Career Center

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

The Office of Student Support & Advocacy Services assists students in navigating difficult life events and crisis situations that impact their ability to be successful. We utilize a student-centered and individualized approach to support and empower students. The office serves as the central point of contact for students, families, and community members and collaborates with campus partners to holistically support students.

The Associate Dean of Students for Student Support & Advocacy Services - Crisis Response reports to the Senior Associate Dean of Students for SSAS and serves as a member of the office’s leadership team. The Associate Dean supports the collaborative development, management, and evaluation of SSAS in the Division of Student and Campus Life on Cornell University’s campus of 24,000 students. The position leads the organization’s crisis response system through trauma-informed care and identity-conscious support, including after-hours support efforts, crisis operations/emergency planning, crisis follow-up coordination, collaboration with campus stakeholders, and associated training for the on-call team. This position also serves as a general SSAS case manager and directly supports students, families, campus partners, and the broader community as cases arise. The Associate Dean also leads collateral areas of SSAS, including departmental assessment, branding, and communication efforts. Additionally, the Associate Dean supervises direct reports in their assigned area; and serves in an Administrator On-Call rotation responding to crisis-related situations after-hours, including navigating high-level issues of physical and psychological safety.

This position is an in-person role but can work remotely for (3) months to support relocation needs. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. 

Success Factors

• An ability to cultivate and lead a diverse team dedicated to the holistic development of students.
• Demonstrated success in leading crisis response processes grounded in national best practices, trauma-informed care, and identity-couscous support.
• A commitment to working collaboratively in a student-centered environment committed to the important values of shared governance, with enthusiasm for supporting a student body that is broadly diverse with regard to gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and (dis)ability, among other factors. 
• An ability to build relationships and maintain trust, assess and balance the needs of various stakeholders, and identify and advocate for achievable solutions.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, planning, reasoning, organizational, and project management skills, with an ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree and a minimum of three (3) to five (5) years of professional experience in Student Affairs, Higher Education, Counseling, Social Work, or a closely related field in college student support and advocacy services. 
• Applied knowledge of student development theory and student affairs trends related to student support and advocacy services in higher education. 
• Demonstrated experience working with crisis response processes, including serving on-call and responding to crisis situations, and participating in training initiatives.
• Experience working with college student case management processes, including intake and triage, tailored care plans, resource referrals, and trauma-informed care. 
• Experience supervising professional staff members.  
• Experience building collaborative partnerships with faculty, administrators, students, parents/families, community partners, and alumni. 
• Familiarity with different assessment methodologies and applications in strategic planning. 
• Familiarity with communication and branding strategies, including website and social media. 
• Familiarity with higher education legal issues, including Clery, FERPA, and HIPAA. 
• Ability to serve on-call and respond to crisis situations according to organizational protocol, including evening and weekend work as required.
• Experience with case management software systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in a related field and/or clinical experience.
• Experience developing, implementing, and leading crisis response processes aligned with national and best-practice standards. 
• Experience developing and implementing building assessment strategies and utilizing outcomes to inform organizational change.
• Experience developing and managing branding and communication efforts for student support and advocacy services.

About Cornell University

Student and Campus Life (SCL) inspires transformation in all Cornell students on their journey of individual, academic and personal evolution. Our division is comprised of leading student affairs experts who support our campus on pressing student life matters including public service, health, wellness, social justice, residential living, food services, sports, recreation, career services, and student activities and organizations including sorority and fraternity life. We provide support and services to roughly 25,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students on multiple campuses in the U.S. and abroad. The Office of the Dean of Students (DOS) cultivates the holistic growth and development of students through advocacy, empowerment, and education. We enhance the student experience by offering comprehensive support and resources, providing co-curricular opportunities, and fostering a sense of belonging. The Diversity & Inclusion (D & I) portfolio supports the holistic development of the student experience by creating engagement opportunities, support services, and initiatives focused on belonging, equity, and inclusion. The D & I portfolio is comprised of identity-base...d centers and offices that support and empower students from historically marginalized backgrounds while also providing all Cornell community members with opportunities to deepen their understanding of racial justice and equity, expand their allyship skills, engage in dialogue across differences, and be a part of the movement for positive social change.

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