Director of The Bantam Network and Residential Experience

Title
Director of The Bantam Network and Residential Experience

Department
Office of Student and Community Life

Regular or Temporary
Regular

Hours Per Week
40

FLSA Determination
Exempt

Weeks Per Year

52

Open Date
09/26/2024

Full or Part Time
Full Time

Position Summary

Trinity College seeks a staff that reflects the changing demographics of our student body. Our student body is diverse, representing 41 states and 70 countries, with 21 percent U.S. students of color and 50 percent who identify as women. More than 90 percent of students live on campus. Trinity is a highly selective, independent, nonsectarian liberal arts institution located in the capital city of Hartford, Conn. With more than 2,100 full-time undergraduate students and 91 graduate students, the college maintains a rigorous academic profile complemented by a vibrant and diverse co-curricular program. We consider our location in a culturally and socioeconomically diverse capital city to be among Trinity’s most distinctive assets, and we cultivate strong connections with our surrounding neighbors and with institutions and organizations throughout Hartford and the region. As a preeminent liberal arts college in an urban setting, Trinity College prepares students to be bold, independent thinkers who lead transformative lives.

Statement of Purpose

The Director of The Bantam Network and Residential Experience is vital to Trinity’s commitment to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive living-learning community that contributes to students’ academic achievement and personal growth. The Director supports the Dean of Student Life and the Vice President of Student Success and Enrollment Management in advancing the College’s mission of lifelong learning and community engagement. Under the leadership of the Dean of Student Life, the Director leads operational and programmatic efforts to provide safe, healthy, inclusive on-campus housing for students that promotes learning, personal development, and academic achievement. The Director provides strategic leadership for Housing Operations and Assignments, the First-Year Experience and Transition Programs, and the Residential Learning Community, which includes Residence Education and Student Engagement Programs. The Director works in closely with the Office of Student and Community Life and provides comprehensive services to campus residents by serving as a key liaison to numerous campus partners, including, but not limited to, Student Accessibility Resource Center, Counseling and Wellness Center, Health Center, Facilities Services, Student Activities, Spiritual and Religious Life, Campus Safety, Student Accounts, International Students Office, Center for Career and Life Design, Center for Academic Advising and Experiential Learning, Financial Aid, Campus Dining, Emergency Management Team, Access Control, Bookstore, Post Office. The Director resides on-campus and performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned including committee work and supporting and attending campus functions and events.

About the Division and College

The Student Success and Enrollment Management team engages students in a cohesive, integrated, and exceptional experience from recruitment through graduation to career formation. We seek individuals who appreciate rich complexities of diverse perspectives, who create a healthy environment that values self-challenge and growth, and who cultivate a culture of curiosity in a community of learners. We seek those who enjoy listening to and working with students holistically, helping them navigate transitions; who appreciate the momentary foibles of college students and help them realize they can get up if/when they fall; who help bring out students’ better selves. We seek those who strive to help students find the balance of freedom and responsibility, independence, and interdependence, who see an opportunity in problems to find solutions, and to build rapport and connection. We seek those who see this realm of higher education as an individual and collective enterprise.

About the Department

The Bantam Network and The Bantam Network Residential Learning Community works to honor the holistic nature of the student. Together, our staff cultivates opportunities that contribute to our students’ academic, social, personal, and professional development and growth, as they move through their Trinity experience. We hold a strong commitment to providing students with a diverse, inclusive, and caring living-learning community. To uphold this commitment, our Residential Learning Coordinators and Community Mentors live in residence with our students. Most importantly, we focus on further developing and strengthening the Network as a resource for students across all four years of their Trinity experience, helping guide students through their Trinity experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

I. Operations and Administration

• Serve as a senior leader in Student and Community Life with primary responsibility for operational and programmatic efforts to provide safe, healthy, inclusive on-campus housing for students that promotes learning, personal development, and academic achievement.
• Review, revise, and enhance all housing and residential policies and procedures applicable to students as well as brochures, reports, handbooks, etc. for effective and efficient administration.
• Lead and oversee the overall housing assignments process, ongoing facility maintenance needs, occupancy trends and strategies, programmatic models, and crisis response.
• Communicate effectively with students, families, faculty, staff, and others regarding housing options, rates, processes, etc. and to address concerns and resolve issues while maintaining confidentiality regarding sensitive information.
• Work closely with the Deans of Student and Community Life to maintain non-academic conduct records on Maxient and manage the central database and ensure information is up to date to maintain accurate record keeping of student conduct files.
• Participate in the on-call rotation and provide emergency response and crisis intervention for student and facility related situations. Develop and lead response efforts within The Bantam Network Residential Learning Community in collaboration with other campus partners as appropriate.
• Keeps abreast of policies, procedures, and practices regarding conflict resolution, laws, and regulations related to housing and student records, including, FERPA, Title IX, Clery Act, etc.

