current curriculum vitae; a letter of interest describing relevant experience; and an equity, diversity, and inclusion statement that explains how the candidate supports such institutional efforts through the strategic enrollment management process. Nomination letters should include the name, position, and contact information for the nominee. All nominations and applications will be handled in confidence.

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, UW-Stout is committed to inclusive excellence and is actively seeking applications from individuals from diverse groups; veterans and individuals with disabilities.

An offer of employment is contingent upon the final candidate passing a criminal background check and a reference check process. The reference check process includes asking the final candidate and most recent supervisor questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment. Final candidates with previous employment within the UW System and State of WI agencies will be subject to additional reference checks.

A successful candidate must have authorization to work within the United States as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

In response to a public records request, the University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in their online application, except that the identity of the successful final candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).