Academic and Student Affairs
Mission
The mission of Academic and Student Affairs at Minnesota State is to be a national leader in transforming higher education systems and practices to improve student outcomes and eliminate disparities.
- We will be known nationally as a system that is continually evolving and one that embraces and thrives on creating new and more effective ways to educate and serve students, our communities, and our state.
- We will pursue intentional, equity-focused, and evidence-based solutions to address the problems of today and tomorrow.
- We will sustain rigor in our work – holding high standards and expectations of our students, our partners, and ourselves.
- We will approach our work with intentionality and compassion – working with integrity, humility, and caring, accepting people where they are and moving them forward without sacrificing standards or expectations.
Key Principles
To achieve these ends, we will re-envision and re-structure our work around three key principles:
Innovation and Evolution
Re-envisioning higher education as a collective and collaborative enterprise where innovation and evolution are integral to our culture.
Strategic Enrollment Management
Re-envisioning and enhancing the entire student experience to improve student success and effectively manage enrollment.
Minnesota State Guided Learning Pathways
Re-envisioning learning pathways to create multiple and equitable paths to development and credentials for lifelong success.
Satasha Green-Stephen
Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs
651-201-1498
Senior Vice Chancellor Speaking Request Form
Dr. Green-Stephen has over 20 years’ experience in higher education and brings a deep and broad record of accomplishment in academic and student affairs leadership at both the campus level as well as at large, complex systems.
Prior to joining Minnesota State in 2018, she served as the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs at Chicago State University (CSU), Dean of the College of Education at CSU, Dean of the Graduate School of Education at New York Institute of Technology and Associate Dean of Student and Curriculum Affairs and Associate Professor for the College of Education at The University of Alaska Anchorage.
She holds a Juris Doctor from The University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law, PhD in Special Education from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master’s degree in Sociology and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Anthropology, from Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Shonda Craft
Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs Operations
651-201-1473
Dr. Shonda Craft has worked in higher education her entire adult life with nearly 20 years of professional teaching and administrative experience at large research-intensive institutions as well as regional comprehensive universities.
Prior to joining Minnesota State, Shonda served as Dean of the College of Health and Wellness Professions at St. Cloud State University. She has also served as an Associate Dean and Dean at Metro State University, and as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Craft is also a licensed marriage and family therapist with an active private practice in the Twin Cities, and is a regularly featured on-air relationship expert for the Relationship Reboot segment on WCCO-TV.
She is a triple graduate of The Ohio State University with a BS in Psychology; MS in Human Development and Family Studies; and PhD in Couple and Family Therapy, with a graduate minor in Human and Community Resource Development and a certificate in HIV Prevention Education.
Paul Shepherd
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
651-605-0834
Dr. Paul Shepherd has over 20 years of professional experience in higher education serving in a variety of leadership roles in different functional areas within student affairs and enrollment management at campuses in the University of Wisconsin system and the Minnesota State system office. Prior to serving in this role, Paul served as the system director for student development and success at Minnesota State where he led efforts to comprehensively address basic needs insecurity, supported campus based functional area leaders and senior leaders in student affairs and enrollment management, and provided leadership for other student success focused initiatives. Paul is passionate about working collaboratively to build student-ready campus communities focused on equity, inclusion, and student success.
Dr. Shepherd holds a Doctorate degree (EdD) in Education Leadership from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota where he researched the relationship between college student engagement, socioeconomic status, and persistence to degree completion. He also holds a Master’s degree in college student development and administration from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.
Jesse Mason
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
651-201-1496
Dr. Jesse Mason has over 18 years’ experience in higher education. As a first-generation high school and college graduate, he understands the power of how education changes lives. His personal mission “is to create transformative experiences for students, the community, and employees that will lead to success and a better quality of life.”
Prior to joining the system office, Dr. Mason has served as Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at North Hennepin Community College, Academic Dean at Century College, Department Chair of Psychology at Clark Atlanta University, and has served as faculty at both community colleges and universities.
He holds a PhD in Psychology (Cognitive and Biological [Brain] Sciences) from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Morris Brown College.
Kim Lynch
Associate Vice Chancellor for Educational Development and Technology
651-201-1655
Kim has served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Educational Development and Technology since 2014, overseeing enterprise technology services and resources. Kim has been in the Minnesota State system since 1994 and came to her current role with broad and deep experience in academic affairs and academic technology, having served as a faculty member, active learning advocate, center for instructional technology coordinator, dean of innovative teaching and learning, interim chief information officer, and dean of STEM and computer networking.
Kim holds a BA in English and psychology from Hamline University and both an MA and PhD in English from the University of Minnesota.
Nancy D. Floyd
Senior System Director for Research
651-201-1817
Nancy Floyd joined Minnesota State as Senior System Director for Research in March 2020. In that role she oversees production of system submissions to the state Office of Higher Education, reports to the State Legislature on behalf of the system, and IPEDS submissions for seven universities and thirty colleges, as well as a number of systemwide data applications and long-range reporting projects. In this role she also serves on the Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership and specifically on the Learner Lifespan workgroup.
Nancy’s prior roles were as Director of Institutional Analytics at NC State University, system DIR/IPEDS Coordinator at the University of South Carolina flagship campus in Columbia, in institutional effectiveness for Midlands Technical College, and as manager of the test bank for the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. She has held several offices with state and regional AIR affiliated organizations and with the Southern Universities Group (SUG). Nancy has given presentations on the use of basic statistics in IR, effective reporting in HR, and how to apply user feedback and cognitive psychology to improve data visualizations.
Additionally she is versed on the use of risk assessment in higher education leadership. She is an IPEDS Educator and current member (for public systems) of the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative (NPEC).
Directories for Senior Academic Officers, Senior Student Affairs Officers, and Academic Deans across Minnesota State campuses.
- Senior Academic Affairs Officer List (systemwide)
- Senior Student Affairs Officer List (systemwide)
- Minnesota State Deans List (systemwide)
- Other System Directories (Board of Trustees roster, college and university presidents, Minnesota State Legislature directories, and higher education affiliates of the system)
Faculty and staff can view the ASA Organization Chart and Directories on ASA Connect.
The Academic and Student Affairs division prepares a variety of reports including many that are produced for the Minnesota Legislature. Find recent reports and initiative updates below.
- Digital Learning Transformation
- Mental Health Services and Resources
- Program Review and Quality Assurance
- Strategic Enrollment Management
- Student Basic Needs
- Transfer Student Dashboard
- General Education Redesign
- Developmental Education Reform
ASA Connect
Minnesota State faculty and staff can learn more on ASA Connect using your StarID@MinnState.edu and password.
ASA Newsletter
The ASA Newsletter is a primary communication tool delivering ASA news to Minnesota State faculty and staff. Subscribe to receive email notifications.