UVA Dean of Students Allen Groves will depart from the University this summer to serve as the senior vice president of student experience at Syracuse University. He will assume this position July 1.
“It has been a singular honor to serve my alma mater as University-wide Dean of Students these past 14 years,” said Groves. “I’ve led a remarkable team of professionals and worked alongside exceptional student leaders in striving to create the best possible experience for our students.”
“I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to do something I love at a place that has given me so much, stretching back to my own time as a student here.”
– Dean Allen Groves
Groves graduated from the UVA School of Law in 1990 and was invited back to Charlottesville by Chief Student Affairs Officer Patricia M. Lampkin in 2006, after 16 years of legal practice in Atlanta.
In his time at UVA, Groves served the University as the first full-time development director for the Division of Student Affairs. He was soon asked to serve as interim dean of students — nine months later, he was named associate vice president and dean of students in May 2008.
As the dean of students, Groves has overseen Student Engagement; Housing & Residence Life; the University’s three residential colleges; Fraternity & Sorority Life; Multicultural Student Services; Student Success; Orientation & New Student Programs; and the management of several student gathering spaces (including Newcomb Hall and the 1515 Building on the Corner). He has also served as a member of the University’s Critical Incident Management and Threat Assessment Teams, and his office manages the Just-Report-It incident reporting website and the Dean-on-Call incident response system, designed to increase community safety.
“Allen has been an extraordinary leader and advocate for our students, serving with great passion for, and dedication to, his work,” said UVA President Jim Ryan. “As one of the most recognizable figures on Grounds, he has been an integral part of the student experience, and will be greatly missed by his many friends and colleagues. I’ve been personally grateful for his wise counsel, partnership and good humor, and I congratulate Syracuse on their outstanding new hire.”
According to Syracuse University, Groves will oversee a variety of programs, services and personnel, including health and career services, first-year and transfer programs, and residential life, among many other student affairs.
“The challenges facing students at Syracuse University and elsewhere are complex and demand a transparent, collaborative, direct and responsive approach,” says Groves. “My husband and I are excited to be joining this vibrant community, and I’m looking forward to meeting students where they are, attending events, visiting residence halls, inviting them to lunch and creating the opportunity for frank discussions. We live in a rapidly changing world, and I hope to work with students on engagement and advocacy that prepares them for a life filled with purpose.”