II. Strategic Planning and Assessment

• Work with campus partners to create a campus culture that promotes character, ethical development and civic responsibility. Promote awareness of campus policies and procedure regarding student conduct and expectations.
• Advance the mission, values, and strategic priorities of the College and the Division of Student Success and Enrollment Management through goals and initiatives that emphasize care, wellbeing support, mentorship, belonging, and community engagement for students and maximizing staff capacity through streamlined operations, engagement, and communication.
• Work collaboratively with a cross-divisional team to plan and implement meaningful assessment activities, enhance existing programs, and develop new programs and initiatives that align with the mission of the Division, as well as the College’s academic curriculum and strategic vision.
• Advise the Dean of Student Life and Vice President of Student Success and Enrollment Management and other campus partners on matters concerning housing facilities and security systems, housing operations and assignments, and the residential experience.
• Foster a culture of evidence-based decision-making in support of assessment efforts to guide continuous programmatic improvements. Oversee the development and implementation of program reviews which focus on assessment of student engagement and learning goals, as well as program development and strategic planning.
• Lead research, analysis, assessment, and program review efforts to develop policies and programs, integrate new systems, and enhance practices as it relates to operational effectiveness and improvement, organizational effectiveness, and students’ quality of life on-campus.
• Utilize data, analysis, assessment, and best practices to identify gaps within the Residential Learning Community and develop and implement solutions that will aid in meeting the diverse needs of our growing diverse student population.
• Support diversity and inclusion efforts on campus through committee membership, outreach, and policy development. Work collaboratively with academic offices and faculty to promote the academic mission of the college.
• Maintain an understanding of institutional and departmental financial policies related to areas such as travel, procurement, expense, and time reporting to ensure compliance and proper stewardship of college resources.
• Sustain a high level of direct involvement with students, particularly around efforts, concerns, and initiatives related to housing and the residential experience.
• Demonstrate a willingness to support colleagues across the division to encourage the implementation or fulfillment of divisional goals and strategic priorities.

III . Leadership and Supervision

• Lead Housing and Residential Experience and oversee personnel, budgets, Housing Operations and Assignments, the First-Year Experience and Transition Programs, and the Residential Learning Community, which includes Residence Education and Student Engagement Programs.
• Provide direct supervision, training, and evaluation for the Assistant Director of Residence Education and Student Engagement and the Residential Learning Coordinators. Engage residential staff in opportunities for professional growth and development.
• Ensure all residential staff have access to tools, information, and working knowledge of college policies, procedures, and guidelines, as well as, applicable laws and regulations related to housing and student records, including, FERPA, Title IX, Clery Act, etc.

IV. Collaborative Partnerships

• Work closely with Facilities Services and other units to share in the planning, renovation, construction, opening, and operation of housing facilities.
• Collaborate with IT to assess existing systems, implement new systems, and design and implement trainings on the use of systems that are critical for organizational and operational effectiveness.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with the Office of Student and Community Life to ensure effective and seamless partnership in delivering services and programs within the Residential Learning Community.
• Work closely with the Student and Community Life team and the Director of Retention Strategy and Transition Programs to develop and facilitate professional development opportunities for faculty and staff to help them gain a better understanding of the complex intersectionality and growing needs of our growing diverse student population.
• Collaborate with campus partners on student concerns and issues.
• Develop, implement, and collaborate with key campus partners on high-level events, programs, and initiatives relevant to housing and the residential experience.
• Work closely with Campus Safety and participate as a member of the Emergency Management team.
• Represent The Bantam Network and Residential Learning Community on college-wide committees, working groups and campus events.
• Serve on divisional committees and working groups to enrich the experience and resources available to staff across the division. Participate in division wide events as needed to support colleagues and ensure these events run smoothly.

V. Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is necessary.
• 3 or more years of professional experience in housing operations, residential life, or student support services.
• Demonstrated competence in leadership and administration, Student Affairs theory and practice, policy development and budget management.
• Advanced knowledge of housing operations (including assignments and facilities), care and crisis management, advising and/or counseling techniques, and student support services.
• Working knowledge of applicable laws and regulations related to housing, student records, and student accommodations including, FERPA, Title IX, Clery Act, Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA ), etc.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision; ability to work effectively with students from diverse backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in student Affairs/Higher Education, College Student Personnel, Counseling, or related field.
• 4 years of full-time post master’s progressive experience in housing operations or residential life in a higher education setting.
• Experience serving the needs of students from a range of socioeconomic, racial, sexual identity, and other perspectives and backgrounds; ability to determine reasonable accommodations to meet students’ diverse needs.
• Advanced knowledge of housing operations (including assignments and facilities), care and crisis management, advising and/or counseling techniques, and student support services.
• Skilled in analyzing, interpreting, and incorporating applicable laws, regulations, policies, and practices related to housing, student records, and student accommodations, and practices in daily work activities and decision-making to meet the needs of students. This includes FERPA, Title IX, Clery Act, Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA ), etc.
• Knowledge of principles and procedures involved in risk assessment in a college setting.
• Adept at supervision, strategic planning, assessment of programs and services, budget, and resource management; strong organizational skills with attention to detail and ability to set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Superior oral and written communication skills, coupled with the ability to work effectively with diverse students, faculty, staff, administrators, parents/guardians; excellent interpersonal skills, ability to build and sustain relationships with all stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work well independently and with limited supervision; skilled in exercising judgment necessary to deal with confidential and sensitive information and to respond to complex student emergencies, providing appropriate intervention and referral.

Special Instructions to Applicants

All applicants must apply online by submitting their resume, cover letter and 3 references.

Quick Link
https://trincoll.peopleadmin.com/postings/3392

Trinity College is an independent, nonsectarian liberal arts college for men and women, with approximately 2,200 undergraduate students and 200 faculty members, located in Hartford, Connecticut. Our Mission is “Engage. Connect. Transform.” As the preeminent liberal arts college in an urban setting, Trinity College prepares students to be bold, independent thinkers who lead transformative lives. Trinity is an actively engaged community of students, faculty and staff who work together to develop and sustain the intellectual and creative opportunities central to a first-class liberal arts education. Hartford, the state capital, provides many opportunities for cultural and social engagement.

The College is committed to building a representative and diverse faculty, administrative staff, and student body. Trinity is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Applicants with disabilities should request, in advance, any needed accommodation in order to participate in the application process.

For all faculty positions, completion of the Ph.D. or appropriate equivalent is expected. Candidates should have a strong commitment to undergraduate and interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts context, and a well-articulated plan for sustained research. Trinity is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through their research, teaching, and service.