Associate Dean of Students for Student Life (Administrator II)

Job Description:

Associate Dean of Students for Student Life (Administrator II)

Description

Position Summary

San Diego State University is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and student-centered Associate Dean of Students for Student Life to oversee four key student engagement centers and help shape a vibrant, inclusive, and engaging campus experience. This position offers a unique opportunity to influence university-wide student engagement, leadership development, and organizational accountability while contributing to SDSU's commitment to student success and well-being.

Reporting to the Dean of Students, the Associate Dean provides strategic direction and oversight for the Center for Student Organizations & Activities, Esports Engagement Center, Glazer Center for Leadership & Service, and Pierce Greek Life Center. In this role, you'll guide a team of student affairs professionals, oversee budgets and resources, and advance signature campus programs such as Aztec Nights, the SDSU Leadership Summit, One SDSU Community, and student involvement initiatives. You'll also oversee Recognized Student Organization conduct processes, support regulatory compliance and risk management efforts, and collaborate with campus partners to navigate complex student issues and emergencies.

As a member of the Office of the Dean of Students' leadership team, you'll help shape policies, strengthen campus partnerships, and support strategic initiatives that enhance the student experience. This position is ideal for a student affairs professional who values collaborative decision-making, thoughtful policy interpretation, and balancing student development with organizational accountability.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight for four student engagement centers, including staff supervision, financial management, and program development.
• Oversee Recognized Student Organization conduct processes, including investigations, case management, and educational accountability.
• Coordinate campus-wide programs and initiatives that promote student involvement, leadership development, and community building.
• Guide compliance and risk management efforts, including hazing prevention education, reporting requirements, and student organization policies.
• Collaborate with campus partners on complex student concerns, crisis response, and campus-wide initiatives, including participation in the Administrator-on-Duty rotation and SDSU’s expressive activity response team.

Why Join Us

• Shape the student experience through four major centers dedicated to engagement, leadership, service, and community.
• Make a university-wide impact through high-profile programs, student development initiatives, and organizational improvements.
• Mentor and support a diverse team of student affairs professionals while fostering collaboration and professional growth.
• Partner with campus leadership on meaningful initiatives involving student well-being, policy, and campus engagement.
• Advance your career in a highly visible role within SDSU's Office of the Dean of Students and the California State University system.

As part of the California State University (CSU) system, San Diego State University helps power one of the largest and most impactful public university systems in the nation. See what it’s like to work at the CSU-watch our video and imagine your future here: Working at the CSU .

Position Information

• This is a full-time, at-will role, offering comprehensive benefits.
• Position is designated exempt under FLSA and is not eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but may vary based on operational needs.
• This position requires routine evening and weekend work.
• This position is approved for partial telecommuting with onsite work in San Diego.

Department Summary

The Office of the Dean of Students at San Diego State University supports and enhances the student experience by creating inclusive communities of care and developing student leaders. The office oversees a broad portfolio of student engagement, leadership, transition, support, and co-curricular programs, including, but not limited to, the Center for Student Organizations and Activities, Esports Engagement Center, Glazer Center for Leadership & Service, Pierce Greek Life Center, CARES, Center for Commuter Life, SDSU Connects, Orientation, Transition, and Family Engagement, SDSU Ambassadors, Aztec Nights, Conflict Management Action Team, and the Mentor and Success Coaching Collective.

Through these programs and services, the office helps students navigate their transition to SDSU, build meaningful connections, engage in leadership and campus life, access support resources, and develop the skills needed to become successful scholars, citizens, and leaders. It also provides crisis support, coordinated care, family engagement, and student-centered resources that promote belonging, well-being, and retention.

For more information regarding the Office of the Dean of Students, click here .

Education and Experience

A Master’s degree in Counseling, College Student Personnel Administration, Higher Education, or related field is required.

A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in student affairs, student support, and crisis management is essential. This includes, but is not limited to, on-call crisis response, case management, policy development and enforcement, fraternity and sorority life, student development, student activities, student success initiatives, diversity and inclusion, and leadership programs in a university setting.

Key Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of student development principles, student affairs administration, and student engagement practices in higher education.
• Experience providing strategic leadership and operational oversight of multiple student services programs, departments, and initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience supervising, mentoring, and evaluating professional staff while managing budgets, resources, and organizational priorities.
• Experience overseeing student organizations, fraternity and sorority life, leadership development, and campus-wide student engagement programs.
• Knowledge of student conduct processes, risk management, university policies, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience managing student crises, emergency response, conflict resolution, and sensitive situations with sound judgment and care.
• Effective communication, collaboration, and strategic planning skills, with experience building partnerships across diverse campus and community stakeholders.
• Availability to participate in an on-call emergency response rotation and work evenings and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits

At San Diego State University, we value our team members and offer a competitive salary that reflects your qualifications and experience. But that’s just the beginning! Our exceptional benefits package is designed to support your well-being and work-life balance:

• Generous Leave Benefits: Enjoy 15 paid holidays, 24 vacation days, and 12 sick days per year.
• Retirement Security: Benefit from a CalPERS defined benefit pension plan, with reciprocity with the UC Retirement Plan, plus retiree healthcare benefits.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access a variety of health, dental, and vision plans at no or low cost to you.
• Educational Opportunities: Take advantage of the California State University system fee reduction program for yourself or a qualified dependent.
• Voluntary Benefits: Opt into additional benefits like Auto & Home Insurance, Life and Disability Insurances, a Legal Plan, Pet Insurance, and the ScholarShare 529 Plan for college savings.

The expected hiring salary for this position ranges from $129,000 to $139,656 annually.

SDSU Values

At SDSU, our diversity gives us power and benefits every single member of our community. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU provides equal opportunity for all in education and employment. We encourage all members of our community to purposefully learn from one another through open and respectful dialogue and responsible engagement. We strongly preserve the right to free expression and encourage difficult conversations that help lead to improved individual and community learning and cohesion.

Principles of Community

At San Diego State University, we are a community of diverse individuals who have and represent many perspectives, beliefs, and identities. This diversity lends our community strength, and we commit to creating and sustaining an inclusive and intellectually vibrant environment that benefits all members of our university.

SDSU’s Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that is intended to evolve over time. The statement reflects the ideals we are encouraged to uphold in our interactions with one another.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, San Diego State University (SDSU) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. SDSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

SDSU is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At SDSU, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.

Supplemental Information

Apply by December 6, 2026 to ensure full consideration. Applications submitted after this date will be reviewed on an as-needed basis, and the position will remain open until filled.

The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

San Diego State University is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (e.g., H-1B visa). Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents that demonstrate a person's identity and authorization to work in the United States, which are consistent with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily and is required for employment. SDSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current SDSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

SDSU is a smoke-free campus. For more information, please click here .

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who request an accommodation by contacting Eurick Hilario at [email protected].

Advertised: Nov 13 2026 Pacific Standard Time
Applications close: