What does a student services dean do?
Student services dean responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real student services dean resumes:
- Experience in the support of transition and retention strategies for multicultural student populations to address differentials in attrition and retention.
- Deliver training seminars to faculty, administrators and staff providing services to veterans.
Student services dean skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Student Services Deans are proficient in Financial Aid, Enrollment Management, and Student Life. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Interpersonal skills, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Student Services Deans that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Financial Aid, 17%
Crossed trained in the Financial Aid department, assisting students in the application process for FAFSA, maintain and prepare files.
- Enrollment Management, 8%
Led to proactive and deliberate efforts by enrollment management and a reduction in per-student acquisition costs by an estimated 30%.
- Student Life, 8%
Developed processes to improve student life and experience on and off campus.
- Learning Environment, 6%
Program was developed to aid and give more resources to instructors to facilitate a positive learning environment in the classroom.
- Behavior Management, 6%
Monitor the overall school climate which includes the school wide discipline plan for behavior management.
- Student Issues, 6%
Provide ongoing training, assistance, and consultation to Graduate/Professional school administrators on student issues and university policies.
Common skills that a student services dean uses to do their job include "financial aid," "enrollment management," and "student life." You can find details on the most important student services dean responsibilities below.
Computer skills. The most essential soft skill for a student services dean to carry out their responsibilities is computer skills. This skill is important for the role because "postsecondary education administrators need to be comfortable working with computers so they can use software to manage student and school records." Additionally, a student services dean resume shows how their duties depend on computer skills: "proposed internal initiative offering older computer systems as scholarship awards to students in need. "
Interpersonal skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling student services dean duties is interpersonal skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "postsecondary education administrators need to build good relationships with colleagues, students, and parents." According to a student services dean resume, here's how student services deans can utilize interpersonal skills in their job responsibilities: "conducted freshman leadership seminars in time management and interpersonal relationship. "
Organizational skills. This is an important skill for student services deans to perform their duties. For an example of how student services dean responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "administrators need to be organized so they can manage records, prioritize tasks, and coordinate activities with their staff." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a student services dean: "supported organizational goals and vision in order to ensure the successful delivery of quality academic programs. ".
Problem-solving skills. student services dean responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "administrators need to react calmly when a difficult situation arises and develop creative solutions." This resume example shows what student services deans do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "participated in student appeals and conflict resolution. "
The three companies that hire the most student services deans are:
- Denver Public Schools2 student services deans jobs
- Maricopa Unified School District2 student services deans jobs
- Strategic Education1 student services deans jobs
Compare different student services deans
Student services dean vs. Co-chair
A co-chair is responsible for supporting the duties and responsibilities under the supervision of a chair. Co-chairs help with the implementation of effective plans and programs that would benefit the organization. They handle fundraising events, marketing campaigns for promotional programs, audit reports, and evaluating the committee's suggestions and recommendations for its success. A co-chair must have excellent communication and leadership skills and critical-thinking on developing strategies to supervise meetings and events alongside the chair.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between student services deans and co-chair. For instance, student services dean responsibilities require skills such as "financial aid," "enrollment management," "student life," and "learning environment." Whereas a co-chair is skilled in "community outreach," "alumni," "plan events," and "facebook." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that co-chairs earn slightly differ from student services deans. In particular, co-chairs are 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a student services dean. Additionally, they're 1.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Student services dean vs. Director of admissions
The admissions director is responsible for evaluating admission applications in an educational institution setting. Admissions directors monitor the admission process, develop admission procedures and reasonable criteria, and recruit potential students by determining their eligibility and educational objectives. They also assist with handling marketing and promotional campaigns about academic programs, conduct career seminars through school visits, and managing registration paperwork, such as scholarship grants, financial aid applications, and other admission requirements. The admissions director must have excellent communication and leadership skills, responding to the students' inquiries and concerns, as well as overseeing the admissions staff's operations.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that student services dean responsibilities requires skills like "student life," "learning environment," "behavior management," and "student issues." But a director of admissions might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "patients," "customer service," "admissions process," and "facility tours."
Directors of admissions may earn a lower salary than student services deans, but directors of admissions earn the most pay in the education industry with an average salary of $57,091. On the other hand, student services deans receive higher pay in the education industry, where they earn an average salary of $38,166.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Directors of admissions tend to reach similar levels of education than student services deans. In fact, they're 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Student services dean vs. Registrar
A registrar's role is to process and maintain accurate records within an institution or establishment. They are the main point of communication to obtain various kinds of information. In schools, a registrar is in charge of keeping a student or educator's academic, personal, and financial records. They also have the task of arranging a student's course and class schedules. Furthermore, a registrar may also have other administrative tasks such as responding to calls and other forms of correspondence, producing reports, and process requirements.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, student services deans are more likely to have skills like "financial aid," "enrollment management," "student life," and "learning environment." But a registrar is more likely to have skills like "patients," "customer service," "medical terminology," and "patient registration."
Registrars make a very good living in the health care industry with an average annual salary of $36,641. On the other hand, student services deans are paid the highest salary in the education industry, with average annual pay of $38,166.Most registrars achieve a lower degree level compared to student services deans. For example, they're 9.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Student services dean vs. Chairperson
A chairperson is responsible for managing the overall business team, ensuring everyone's compliance with the company's strategies and processes to reach the highest business goals and objectives. A chairperson's duties also include monitoring the staff's performance, analyzing the committee's performance and decisions, providing reports and updates during meetings, improving the current policies and procedures as necessary, and facilitating committee's programs and special events. A chairperson must have excellent leadership and communication skills to lead the team towards its organizational success.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between student services deans and chairpeople, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a student services dean might have more use for skills like "financial aid," "enrollment management," "student life," and "learning environment." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of chairpeople require skills like "alumni," "scholarship," "community outreach," and "executive board. "
The finance industry tends to pay the highest salaries for chairpeople, with average annual pay of $122,813. Comparatively, the highest student services dean annual salary comes from the education industry.chairpeople reach similar levels of education compared to student services deans, in general. The difference is that they're 3.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.5% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of student services dean
Updated January 8, 2025