Boston College, which has operated without a vice president for student affairs (VPSA) since former VPSA Patrick Rombalski left in November of 2012, announced today that Barbara Jones has been hired to fill that position. Jones will officially begin work at BC on July 1 after she finishes the year at Miami University of Ohio, where she has worked as the vice president of the division of student affairs since 2008.
“Barbara Jones stood out as the ideal candidate to lead Boston College’s student affairs division based on her extensive experience and nationally recognized reputation as a leader in the field,” said University Spokesman Jack Dunn. “She is very enthusiastic about joining us at Boston College, and we look forward to her arrival on campus early this summer.”
Jones is not the only top-level administrator at BC with ties to Miami University. Director of Athletics Brad Bates, who joined the University last October, served as Miami University’s athletic director from 2002 to 2012.
According to a press release from the Office of News and Public Affairs, Jones created an initiative to improve academic success and expand student internship opportunities while at Miami University. “Jones also helped to enhance staff development through a targeted series of professional development programs that focused on student retention, academic success, program assessment and alcohol education, and to foster a culture of assessment by introducing both learning and program outcomes and data-driven decision making,” the release read. Under Jones’ leadership, Miami University hosted its first Multicultural Student Leadership Conference last September. Jones also co-chaired the Steering Committee for Retention and Graduation, which aimed to improve areas such as academic advising in order to increase the Uuniversity’s retention and graduation rates.
Jones has extensive experience in student affairs. Her previous positions include chancellor for student affairs at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she worked for eight years; associate vice president for student affairs at Ball State University, and director of student activities and organizations at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
From 2006 to 2007, she also served as the president of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), an association devoted to the advancement of student affairs administration, implementation, and policy. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Educational Administration and earned both her M.A. and B.A. from Indiana University.
