TCU announced Wednesday Dr. David Cozzens had been chosen as the new Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, effective January 1, 2014.

Dr. Kathy Cavins-Tull, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, said that Cozzens will be replacing Susan Adams, who worked at TCU for over 38 years and retired in August.

Cavins-Tull said Cozzens has experience working with college students and working with programs to help foster good health.

“He’s got a lot of experience with health and wellness programs for campus and the areas that he will supervise in student affairs are the campus life office, the counseling center, health center, alcohol and drug education center, and our campus recreation center,” Cavins-Tull said. “We just want to create more opportunities for students to use our resources, to sort of examine their own wellness and practice good habits.”

Cozzens received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Arts degree in Guidance and Counseling Education from the University of Wyoming. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Dakota.

Cozzean has been the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and the Dean of Students at the University of Wyoming since 2007.

Cavins-Tull said search firm Spelman Executive Search was hired to help find a good candidate to fill the position.

Cavins-Tull said a job positing was put up in August for the position.

“[The search firm] collected resumes for us and screened them so there were about 100 people that applied for this job and we were looking for somebody who had 10 years of experience and had what we call a terminal degree, a PHD or EDD,” Cavins-Tull said.

Cavins-Tull said the pool was brought down to about 20 people, which was then narrowed down to six or seven people by a “search committee” on campus. The committee was made up of TCU students, faculty and staff.

Cavins-Tull said interviews were then conducted through Skype with the candidates. The committee then cut the search down to three individuals, who were selected to come to TCU for interviews that lasted a day and a half.

Cozzens was then chosen and accepted the position.