The Division of Student Affairs is proud to announce that Dr. Mari Ross will step into the role of Associate Vice Chancellor (AVC) for Health and Wellbeing.
Ross will oversee the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the Student Health Center (SHC), the Center for Wellness Promotion (CWP) and University Recreation (UREC). She will begin on Monday, Aug. 9.
"Dr. Ross has done a similar job at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and already has an understanding of the four Health and Wellbeing units. Her past experiences at Tennessee State and her private practice make her the perfect choice," said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Kevin Bailey. "I am excited to welcome her and look forward to her leadership in creating the concept of holistic health and wellness for students."
Ross comes to UNC Charlotte from NCCU in Durham. As an assistant vice president for student affairs she provided executive leadership, budgetary oversight and forecast, policy development and staff management to student health, counseling services, office of health promotions, campus recreation and wellness, student accessibility services, career and professional development and women’s center.
“During my career in higher education, I have acquired the experience and knowledge base in a wide range of departments and functional areas germane to this role and the Division of Student Affairs,” Ross said. “I was the first sitting AVC for health and wellness at two institutions prior, providing me an opportunity to develop, lead and champion the health and wellness space for the ground level to strong collaborative and unified health and wellness departments.”
Prior to NCCU, Ross spent seven years at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she served as an assistant vice president for student affairs from January 2018 to July 2019 and as counseling center director and athletics behavioral health consultant from April 2012 to January 2018.
As Ross prepares to step into her new role here at UNC Charlotte, she said she most looks forward to engaging with the students.
“I thoroughly enjoy the energy and innovativeness of students and strive to maintain a student-centric environment,” she said. “I am also excited to build strong collaboration across campus with wonderful colleagues, the UNC System and Charlotte community partners.”
Thank you to Dr. Dennis Wiese for serving as interim AVC since October 2020.