Quinnipiac University has appointed Tom Ellett, Ph.D., as the new chief student experience officer (CXO).

Ellett will serve as a member on the management committee and will be the first person to fill the role of chief student experience officer.

The role focuses exclusively on concerns coming from students, “Including enrollment management, student affairs, registrar and bursar, public safety, veterans affairs, and a future career services function,” stated in an email sent from President Judy Olian on Wednesday, May 13. Any student with these concerns will report to Ellett.

This position will help the new provost, Dr. Debra J. Liebowitz, focus solely on faculty, academics and research, as Ellett will take on some of the duties the provost and executive vice president once had.

Olian described Ellett as someone with a “broad and deep expertise, and student-centered mindset.”

Ellett currently works at New York University as the senior associate vice president for student affairs and works with over 50,000 students. He has held student affairs positions at Syracuse University and The Catholic University of America. At NYU, Ellet leads a portfolio of four student affairs units with a $25 million budget and $215 million in revenue. He also manages NYU’s logistical coordination during the pandemic.

Olian spoke highly of Ellet saying, “Tom has deep experience building living-learning communities to enrich student intellectual and personal growth.”

Ellett first implemented living-learning communities at Syracuse University. These communities created much deeper connections between students and the university.
Once he began working at NYU, he went even further to expand the living-learning communities to faculty as well, housing over 80 faculty members.

Quinnipiac has nine living-learning communities available for students who wants to live with other students who share the same interests and academic goals.

Ellet has received two degrees from Fordham University. A bachelor’s degree in English and a Doctorate degree in education leadership, administration, and policy. He also has a master’s degree in theater from Catholic University.

Ellet has also taught classes during his time at NYU.

“He also has served as a clinical adjunct assistant professor in NYU’s Steinhardt School in Higher Education and Student Affairs, and he has earned a personal life coaching certificate from NYU,” as stated in the email from Olian.

Ellet will begin his new role on Aug. 1.

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