Dr. Kris Winter has been appointed as the new Senior Vice President for Undergraduate Affairs at Utah State University. She will begin her new role on August 11, 2025. Dr. Winter has worked in higher education for over 20 years. She currently serves as Associate Vice President for Student Life at the University of Oregon (UO). She joined the University of Oregon in 2016 and has served in several roles at UO including Interim Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students. During her time at the UO, Kris has led countless efforts and programs to support the success, health, safety, and well-being of students. Kris has been engaged in supporting students at every juncture of their UO experience, from first enrollment through graduation. She has also shown commitment to improving employee experience by creating a transparent and affirming work culture. After receiving an undergraduate degree with honors in Educational Studies from the UO in 1998, Kris earned a M.Ed. in College Student Services Administration from Oregon State University in 2001, and her Ed.D. at Portland State University in Educational Leadership in 2022. Her dissertation analyzed the impacts of non-traditional admissions criteria on the admittance and retention of academically at-risk student populations. Kris has a passion for working with underrepresented student communities, crisis response, advocating for college student basic needs support, and removing systemic barriers that impede student success. Dr. Winter has also served as the co-chair of the university threat assessment team, as well as being an active member of the Incident Management Team and Demonstration & Protest Response Team. Kris is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA), and the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP). Her previous professional experience includes student affairs work at Oregon State University for 13 years and Western Washington University for 2 years. Read more.