Director of First Year Residential Programs and Student Activities

Director of First Year Residential Programs and Student Activities

The Director of First Year Programs and Student Activities is responsible for the implementation, evaluation and continuous improvement of programs to orient first year and transfer students to university life in general and Bethel College in particular. This retention-focused position will enhance onboarding, orientation, and matriculation success for new Bethel College students. This position collaborates closely with students, faculty, staff, and administration to implement new strategies, re-envision existing programs, and increase student persistence. Inclusive this position provides services essential to the mission of the college and the operation of the office for Vice President of Student Life. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students. Individual will serve as the primary advisor for student organizations that provides programs, services, and initiatives designed to encourage and engage students from populations that may sit at the margins of the campus community by increasing awareness, promoting support, and creating opportunities for interaction and dialogue.

Department

Student Life

Classification

• Full-time [1.0 FTE], 12-month, hourly, benefits-eligible, live-in (residential)

Essential Functions

• Support the mission, vision, and values of Bethel College
• Live-in Residential Housing to provide supervision for Freshman Students
• Provide leadership and campus level coordination in the development and implementation of programs, events, and activities related to first year and transfer experience
• Collaborate with the faculty, staff, and administration to build institutional awareness, support program assessment efforts, and provide consultation in support of retention and persistence of freshmen and transfer students
• Recruit, select, train, supervise, and evaluate the First-Year Experience Peer Mentors in conjunction with Student Affairs and Student Retention Services
• Assess and enhance early intervention strategies
• Develop, implement, and assess the efficacy of various First-Year Experience and transfer policies, procedures, programs, publications, social media, etc.
• Manage the day-to-day administrative affairs of the Vice President
• Screen incoming calls to the Vice President, determining nature of call and whether it requires the attention of the Vice President
• Schedule and coordinate appointment calendar for Vice President
• Handle office correspondence accordingly
• Coordinate the Vice-President travels, meetings, etc. and provide documents and meeting materials accordingly
• Responsible for securing, reserving, and preparing facilities for all events of the Vice Presidents office
• Ability to maintain highly sensitive information in strict confidence
• Organize and Coordinate the Thresher Pantry
• Design, implement, maintain, and improve activities, events, and leadership programs that support students co-curricular learning and life outside the classroom
• Facilitate campus-wide activities for student interaction, inclusion, education, and entertainment, including: planning, budget management, training, workshops, scheduling, marketing, and evaluation
• Oversee the development, organization, and facilitation of new student orientation (aka Thresher Days) each semester
• Develop a full schedule of activities, programs, and events for the first week of each semester (aka Welcome Week)
• Assist the Office of Student Life with the administration of student clubs and organizations
• Provide vision to the development and sustainment of student leadership opportunities
• Provide vision to the development and sustainment of programming intended to engage and include students from varied populations and diverse cultures
• Supervise Haury Hall Community Assistants (CAs)
• Advise the Student Activities Council (SAC)
• Advise the Diversity Council
• Identify, monitor, and assess the success of students of color, and those from historically underrepresented populations
• Assist in the development of an intervention plan for students not succeeding
• Promote and regularly attend college sponsored events and activities
• Coordinate and support activities with various campus partners and stakeholders including the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; the Center for Academic Development; Career Services & Experiential Learning; Alumni Relations; Enrollment Management; and Athletics
• Create and sustain effective working relationships with campus partners and stakeholders
• Serve on appointed College committees
• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to learn and adapt to changing work processes, including moving from in-person to remote work and back, as necessitated by College policy or as directed by the supervisor
• Satisfy the duties of a Mandated Reporter relating to Title IX and the Bethel College Equal Opportunity, Harassment, & Non-Discrimination Policy and Procedures
• Arrive on time for work, attend work regularly, and successfully complete the responsibilities of the position
• Comply with Bethel College policies and procedures
• Assume the responsibility of educational instruction via workshops and activities for all students
• Teach and demonstrate techniques, tactics, and strategies to help students reach their full potential
• Provide constructive feedback and support to all students throughout their matriculation
• Communicate effectively with students to ensure positive and supportive communities on campus
• Stay current with educational trends and platforms that will enhance the development of students on and off campus

Secondary Functions

• Assist Admissions with prospective student contacts as requested.
• Engage faculty, staff, and other campus/community stakeholders.
• Work with other Student Life members in carrying out common goals through on-going communication and by attending Student Life staff meetings.
• Assist other Student Life staff members as needed (i.e., during a co-worker''s absence or in the event of an emergency).
• Serve as a weekend on-call personnel for residential life
• Carry out other responsibilities and assignments as requested by the Vice President for Student Life.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Supervise Orientation Leaders, including:
• Selection, training, and development
• Accountability
• Evaluation

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor''s degree, required
• Masters degree, preferred
• Preference will be given to candidates who have experience with:
• working/living within a residence hall environment
• working in student activities or student leadership
• student supervision and/or advising
• working in an on-call duty rotation
• managing students in crisis
• student conduct administration

Skills Required

• Work independently and take initiative to improve programs and departmental procedures
• Proven ability for developing and maintaining collaborative relationships and partnerships with campus and community stakeholders
• Strong oral and written communication skillsincluding effective public speaking
• Understanding of group dynamics in order to supervise, advise, counsel, and interact with students
• Demonstrates a commitment to student advocacy for various populations, specifically those that have been traditionally marginalized
• Work well in a fast-paced changing environment and adapt to new responsibilities, ideas and approaches
• Ability to adapt to a flexible schedule that may include evenings and occasional weekends
• Ability to respond appropriately to students in crisis and intervene in the event of an accident or crisis
• Provide excellent customer service to students, faculty, staff, and guests
• Utilize superior time-management skills to facilitate the completion of the essential job functions within an unpredictable schedule

Required Qualifications

• Experience developing and implementing student programs
• Develop and track budget annual budgets and provide financial forecast
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and flexibility in problem-solving
• Excellent organizational, writing, interpersonal, and speaking skills
• Experience facilitating collaborative interactions with a diverse constituency
• Genuine desire and ability to work with and relate to college students
• Experience with student information system, social media, and web-based applications relevant to the duties of the position. Need to know how to navigate CANVA

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The essential functions of the position require:

• Minimal lifting (up to 25 lbs.) and reaching
• Operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as telephone, calculator, copy machine, and printer for extended periods of time
• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one classroom or building location to another
• Ascending and descending stairs
• Ability to perform tasks both sitting and standing for extended periods of time
• Ability to function well in a standard office setting
• Medium/indoor work environment

Work Environment and Conditions

All the essential job functions are subject to reasonable accommodation. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Individuals may be required to perform other job-related instructions as requested by the supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation. This position description is not all-inclusive and may change at the option of the '' (supervisor or department head). Any major change will result in the position being reviewed for reclassification.

Application Information

Please complete a Bethel College application and upload a cover letter, resume, and three references with contact information.

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Bethel College does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on basis of race, religion, color, sex/gender, pregnancy, political affiliation, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin (including ancestry), citizenship status, physical or mental disability (including perceived disability), age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status (including disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran, and Armed Forces Service Medal veteran), predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, or any other protected category under applicable local, state, or federal law. The College also prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internally or externally. Reports of misconduct, questions regarding Title IX, and concerns about noncompliance should be directed to the Director of Human Resources & Compliance (Title IX Coordinator). For a complete copy of the policy or for more information, please contact the Director of Human Resources & Compliance (Title IX Coordinator) at titleixcoordinator@bethelks.edu or (316) 284-5248 or the Assistant Secretary of Education within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Both the applicable Bethel College Policy and further information is available online.