Jon Caudill

Dr. Jon Caudill joined the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) in 2016 as a tenured faculty member and graduate program coordinator in criminal justice. He currently serves as Interim Vice Chancellor (IVC) for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs (EMSA), overseeing 37 departments and programs that support students from recruitment and enrollment through graduation and career preparation. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Sam Houston State University and a Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Dallas.

Originally from Breathitt County, Kentucky, Dr. Caudill spent his early years exploring the hills, creeks, and coal communities of eastern Kentucky before relocating to Houston, Texas, where he graduated from Cypress Creek High School. He then served in the United States Marine Corps, beginning a lifelong commitment to public service. Following his military service, he worked in juvenile residential corrections, the service industry, and as a Texas juvenile probation officer while continuing his education.

Dr. Caudill began his higher education career while pursuing doctoral studies at UT Dallas, where he worked in admissions and later served as a research fellow and interim director for research with the Caruth Police Institute, supporting leadership development initiatives within the Dallas Police Department.

As a scholar and educator, Dr. Caudill’s work has focused on strengthening connections between institutions and communities through a public criminology perspective and a teacher-scholar approach to education. Over the past two decades, he has taught thousands of undergraduate and graduate students across multiple university systems and states. His research examines systems of formal social control and the relationships between individuals, organizations, and communities. From 2019 to 2025, he served as editor of Youth Violence & Juvenile Justice, a leading peer-reviewed journal in juvenile justice, and has also served as an associate editor for the Journal of Criminal Justice.

In addition to his current role, Dr. Caudill has held several leadership positions in higher education, including Interim Dean of the College of Public Service at UCCS. He has contributed extensively to campus governance through service on committees focused on budgeting, research integrity, emergency preparedness, and institutional leadership. He is especially proud of his work supporting non-traditional and military-affiliated students through initiatives such as the UCCS Non-Traditional Scholarship, the Veterans and Military Affairs Council, and the Boots to Suits Program.

Dr. Caudill is passionate about education, student success, and organizational leadership. His experience working with agencies and institutions navigating periods of reform and change has shaped a collaborative, solutions-oriented leadership philosophy grounded in service, adaptability, and community engagement.

Outside of work, Dr. Caudill enjoys spending time with his family and their many animals. He values creating supportive, family-friendly environments both at home and in the workplace.