Vice President for Student Success

University of Louisiana, Lafayette•Lafayette, LA

About The Position

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette), a major national research university seeks an experienced, collaborative, and mission-aligned enrollment and student success leader to serve as Vice President for Student Success (VPSS) during an important period of institutional renewal and strategic advancement. Reporting to the President, the VPSS will provide leadership and strategic direction for university-wide efforts to improve student recruitment, access, retention, progression, graduation, and post-graduation outcomes. As a senior leader, the VPSS will work closely with academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment management, and institutional research to design, implement, and assess integrated student success initiatives that support academic excellence, institutional sustainability, and student well-being. The VPSS will be expected to align the student success operation with the University’s vision and to bring innovative practices that drive student and university success in several key areas. First, strengthen recruitment through multi-year planning that expands the applicant pipeline and improves enrollment within undergraduate and graduate programs. Second, develop enrollment strategies aligned with UL Lafayette’s academic portfolio, with attention to programs meeting workforce and economic priorities. Third, advance innovation in enrollment operations, including the evaluation and implementation of technologies, predictive analytics, and financial aid optimization.

Requirements

Earned doctorate from an accredited institution.
A minimum of ten years of senior-level leadership experience in recruitment, enrollment, student success, and student affairs.
Strong communication, analytical, and operations management skills.
Proven ability to collaborate across academic and administrative units to deliver institution-wide results.
Demonstrated ability to design and implement data-informed initiatives that improve recruitment, retention, progression, and graduation outcomes.
Knowledge and experience with multiple advising models, learning support strategies, and student success infrastructure.
Experience evaluating and implementing technologies that support recruitment, enrollment, and student success.
Ability to interpret data, develop KPIs, and support analytics and reporting structures.
Skill in strategic planning and the ability to align student success efforts with institutional priorities.
Ability to manage and allocate resources in ways that drive unit performance, supports student success, and help attain institutional goals.
Ability to engage external partners, alumni, and employers to enhance enrollment and post-graduation success.

Nice To Haves

Experience within complex higher education environments such as research universities, comprehensive institutions, or multi-campus systems.
Familiarity with performance-based funding models and state higher education accountability metrics.
Experience securing and managing external grants or related initiatives.

Responsibilities

Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing refinement of comprehensive enrollment and student success strategies that are aligned with UL Lafayette's mission, academic priorities, and financial goals.
Serve as the institutional leader for student recruitment growth, while partnering closely with the Provost to implement student retention strategies as a central enrollment lever.
Provide leadership for a data-informed student success strategy spanning recruitment, onboarding, growth/progression in academic major, graduation and career placement.
Align student success priorities with the university’s strategic plan, accreditation standards, UL System, and State of Louisiana for performance metrics.
Implement targeted recruitment initiatives, including digital campaigns, that reflect evolving technologies, consumer expectations, and market trends.
Collaborate with communications and marketing to develop strategies that effectively reach and engage prospective students and their families.
Develop compelling recruitment, yield, and conversion campaigns to enhance UL Lafayette’s reputation and visibility at local, regional, national, and international levels.
Strengthen existing and establish new relationships with high school guidance counselors, faculty (subject matter experts, and administrators to position UL Lafayette as a “go to destination” for undergraduate and graduate education.
Leverage UL Lafayette Alumni in building relationships within high schools and the communities in which they operate.
Once a student enrolls and arrives on campus, the VPSS will also manage the student success pipeline, which includes academic advising, first-year experience programs, learning support, TRIO and access programs, retention initiatives, undergraduate research, and career services.
Promote evidence-based practices such as proactive advising, early alert systems, and high-impact learning and support strategies.
Ensure coherence and alignment across academic and co-curricular student success efforts.
Integrate Career Services early in the student’s journey by connecting them with part-time jobs related to their field of student, internships, etc. Additionally, the VPSS is expected to engage Career Services early and often in a student’s academic progression.
Leverage UL Lafayette Alumni in building career mentoring, guest speaking, internship offerings, and on-campus recruiting
Lead the use of data analytics and assessment to inform decisions and evaluate the effectiveness of recruiting, enrollment, and student success initiatives.
Collaborate with Institutional Research to establish key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, and reporting structures.
Prepare reports and presentations for senior leadership, governing bodies, and external stakeholders.
Engage Enrollment Management with Housing and Orientation operations to ensure smooth transitions from recruitment to matriculation.
Work closely with the university cabinet, deans, department chairs, and faculty leaders to embed student success strategies within academic programs.
Engage external partners, alumni, and employers to strengthen on-campus and digital career fairs and recruiting (internships, part-time, & full-time employment).
Oversee budgets and allocate resources strategically to maximize student impact and success.
Identify and pursue external funding opportunities (e.g., federal grants, state initiatives, philanthropic support) to scale student success efforts.
Recruit, develop, and supervise professional staff who are committed to student-centered, evidence-based practice.
Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within student success units.