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Dean of Students and Director of Student Life

Employer
Southern Oregon University
Location
Oregon, United States
Salary
Salary Not specified
Date posted
Mar 17, 2021

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Position Type
Administrative, Deans
Employment Level
Executive
Employment Type
Full Time


Dean of Students and Director of Student Life

Southern Oregon University


Position Number: A00409

Rate: $87,000 or commensurate with experience. (This position may be subject to a 20% furlough)


Position Summary:
Reporting directly to the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs and collaborating with constituents across the campus and in the Ashland community, the Dean of Students and Director of Student Life has responsibility for the following functions: Student involvement, including civic engagement, outdoor and recreation programs, resources for commuter students, and student publicity; and the Stevenson Union and working in close partnership with the Director of Housing. The Dean/Director also provides planning and leadership for student support services at SOU. This includes planning, directing, coordinating, and collaborating on intervention and retention strategies across the University. The Dean of Students and Director of Student Life holds primary responsibility for the leadership and direction of the crisis and behavioral intervention for students and participates with other University leaders on the Crisis Management Team and risk assessment processes for faculty and staff. The Dean/Director provides planning and leadership for the Student Support Network, a multidisciplinary behavioral intervention and threat assessment team. The Dean/Director provides development, planning, and leadership for the online reporting system, SOU Cares, and has primary responsibility for triage, case assignment, and oversight of all interventions involving at-risk students. The Dean/Director serves on the campus wide Equity Grievance and Title IX Team (maintaining a close collaboration with the Director of Equity Grievance/Title IX Coordinator). The Dean/Director provides leadership and supervision of student conduct as adjudicated through the Student Code of Conduct. The Dean/Director directly engages in post-hospital discharge care planning and other risk reducing support plans for students. The Dean/Director is responsible for advising the Vice President with regard to at-risk students and institutional protocol. The position supervises the work of the Associate Dean of Students and Directors for Student Life. The Dean/Director collaborates closely with the members of the Student Support Network, as well as other campus resources such as Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, Admissions, Trio Student Support Services, Disability Resources, and University Housing. The incumbent serves as the primary point of contact for community resource providers, hospitals, and parents. The Dean/Director oversees and manages a budget of approximately $4 million. The Dean/Director will provide oversight of major campus programs and spirit initiatives, including orientation, civic engagement, and recreational opportunities. Additionally, the Dean/Director will ensure that co-curricular programs and activities align with and support institutional goals relating to diversity & inclusion and health & wellness. The Dean/Director will also participate actively in the campus Student Support Network, on-call crisis response team, and work closely with Campus Public Safety and Student Health & Wellness Center staff.

*Effective 4/22/21, slight revisions have been made to the position description to better reflect the position expectations.


Minimum Qualifications:
A master’s degree is required, preferably in student development, higher education, counseling, social work, or other related field
administration, or a related field, plus at least 5 years progressively responsible experience in residence life, student activities, or a related field within higher education, Individual client assessment, intervention, case management and counseling, program planning and coordination.
Experience with/ability to interact with a diverse population.
Minimum of five years’ experience working with distressed or at-risk students in a higher education setting and serving on or leading a campus behavioral intervention team/threat assessment team.



Preferred Qualification:
The ideal candidate will have exceptional written and oral communication skills, have the demonstrated ability to inspire staff and students, be committed to the concept of inclusive excellence, and be able to translate creative thinking into concrete accomplishments.


Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
•Able to communicate a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose, set clear milestones, and motivate large teams or groups of people. Demonstrated ability to provide and implement leadership initiatives.
•Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner, verbally, in writing and visually.
•Demonstrated ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in and outside the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
•Demonstrated ability to interpret and consistently apply a wide variety of complex policies and procedures where specific guidelines may not always exist. Ability to work with frequent changes in policies and procedures, under pressure of deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Demonstrated ability to make independent decisions within legal and general policy and regulatory guidelines. Skill to conceptualize, analyze and interpret educational issues, policies, and regulations. Knowledge of educational policies and practices that impact the development, delivery, and outcomes measurement of support services to students.
•Strong analytical and research skills; ability to gather, evaluate, and to develop well-reasoned conclusions and recommendations. Ability to proactively assess work operations and anticipate potential problems; ability to develop and implement strategies for preventing/resolving problems.
•Initiative in independently planning, organizing, and performing work assignments within broadly defined parameters. Ability to work with a high level of productivity and accuracy/attention to detail.
•Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
•Efficient computer skills and proficiency with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, and online systems.
•Ability to effectively perform work of a highly sensitive and confidential nature that requires access to information, use of sound judgment and strict discretion, and maintain strict confidentiality of privileged information.
•Broad knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, higher education governance, organizational structure, instructional programs, and academic policies and procedures to encompass a global perspective within a university setting.
•Ability to interact diplomatically with diverse personalities and to exercise judgment and tact in interactions with faculty, staff, students, and the public.
•Proven ability to mentor and develop direct reports and enable high performance as individuals and as teams. Strong personnel management skills, including strategic planning, the ability to manage multiple functions, and organize institutional resources to meet goals and objectives.
•Demonstrated ability to work with senior officials and executives from within and outside the University, and ability to think strategically and serve as a sounding board for executive managers.
•Proven experience developing, organizing, and administering budgets.
•Knowledge of administrative practices, and organizational and management practices as applied to the analysis and evaluation of projects, programs, policies, procedures and operational needs. Commitment to process monitoring and continuous process improvement in systems and services.

•Thorough knowledge of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1991 Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity, and other applicable laws.
•Demonstrated ability to conduct, plan, organize and lead investigatory efforts, facilitations, and prepare reports; Listen, identify elicit and distill essential information needed to assess and resolve problems and issues; Diffuse and manage situations involving intense conflict.
•Extensive understanding of the complexity and multiple dimensions of diversity, inclusion, and equity, including — but not limited to — age, class, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual identity, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status as it relates to the impact, implementation, and management of effective diversity change efforts.
•Demonstrated knowledge, skills, awareness of and demonstrated commitment to contemporary issues of inclusion, social justice, diversity, access, and equity, including the current scholarship and pedagogical approaches that inform and address these issues.
•Understanding of under-represented student group development with the proven ability to advise students from diverse backgrounds, and ability to relate effectively with students, faculty, administrators, staff, and the public, particularly around sensitive issues of diversity and inclusion.
•Maintain confidentiality and professional relationships in dealing with sensitive, complex civil rights, legal and human resource issues and situations together with the CDO, campus Legal Counsel, Human Resources, and other respective entities.


Special Instructions to Applicants:
Each applicant is required to provide (as attachments to the online application) the following supplemental documents: (1) letter providing some detail of the applicant’s qualifications and interest in the position; (2) current resume/CV; (3) the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three professional references; If you are unable to attach the supplemental materials to the online application please contact Human Resource for assistance.

For inquiries and additional information, please contact: Human Resource Services via email at hrs@sou.edu or by phone at (541)552-8553.



Special Conditions
•Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
•Must be able to work additional hours and adjust working hours to meet special jobs. May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.
•Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment background check.
•Under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA):
•The person holding this position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the Oregon Revised Statues and is required to comply with the requirements set forth by the Oregon department of Human Services.

Notice to Prospective Employees
Section 485 of the Higher Education Act, and The Federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (now referred to as the “Clery Act”), requires that prospective employees be notified of the availability of SOU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. The report provides the annual statistics and campus policies for the reporting of and responding to campus crimes and fires; access to campus facilities; conduct code and campus policies on use, possession and sale of drugs/alcohol; and educational/information programs to inform the campus community about campus security procedures and crime prevention.

An electronic copy of the Annual Security Report (ASR)can be accessed at the following link:
https://inside.sou.edu/assets/security/AnnualCrimeReportFinal.pdf. A physical copy of the ASR is available at no charge upon request. To request a copy please visit the Campus Public Safety Office at 382 Wightman Street, Ashland OR 97520. For more information call 541-552-6258, or email clerycoordinator@sou.edu.


All applicants must apply online at https://jobs.sou.edu/postings/8860.

Diversity Statement
Southern Oregon University is a welcoming community committed to inclusive excellence and the celebration of diversity. Without diversity, our educational process is diminished. Working together in support of our commitment to diversity, we strengthen and enrich our role as learners, educators and members of a tightly connected global community. We encourage those who share in our commitment to diversity, to join our community and we expect all our employees to demonstrate an ability and desire to create an inclusive campus community.


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