Following a national search, Jodi Bailey has been named vice president for student affairs, Temple University Provost Gregory N. Mandel announced Thursday. Subject to final approval by the Board of Trustees, Bailey will begin in this role on March 1, 2024. 

A seasoned student affairs and higher education leader, Bailey currently serves as the vice president for student development and community engagement at New Jersey City University (NJCU) where she oversees the divisions of student development as well as alumni and development. In this role, she has oversight of all nonacademic wraparound student services and focused on student success, retention and persistence through impactful initiatives. From 2022 to 2023, while also at NJCU, she served as vice president for enrollment management and student affairs and also as chief enrollment officer. She first joined NJCU in 2016 as the executive director of housing and residence life, before being promoted to associate vice president for student affairs in 2018. 

“Jodi brings a breadth of higher education knowledge and experience to this role, specifically as it relates to student affairs,” Mandel said. “She has an innate ability to assess student needs, gather feedback, and then implement initiatives and programs that meet those needs. We are eager to see the many ways that she will leave her mark here at Temple and cannot wait to welcome her to North Broad Street.” 

At NJCU, Bailey worked regularly to improve the student experience and chaired a number of committees that helped integrate student services across campus. Some of these include committees focused on improving the student union building, institutional branding and residential housing strategies. 

She also focused a great portion of her efforts on improving outcomes for first-generation and low-income students. Under her leadership, the university began to implement an emergency fund for students in need, created a food pantry, and instituted a community-based counseling and referral service model. 

“I am truly thrilled to embark on this exciting journey as the vice president for student affairs at Temple University,” Bailey said. “It is a tremendous honor to join this esteemed institution and collaborate with a group of exceptionally talented professionals, especially those within the Division of Student Affairs. I extend my sincere gratitude to the search committee, especially search committee chair, Dr. Jodi Levine Laufgraben, and Provost Mandel for their support. I eagerly anticipate contributing to the vibrant community at Temple and embracing the challenges and opportunities that come with this new role.” 

Bailey’s commitment to students was also evident during her time at New York University, where she worked from 2005 to 2016 and served as director of student affairs at the Tisch School of the Arts from 2011 to 2016. While there, she counseled and advised students on issues related to health and mental wellness, legal matters, housing, and residential life. She also oversaw the implementation of all major schoolwide events such as new student orientation, parents day graduation and all admissions special events. 

Bailey has been recognized with a number of awards throughout her career. Most recently, she received the Women’s Empowerment “You Make a Difference” Award from NJCU in 2023 and the Enterprising Women in Commerce 2022 Award from the Higher Education, Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey in August 2022. She was also the inaugural recipient of NJCU’s Bob Delaney Service Before Self Award in 2021. 

Bailey earned a PhD in education research, assessment and program evaluation from Seton Hall University. Her dissertation was titled Grit as a Predictor of Retention for First-Year Latino Students at an HSI. She holds a master’s degree in higher education and a bachelor’s degree in English and communications, both of which she earned from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.