Residence Director
The Residence Director (RD) is responsible for the development of a residential community in a housing complex of approximately 400 – 650 students. Reporting to the Assistant Director for Residential Education, the RD’s role is to establish an environment that fosters community and civic engagement, enhances academic achievement, advances diversity and inclusion, and promotes the overall health and wellbeing of students. Specific areas of responsibilities are outlined below.
Department of Residential Life Cornerstones
Residential Life Cornerstones represent the foundational skills and knowledge that students need in order to maintain healthy and academically centered communities. The four Cornerstones are: Community and Civic Engagement; Enhancing Learning; Advancing Diversity and Inclusion; and Health and Wellness. The RD position description is structured in support of the Departmental Cornerstones.
Essential Position Responsibilities
A. Community & Civic Engagement
1. Staff Supervision
a. Serves as the primary supervisor for an Assistant Residence Director (ARD) and Resident Advisors.
b. Meets weekly with a staff of 10-17 RAs and their ARD. The RD provides structure and support to the staff by role modeling restorative practices, creating agendas, facilitating staff meetings, one-on-ones, and providing information and guidance to all staff members.
2. Programming, Advising and Community Development
a. Builds community with staff members and residential-students using the concepts of Restorative Practices and community standards, which create opportunities for student engagement in dialogue, interaction, and perspective-taking within their communities.
b. Coordinates and advises special interest housing programs and/or residential learning communities, to include recruitment and selection of program participants, as well as programming. Works collaboratively with faculty and campus partners to carry out department and programming mission.
B. Enhancing Learning
1. Programming, Advising and Community Development
a. Implements educational programming that promotes awareness of self and others, community engagement, and learning.
b. Supervises and advises student staff programming i.e. circles and community development activities (CDAs), as well and student leadership initiatives.
2. Coordination and Adjudication of Student Conduct
a. Understands, interprets, communicates, and enforces University and Department policies.
b. Serves as a University hearing officer. Conducts incident review meetings, restorative circles, and conduct hearings for residents who have allegedly violated the University Conduct Code, Departmental policy, or Community Standards.
c. Coordinates administrative processes for both Residential Life incident review meetings and the University conduct hearings.
d. Serves as a referral resource for the Center for Student Ethics and Standards (CSES) and an adjudicator for residents who have allegedly violated sections of the University Conduct Code.
C. Advancing Diversity & Inclusion
1. Programming, Advising and Community Development
a. Provides developmental training and guidance for staff members and students to increase multicultural and intercultural competence, including but not limited to facilitating staff meetings, participating in staff trainings, and facilitating the RA course.
2. Intercultural Competency
a. Strives to create and maintain communities that are welcoming and accepting of people of all: (dis)abilities, ancestry, ages, ethnicities, class, gender identities or expressions, genetic information, marital status, nationality of origin, race and color, religions, spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, size, HIV status, and veteran status.
b. Actively engages student staff members and residence hall students in programming, training and dialogue specific to understanding diversity and inclusion.
c. Actively participates in departmental, divisional and university-wide trainings and programming opportunities.
d. Fosters a sense of community by creating, promoting, and supporting residential environments where students, faculty, and staff are provided opportunities to understand, accept, and appreciate diversity.
e. Actively confronts situations of intolerance and bias that result from lack of knowledge and respect.
D. Health & Wellness
1. Counseling and Crisis Intervention
a. Responds to issues that require counseling support during and after regular business hours, which include but are not limited to: welfare checks for students of concern (SOC), SOC meetings and follow up communication, follow up of parent/family phones calls and communication, and follow up to housing support agreements (HSAs).
b. Participates in the on call rotating duty schedule for their respective area and responds to emergency calls on a 24-hour basis.
c. Serves as resource/referral agent for campus and community resources such as the Counseling Center, and other offices within the Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHWB), as well as Career Center, Academic Support Services, Student Life, Student Financial Services, and the University Police.
2. Coordination of Monthly Health and Safety Inspections
a. In collaboration with the ARD, implements monthly health and safety inspections for all residential spaces.
b. Follows up on violations of health and safety standards that are not corrected by residents when requested by staff members.
E. Administrative Responsibilities
1. Responsible for the recruitment, selection, training, development and evaluation of a diverse and interculturally competent graduate and undergraduate staff.
2. Participates in on going training, which includes but is not limited to Professional Staff Training and Resident Advisor Training.
3. Required to serve on Residential Education Team and departmental committees.
4. Expected to attend all weekly Professional staff meetings for their respective area and unit.
5. Holds scheduled office hours per week in the complex.
6. Maintains complex operations, programming, and staff development budgets
7. Carries out all processes and procedures involved in the opening and closing of residential complex.
8. Oversees the accuracy of records and information systems regarding occupancy, billing, room changes, maintenance, and operations.
9. Instruct a one-credit RA course (EDHI 202: Human Relations Development in University Residence Halls) focused on multicultural awareness and diversity in the residence halls
Qualifications
A Master’s Degree is required in Higher Education and Student Affairs, Student Personnel, Counseling, Education, or related field. Previous residential life experience or two-years full-time experience is preferred. Preference will be given to candidates who embrace the concepts of Restorative Practices and who have a demonstrated commitment to intercultural competency development, and fostering a collaborative multicultural environment.
Remuneration
The annual salary for this 12-month, full-time, live-in position is $32,000. Benefits include a furnished apartment, generous meal plan, health benefits, vision, and dental plans, life insurance, retirement program, liberal sick and vacation time, tuition remission and professional development/conference allowance. Residential Life supports domestic partnership and allows for pets in compliance with our departmental pet policy.
Application
Interested applicants can apply on-line at www.uvmjobs.com. The position is listed under Residential Life and the official job title is Student Life Professional. The University is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution. Applicants are encouraged to include in their cover letter information about how they will further this goal.
The University of Vermont is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer