Vice President for Student Affairs

California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), a distinguished public undergraduate and master’s level institution located in San Luis Obispo, California, seeks an innovative and collaborative leader to serve as its next Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA).

Reporting to President Jeffrey D. Armstrong, the VPSA will join an institution with ambitious and exciting growth opportunities and will play a pivotal role in advancing Cal Poly’s commitment to inclusive excellence, innovation, and student success. This is a unique opportunity to shape the student experience at the nation's premier comprehensive polytechnic university. The VPSA will work with an outstanding student body and highly dedicated faculty and staff to develop and inspire whole-system thinkers through teaching, scholarship, and the co-curricular experience of "Learn by Doing" to become future leaders and innovators in the State of California and the world.

Founded in 1901 as one of 23 universities in the California State University (CSU) system, Cal Poly has consistently been named the best public masters-level university in the West by both U.S. News & World Report and Forbes Top Colleges, and Money magazine gave Cal Poly a 5-star ranking, an honor that places Cal Poly among the top 34 universities in the nation. The university is located in San Luis Obispo, a coastal city halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco and 15 minutes from the Pacific Ocean.

The new VPSA will join Cal Poly at a transformative moment with ambitious growth plans on the horizon, including the conversion to semesters in the fall 2026, the transition to year-round operations in 2027-28, planned enrollment growth to 25,000 students by 2035, the addition of approximately 4,000 student beds of university housing by 2030, and the historic integration with Cal Maritime. This presents an extraordinary opportunity for strategic leadership to help shape the future of student affairs and enhance the university’s impact. Working closely with President Armstrong and a committed senior leadership team, the VPSA will lead efforts to reimagine how student services are delivered and elevate the student experience beyond traditional approaches.

The ideal candidate will be a forward-thinking leader with a deep understanding of contemporary best practices in student affairs, demonstrated success in managing complex organizational change, and a proven track record of building high-performing teams and fostering collaboration. They will bring exceptional business acumen, resource optimization expertise, and an unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The next VPSA will be expected to address the following opportunities and challenges:

• Provide visionary leadership to elevate the Student Affairs Division into a new era of excellence
• Inspire and empower a talented team while fostering growth and resilience during change
• Promote and drive cross-divisional collaboration to deliver seamless, student-centered support
• Champion student advocacy while cultivating an inclusive, equitable campus environment
• Strengthen community partnerships and secure resources to expand the Division’s impact

The anticipated salary range for this position is $300,000 - $325,000 annually. Note that the offer is calculated based on the background and relevant years of experience of the individual selected. Cal Poly offers a best-in-class benefits program, including health, dental and vision insurance, retirement participation in the Public Employees' Retirement System, and educational benefits for eligible employees.

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. For more details, including the full position profile and to submit inquiries, nominations, and referrals, please see below. 

All applications (including CV and cover letter) should be submitted through the Cal Poly portal for the search at https://jobs.calpoly.edu/en-us/job/545797/vice-president-of-student-affairs.

David Bellshaw is leading this search with Phuong Ta and Christina Errico.