Dean of Student Advocacy Office

At VCU, Dr. Willis serves as the Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Advocacy within the Division for Student Affairs. He is responsible for leading and supervising the following units: Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, Hazing Prevention, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Family Programs, and our brand-new Office of Student Advocacy.

The Dean of Student Advocacy Office supports the overarching mission of the Division for Student Affairs to foster students’ intellectual, social, emotional, cultural, and personal growth toward their full potential. We are also dedicated to a high level of approachability, visibility and responsiveness. The Dean of Students is a resource for all undergraduate, graduate and professional students at VCU.

Dr. Willis brings nearly 15 years of higher education experience, marked by his expertise in behavioral intervention, student conduct, student advocacy, and Title IX Compliance. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a keen understanding of the intricacies of student affairs, driving positive change and innovation in various roles.

Please follow the Division for Student Affairs on the following social media platforms:
Twitter. @VCUdsa
Instagram: @vcudsa

Go Rams!

Dr. Jamison supports families by providing advocacy, communications, programming and resources that help them become informed partners in their student's success and engaged members of the university community. She works with families at all stages of the student life-cycle from pre-enrollment to commencement and collaborates with partners on and off campus to provide signature experiences for families such as Family Weekend, Family Council, and RAMily Reunion. She also curates resources for parenting and caregiving students to help them balance their family responsibilities with academic pursuits and supports students seeking assistance from the Dean of Student Advocacy Office. 

Karen Belanger, Ed.D., has worked in student affairs for 30 years; the 2024-25 academic year marks her twentieth year at VCU. Currently, Dr. Belanger serves as the Assistant Dean and Director for Student Conduct and Academic Integrity administering the student conduct process for the university. Since arriving at VCU as the inaugural director in this office, Dr. Belanger has grown the responsibilities of the office from the administration of one policy to the development and administration of three policies; as she demonstrated the ability to develop, coordinate, and implement compliant, effective, and efficient processes. The office has also grown from one to six full-time professional staff to meet these additional requirements. 

Dr. Belanger has demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse university environment. She participated on the Inclusive Learning Council and as a member of the Division of Student Affairs Diversity Committee. Dr. Belanger also completed the VCU Recruitment Inclusive Champions Program and continues to work with this program to develop recruitment and selection processes that garner diverse and inclusive candidate pools. Most recently, she completed the VCU School of Education’s Becoming an Antiracist Educator Series I (a semester-long program). Finally, her Ed.D. program focused on dismantling racial disproportionality in higher education – her personal interests in higher education include examining gender pay inequity, zero-tolerance discipline policies, and legal issues stemming from due process violations. In her role as Assistant Dean and Director of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, she has been intentional in her efforts to ensure that the office and its processes offer accessible and equitable experiences for students. To this end, Student Conduct and Academic Integrity strives to recruit staff and volunteers that reflect the diversity of the university community. Dr. Belanger introduced bias mitigation training for the Student Conduct Board and the Honor Council, and continues to work with her colleagues to update and improve these sessions. Finally, Dr. Belanger seeks to provide a process that balances accountability and consistency with restorative principles and student success.       

Dr. Belanger received her Ed.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University in Leadership, her MS from Boston University in Corporate Public Relations, and her BA from the University of New Hampshire. While at UNH, Dr. Belanger was a Resident Assistant for three years, after working several years as a social worker, she returned to higher education as a hall director at Boston University. Before she arrived at VCU, Dr. Belanger held multiple positions at Boston University, in Residential Life and Housing, and Judicial Affairs, over her 10 years there.     

Karen is also a devoted aunt, a lifelong fan of the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox, a cookbook collector, and a lover of 1980s music. 

As the Assistant Dean of Students, Rachael supports the VCU community by coordinating the Threat Assessment Team, assisting with university policy and procedure review, and spearheading campus-wide hazing prevention efforts.  She partners with many offices across campus to help create a safe and informed university community.  Rachael brings experience in student conduct, fraternity and sorority life, and study abroad student life management to her role here at VCU.