Dr. Teresa Branch began her employment at The University of Montana in June 2003. As the Vice President for Student Affairs, she provides vision and leadership for student services and campus life and supports programs that encourage and enhance student learning outside the classroom.
Dr. Branch strives to: nurture a campus environment conducive to academic excellence; increase the visibility, responsiveness, and sensitivity of student services to students; improve services to non-traditional students and students from underrepresented populations; and advocate for a campus-wide commitment to diversity.
She is responsible for 332 full-time employees and has direct supervision of eleven Student Affairs directors, the Dean of Students, the Assistant to the VP, and two Administrative Associates. Dr. Branch serves as the chief Student Affairs officer for the affiliated campuses in Helena, Butte, and Dillon and has fiscal responsibility for a general fund and auxiliary budget.
Dr. Branch chairs the Scholarship and Financial Aid Committee, co-chairs the Enrollment Management Council with the Provost as well as the Committee on Partnering for Student Success, and has executive oversight of several additional committees. She coordinates and implements the Student Affairs strategic plan, works collaboratively with faculty and staff in the Division of Academic Affairs on recruitment and retention of students, supervises the administration of the Student Conduct Code by the Dean of Students, communicates with the local community about student-related issues, and provides support to the President on matters pertaining to students and student life.
In 2004, Dr. Branch established an Advisory Board to support the efforts of Student Affairs. The board has met annually and aims to enhance visibility of Student Affairs through networking and fundraising activities. In addition, Dr. Branch has spearheaded several large-scale initiatives to raise money for student scholarships.
Prior to coming to UM, Dr. Branch served as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at Iowa State University and the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at Arizona State University.
Dr. Branch received a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington in 1976, a Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the State University of New York in 1971, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 1970.
Dr. Branch has a son, Arthur, who is twenty-six years old.