Michael N. Christakis

Dr. Michael N. Christakis serves as Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment at the University at Albany.

Christakis was named Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment in May 2015. In this position, he leads a team responsible for a broad range of services and programs related to undergraduate student recruitment, enrollment and support; campus programming and planning; and fostering a campus culture that promotes student success across the full student experience. His work emphasizes advancing student health and wellbeing, strengthening belonging and connection, and expanding career readiness opportunities — ensuring students are supported holistically and prepared to thrive during and beyond their time at the University.

Since arriving at the University in 1999, Christakis has served in numerous roles in student affairs, including Associate Vice President for Student Affairs prior to his appointment as Vice President. As a member of the Vice President’s staff since 2007, he advanced assessment and evaluation practices, strengthened divisional planning, professional development, communications, and risk management, and provided oversight to key areas of campus life.

Christakis is an active national leader in higher education and student affairs. He most recently served as Board Chair of NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. He previously served on the NASPA Board of Directors, including as Region II Director. He is a past Chair of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ (APLU) Council on Student Affairs and a past president of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. He also served as national co-chair of NASPA’s Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community and currently serves as president of the Board of Directors for University Auxiliary Services at UAlbany.

A Fellow of the State Academy for Public Administration, Christakis was appointed Public Service Professor in 2013. He teaches undergraduate courses in public policy, public administration, and political science, and has been recognized with Rockefeller College’s Outstanding Teaching Award and the UAlbany Student Association’s Outstanding Teaching Award.

Christakis holds a BA in Political Science and History from Alfred University, and both an MPP and PhD from the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.