So, you wanna be an AVP?

When we were approached about writing a chapter in the NASPA book AVP: Leading from the Unique Role of Assistant/Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, we thanked Amy Hecht and Jason Pina (the editors) for the opportunity and said of course we would be thrilled to contribute. Then we called each other and wondered what we would write about. At the time we were still fairly new in our AVP roles (4 and 8 months, respectively) and while we wanted to share pearls of wisdom, we recognized that we were still learning new things about our role every single day.  In retrospect, this unique situation set us up for success because we were creating the chapter based on our current lived (daily!) experiences.

We start the chapter with a discussion about what kind of AVP you are being asked to be.  Are you a fixer? Are you being asked to maintain the status quo?  Are you being asked to be a relationship-builder?  Knowing what your Vice President needs from you in this role is essential, so we offer three archetypes for you to consider as you plan for your success.

We also focus on creating a plan for success, sequenced chronologically with key moments in the job transition process.  Here is an example of what we offer in the chapter, focusing on the important first year. 

30 days prior to your start date, the real work begins! A few things to do before your first day:

• Read the divisional and university end of year report to gain an understanding of operational achievements and priorities
• Review the university strategic plan to identify overarching strategic priorities and locate your division and/or departments in the plan
• Request the general budget for the division and your specific area to familiarize yourself with the fiscal landscape of your portfolio within the division
• Request that your email and university access to files be granted prior to your start date so you can hit the ground running

• Review the organizational chart for the division and consider how the organizational logic impacts the student experience as well as the professional experience

We also share tips for your first 30 days, and days 30-90. For a more detailed explanation we hope you will pick up a copy!    

Other areas that we discuss in the chapter include managing up/managing down and balancing day-to-day responsibilities with strategic objectives, both of which are key success strategies for AVPs. We conclude the chapter with three key strategies for success to help you in these areas as well as provide wisdom from current Vice Presidents who have offered a few thoughts about how their AVPs can be successful in the role.

This book is essential for new, current or aspiring AVPs because it provides a roadmap for success, a discussion of skills needed and practical action steps for managing the role.

What other tips would you suggest for success during your first year as an AVP?

Tweet us at @annmarieklotz and @vijaypendakur using #NASPA!