Dean of Students

About Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts:

At MCLA, we're here for all - and focused on each - of our students. As a 2023 Top Ten Public College, classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. Nearly 93% of our graduates land competitive jobs or are accepted by some of the best grad schools in the country. We engage in the most nationally relevant conversations by hosting some of the most celebrated thinkers and speakers on our campus in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, an area known for its mountain ranges, hiking trails, and panoramic views. Our home town of North Adams is brimming with creative energy and the regional economy is booming as a result. In nearly every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate you as an individual, a leader, and a communicator, fully empowered to make your impression on the world.


Job Description:

The Dean of Students is key in leading the residential identity of our liberal arts college, administering accountability and expectations through our community standards, and providing general division support. The Dean exercises a high level of discretion and judgment, embraces and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion, and possesses strong problem-solving skills. Reporting to the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA), the Dean will occasionally and temporarily serve as the senior student affairs officer in absence of the VPSA. This is a full-time position and manages the student affairs on-call rotation. This position is a responsible employee under the MCLA Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Affirmative Action (EO) Plan. This position is a live-off, 12-month position.

DETAILED STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Community Standards & Conduct- 35%

The Dean oversees all aspects of the student conduct system and is responsible for incident management related to community standards and expectations related to student behavior. The person in this role will also support a software transition, as the college moves between conduct software systems.

Responsibilities include:

• Responsible for oversight and management of all aspects of community standards and the student conduct process, including review of reported student misconduct incidents.
• Adjudicate or assign cases for adjudication as appropriate, make factual determinations based upon appropriate standards of evidence, and determine sanctions or alternative process/route for resolution.
• Stipulate, monitor and enforce all student sanctions and related enrollment conditions.
• Maintain official University student discipline records and serve as administrator for the electronic records system; manage requests for student conduct verification. This includes transfer forms, recommendation letters, and other documents.
• Coordinate the annual review of the Community Standards Handbook through the college governance process.
• Support crisis management response and proactive strategies through the following committee involvement: Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT), Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), the Administrator-on-Call Team, and the CARE team.

Residence Life and Housing- 35%

The Dean of Students will serve in both a supervisory and consultant role, collaboratively working on the strategic vision and leadership for MCLA's residential life program and housing operations, ensuring a residential curriculum and experience that promotes and supports student learning, retention, and campuswide collaboration.

Responsibilities include:

• Provide supervision and leadership to Residence Life and Housing to ensure a culture of service excellence and student-centered operational practices, including use of online housing management system; occupancy management, contracts, assignments, meal plans, summer housing operations, billing, enrollment initiatives, housing policies, opening/closing processes, and hall operations.
• Provide oversight and strategic direction for residence education initiatives that promote and support student learning and development, academic success, retention, community engagement, leadership, and interpersonal and cultural competence for residents and student staff.
• Provide leadership, guidance, direction, and support in the adjudication of lower-level conduct cases in the residence halls.

Basic Needs and Service Learning-15%

The Dean supervises the Director for Basic Needs and Service Learning.

Responsibilities include:

• Working with the Director to create a vision and strategic plan for the program that includes assessment, measurable outcomes, and expansion services and service areas.
• Working in collaboration to continually assess needs of the most underserved students in the community and using that data in decision making.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice-10%

The college is committed to the Massachusetts State Strategic Plan for Racial Equity across the Commonwealth and the New Undergraduate Experience Report. The Dean will draw on metrics from these plans to inform work in areas of responsibility moving forward. Additionally, the Dean will sit on a college-wide task force doing the long-term work of priority alignment, reviewing policies for systemic change, and periodically assessing the college's progress towards eliminating racial disparities in retention and completion.

Other duties as assigned- 5%

The VPSA may ask the Dean to step in and attend various meetings and/or programs.


Requirements:

• Master's degree in Student Affairs, Higher Education Administration, Counseling, or related field
• Minimum 4 years' experience in higher education with progressive responsibilities
• A record of creating opportunities for ongoing learning and engagement in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility for yourself and others.
• Demonstrated leadership related to strategy development and implementation designed to support equity-deserving groups/student population.
• Demonstrated knowledge of due process requirements in student discipline matters; detail oriented, with the ability to investigate incidents and gather and use data.
• Subject expertise in areas of responsibility including residential life, student support, case management, and assessment; ability to provide leadership and supervision to staff managing the day-to-day work of these areas.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with college students, staff, faculty and parents, and community partners.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, confidential, layered and sometimes competing demands.
• Facility with a range of standard software tools including previous experience with a student conduct/case management database.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Doctorate in Student Affairs, Higher Education Administration, Counseling, or related field
• 5+ years' experience in higher education
• Experience at or equal to the Assistant Dean level
• Previous live on experience as a Hall Director
• Experience with Maxient 6. Experience maintaining complex operating budgets

Additional Information:

This is a full-time, benefited non-unit position. The salary range for this position is $100,000-$110,000.

For best consideration, application review to begin March 24, 2023. This position is open until filled with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2023.

It is the policy of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts that all employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they begin employment. Proof of the COVID-19 vaccine, including booster, is required of all individuals hired by MCLA, to be verified after an offer of employment has been made, and as part of the background check process. Prospective employees may submit a request for exemption based on a religious and/or medical basis, to Human Resources.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that they operate, which extends to admission and employment at MCLA. MCLA is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 ("Title IX") to not discriminate in such a manner. Inquiries about the application of Title IX may be directed to each respective MCLA's Title IX Coordinator, to the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, or both.

Patrick Connelley
Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer
Phone: (413) 662-5127
Email: patrick.connelly@mcla.edu
Mailing Address: 375 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
33 Arch Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02119-1424
Telephone: (617) 289-0111; FAX: (617) 289-0150; TDD (877) 521-2172
Email: OCR.Boston@ed.gov


Application Instructions:

Interested candidates must apply electronically and should submit a letter of interest and resume by clicking on the APPLY NOW button below.