About
Meet our Dean of Students
Dr. Nicole Whitner is a San Diego native, and has served as the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at the University of San Diego since 2022. The Dean of Students portfolio includes areas such as Residential Life, Student Conduct, the Commuter Commons, and the Center for Student Success.
Prior to joining USD, Dr. Whitner served at Holy Names University where she was the Dean of Students for three years. In this role, she served as chair of the university’s CARE team and provided leadership for student development and engagement programs across many areas, including Residential Life, New Student Programs, and Student Leadership. Additionally, Dr. Whitner has served in various leadership roles with regional and national professional organizations, most recently serving on the Governing Board for ACPA College Student Educators International. In 2023 the ACPA Foundation honored Dr. Whitner with the Diamond Honoree Award for outstanding contributions to the field.
Dr. Whitner earned her Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California and a Master of Science in Higher Education Leadership from Capella University. She earned her undergraduate degree in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.
In her free time, Dr. Whitner enjoys good food, travel, visiting Disney parks, various artistic endeavors, and spending time with her family and friends!
Meet our Team
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Case Management, Onboarding, Learning Communities
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Forms
Events
If you would like to request the Dean of Students to attend one of your events, please send an email to deanofstudents@sandiego.edu with the event information. It is recommended that requests are submitted no less than three-weeks in advance, in order to ensure availability.
The Dean of Students offers a monthly “Donuts with the Dean od Students” event outside the Hahn University Center (UC) during Torero Hours (location may be changed to inside of the UC if it’s raining). All USD students are encouraged to stop by to pick up a donut and say hello to Dr. Whitner! We buy donuts from different donut shops around San Diego including Rose’s Donuts, Randy’s Donuts, The Mini Donut Company, Krispy Kreme, and Yum Yum Donuts. You can also find us at Alcala Bazaar each semester!
FAQ
If you’d like to request a meeting with our Dean of Students, please reach out via email to deanofstudents@sandiego.edu or call our office at (619) 260-4588.
If your question pertains to obtaining conduct records, please send an email and your form to the Office of Ethical Development and Restorative Practices at studentconduct@sandiego.edu. If you have any questions, call their office at (619) 260-4590.
If you know a student who would benefit from being connected with a case manager, their team accepts referrals of students who are experiencing challenging situations. They will typically reach out to those students identified in their referral system within one to two business days.
To schedule a meeting with a case manager, please complete our appointment request form and indicate your preferences for the days and times that best fit your schedule. Initial appointments typically last between 30 and 60 minutes.
For faculty and staff members, parents, supporters and friends: You can refer a student to our office by filling out the referral form.
If you need to make an emergency referral, please contact Public Safety at (619) 260-2222, or dial 911. An emergency referral is appropriate when students are in imminent danger of hurting themselves or others, or when you believe a student is out of control.
No, any questions pertaining to your class schedule cannot be answered by our Dean of Students. Please reach out to the Dean’s Office of your school. If you are undeclared, you can reach out to the College of Arts and Sciences at casadvising@sandiego.edu.
No, this will go to the Dean of your school (based on your academic major).
Yes, if your event includes alcohol service for faculty and staff only, the Dean of Students is still required to approve your form. Once the form has been approved, our office sends the form to all major parties in case of emergency during or after your event. These parties include Public Safety, Wellness, USD Scheduling, and USD Catering.
If you are having roommate conflicts, please reach out to your Residential Advisor, Community Director, or our Residential Life Team (housing@sandiego.edu) so they can assist you on next steps. If a meeting with the Dean of Students is still required, someone from our housing team will refer you to our office. From there we will reach out to you to schedule an appointment.
If you were referred to the Dean of Students after a recent incident, email us at deanofstudents@sandiego.edu or call us at (619) 260-4588 to schedule your appointment.