REPORTS TO: Vice-President of Student Success and Engagement
JOB STATUS: Full-time (at least 37.5 hours/week)
PRIMARY PURPOSE/ POSITION SUMMARY:
This role will set the vision and execution for the resident student experience guided by the curricular vision for the residence hall experience. With an equity lens the director is tasked with creating a Dominican mission-based experience for students through co-curricular engagement within the residence halls.
This position is also responsible for the development of residence staff, and collective responsiveness to Dominican’s student body development needs inclusive of oversight for a justice-oriented student conduct process. This role will have an emphasis on the skill development of residence life staff, graduate assistants and resident assistant’s ability to respond to student’s social determinants of health in a comprehensive thoughtful manner.
In addition, the director will oversee the full resident student life cycle through the entirety of an academic year. With the support of a cross departmental team, this role will support the implementation of strategy to attract new and returning students into the resident student experience ensuring a seamless transition into the residence halls.
The director will also play a central role in emergency management and student support responsiveness. The director is central in the creation and maintenance of standard operating procedures which ensure the safety of all student residents and creates procedural department efficiency.
In collaboration with the Vice President for Student Success, the Director of Residence life will participate in institutional wide strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing the student residential experience.
EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL DOMINICAN EMPLOYEES:
To support the University's mission of preparing students to pursue truth, to give compassionate service, and to participate in the creation of a more just and humane world.
JOB COMPONENTS/PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Residence Life Campus and Community Partnerships
Develop and implement a housing strategy to maximize housing occupancy with short term and long-term housing options.
Facilitate the use of housing resources to ensure the university is supporting students’ housing security needs and is used as an intervention affording access to university resources.
Develop a plan to enhance the presence of living learning communities and a pathway for campus partners to co-design opportunities within the residence halls.
Develop an RA experience using a trauma informed approach that prepares them to walk alongside residents, fostering community and ensuring student safety
Collaborate regularly with Physical Plant to facilitate the timely completion of maintenance requests/projects within the residence halls.
Provide vision for the recruitment and onboarding of new and returning students to the residential experience.
Serve as an integral part of the conduct team building a sense of restorative justice within the residence halls through the conduct process.
Lead proactive data informed interventions that facilitate community living and reduce community standard violations.
Serve as a liaison to dining serves usage of meal plans for students' campus wide
Provide oversight for summer and break housing for students and serve as liaison in planning for summer housing rentals.
Emergency and Crisis Response
Participate in a 24/7 on-call duty rotation.
Respond to emergency situations and assist in resolving resident concerns and/or facility issues.
Serve as a member of the Assessment and Care Team to craft interventions for students presenting with academic and interpersonal challenges; provide accompaniment and advocacy for complex challenges.
Provide oversight for our emergency housing insecure student plan.
Programming
Using data informed approaches, develop and implement programs for students that promote student involvement, contribute to a vibrant, active campus life and encourage student development, leadership development, organizational development, and interpersonal skills within the residence halls.
Participate in the cross-departmental student programming committee using a design approach to creative opportunities for collaboration around student programming.
Develop a communication flow for the residence halls that ensures students are aware of opportunities for engagement on campus.
Support the planning and coordination of the New Student Orientation and Welcome Weekend Programs.
Supports the design and implementation of a linear leadership program facilitating undergraduate and graduate student development.
Provide support for and liaison to the Resident Student Association (RSA).
Data /Assessment
Use data to design new innovative interventions to influence the resident student experience.
Assess student learning, program satisfaction, and overall effectiveness of Dominican’s resident student experience.
Provide detailed reports on student residential housing capacity, fill rates, application completion, and housing deposits.
Assist in Student Success and Engagement Program assessment.
Supervision
Fosters and stewards an environment of collaboration and innovation within the department.
Develops and implements a staff growth plan centered in the individual needs for staff (graduate and professional staff) to respond to the diversity of student presenting needs.
Work with Resident Life staff to design and implements resident assistant recruitment, development and support plan that is trauma informed and fosters student leadership amongst their peers.
Perform other duties as requested, delegated or assigned
QUALIFICATIONS:
All qualifications are required unless otherwise indicated.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Commitment to innovation in the pursuit of equity, inclusion, and justice work
Commitment to Dominican University’s HSI mission
Excellent oral and written communication skills; team-building and cross-cultural interpersonal skills
Strong time management and organization skills
Desire to be present and support a student first environment
Ability to work independently and as a team member
Proficiency in MS Office programs and student database systems
Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
Ability to work effectively with university students, faculty and administrators
Ability to work some nights and weekends
Bi-lingual Spanish communication skills are preferred
Ability to calmly address a crisis situation
Maintain confidentiality
Education and Experience:
Master’s degree required; preferred in higher education, counseling, social work or related field
Five to seven years of experience in the area of residence life preferred
Supervisory experience of professional and student staff
Specific experience assisting students with meeting academic, professional, and personal goals
Must be committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive working and learning environment
A background screening is required.
EEO Statement
Dominican University is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is dedicated to the goal of building an equity-centered faculty and staff committed to teaching, working, and learning in a multicultural environment. Dominican University believes that justice, equity, and inclusion are critical to our growth and development and seek to recruit, develop, and retain from a diverse pool of applicants who bring varied experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds.
If you need accommodations due to a disability, you may contact us at hr@dom.edu for assistance.
QUALIFICATIONS:
All qualifications are required unless otherwise indicated.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Commitment to innovation in the pursuit of equity, inclusion, and justice work
Commitment to Dominican University’s HSI mission
Excellent oral and written communication skills; team-building and cross-cultural interpersonal skills
Strong time management and organization skills
Desire to be present and support a student first environment
Ability to work independently and as a team member
Proficiency in MS Office programs and student database systems
Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
Ability to work effectively with university students, faculty and administrators
Ability to work some nights and weekends
Bi-lingual Spanish communication skills are preferred
Ability to calmly address a crisis situation
Maintain confidentiality
Education and Experience:
Master’s degree required; preferred in higher education, counseling, social work or related field
Five to seven years of experience in the area of residence life preferred
Supervisory experience of professional and student staff
Specific experience assisting students with meeting academic, professional, and personal goals
Must be committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive working and learning environment
DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY
Dominican University is a Catholic, comprehensive teaching university located in River Forest, a suburb of Chicago. Dominican University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission as a baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degree-granting institution. It is highly regarded for its academic rigor and thoughtful accompaniment of students, its intentional affordability and values-based, relationship-centered learning environment. Dominican currently enrolls 3211 students, which includes 2136 undergraduates and 1075 graduate students. Sixty-six percent (66%) of our undergraduate students identify as Latinx, 5% are Black or African American, and 3% are Asian. Under-represented minority students, make up 74% of the DU undergraduate enrollment and 41% of the graduate enrollment. Over 90 percent receive some type of financial aid. About half of all undergraduates are first-generation college students; half are federal Pell Grant recipients, illustrating their families’ level of income; and more than half are eligible for low-income MAP grants from the State of Illinois. Recognized since 2011 as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), a federal designation of th...e U.S. Department of Education, Dominican is committed to expanding and enhancing educational opportunities for Latinx students and all students from historically underrepresented groups.
