Director of Residence Life and Community Standards

The Director of Residence Life and Community Standards is a fulltime 12-month position that lives in college housing to provide oversight and management of the college residential populations as well as response in the event of emergencies. The Director will provide overall leadership and development of the Office of Residence Life. The Director will be responsible for the following tasks: This role has direct responsibility for housing 500 undergraduate students and a cohort of 100 Sussex residential students in eight residence halls. Under the administrative direction of the Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of Students, this educator and administrator provides visionary leadership and direction for the department; administers and manages the student housing program for the college; directs departmental operations; oversees the department budget; sets department goals; coordinates assessment efforts; and establishes learning outcomes and implementation strategies for the department. This position will collaborate and partner with many offices on campus including Security, Facilities, Information Technology, Admissions, Health and Counseling Services and other student affairs units as well as Sussex County Community College.

General Responsibilities:

Recruit, select and manage a staff of professionals, including an Associate Director and Graduate Resident Directors, and provide supervisory oversight for 25 RAs. Oversee the management, operation and services for the residence halls. Monitor residential life budgets and follow budget policies and practices. Maintain accurate statistics for forecasting occupancy. Work close with staff on check in procedures for early arrivals and new students to the university. Oversee the student disciplinary process so there is consistency and to ensure that we are following policies. Oversee the Student Handbook and its revision process. Oversee judicial affairs including adjudication of policy violations and tracking and identifying trends and make appropriate recommendations for their remedy. Develop and manage the residential life programming and community development agenda. Provide leadership for the planning and development of learning communities and academic initiatives within the residence halls. Develop a strong training program for all levels of staff. Update and maintain all training manuals. Maintain accurate housing and residential life policies and procedures. Update website and all marketing materials. Work close with assignment staff to coordinate continuing student housing selection process. Oversee emergency operations. Maintain an on call schedule for staff. Work closely with facilities in the maintenance of our buildings and develop capital project initiative to make improvements. Implement an office wide assessment plan on student learning, engagement/retention, and satisfaction of services. Develop new initiatives to recruit more students to live on campus. Participate in college wide committees when necessary. Emergency Response/Conflict

• Remain available to students who have concerns and problems; be prepared to intervene in a crisis situation by being able to define an emergency, respond appropriately, and discern when additional professional staff, outside authorities, and the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students should be called for support
• Meet with students or guests in residence hall who have had a detrimental effect on the College community; act as a first-level hearing officer
• Communicate the institutional policies, procedures and regulations to students in the residence hall.
• Be familiar with established emergency protocols and be prepared to implement them when necessary.
• Remain knowledgeable of community and campus resources for referral of emotional or health problems in the residence.

Aid students in decision-making concerning personal and campus issues (room changes, health, financial aid, registration). Serve as an on-call emergency responder including providing support of the responding RD as well as parental notifications and hospital transports. Other duties as assigned

Communication:

• Communicate with all parents and guardians regarding concerns brought to the attention of the department.
• Serve as the liaison for the department staff and other administration
• Provide publications and information to Campus community, residents, staff and outside community.
• Work to establish positive working collaborations with other campus offices to improve the overall quality of life on campus through campus programming and initiatives.
• Approve all disseminated information sent from the Department of Residence Life.

Qualifications:

A master's degree in higher education administration and student affairs, behavioral or social sciences, counseling, or a related discipline preferred. 3-5 years of experience in planning and managing all aspects of housing and residential life. The person in this position should have strong collaboration skills and a proven ability to build bridges and maintain successful relationships across the campus and in the community. A proven record in working with faculty in building an academic learning community that contributes to student success. Strong administrative skills and prior supervisory experience. Ability to embrace diversity and function in a fast-paced environment. Excellent interpersonal communication and writing skills. The ability to anticipate problems, reconcile conflicts, and maintain a strong philosophical base for housing and residential life.