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Associate Dean and Director for Student Life Programs

Basic Function and Responsibility
Reporting directly to the Dean for Student Life, the Associate Dean and Director is responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership for the following functions and offices that serve approximately 4,290 undergraduate students and over 5,832 graduate students. These reporting areas include: fraternities, sororities and independent living groups (FSILGs), residential programs, mediation and student conflict resolution, student activities and the Public Service Center. The Associate Dean and Director is also responsible for developing programmatic opportunities which promote student-faculty interaction, leadership development, self-governance and educational growth. Is accountable for setting organizational direction, including priorities, budget, issue identification and resolution, communications, policy issues, faculty involvement, and the delivery of results. Ensures accountability and senior level commitment to a well-integrated residential system.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities
• Responsible for strategic planning and leadership in establishing budget, priorities, direction, staffing and resource allocation.

• Provide guidance and support to departmental staff. Make final decisions on hiring, promotions, salary increase, and terminations within the department pending Dean’s approval; also responsible for staff development, evaluation and on-going performance management.

• Support long-term career success of staff members.

• Discuss, plan and delegate major project assignments to supervisory staff/departmental leaders; determine programmatic objectives and priorities that are of significant scope.

• Help manage expectations among MIT faculty/housemasters, staff, community, and senior leadership. Ensure appropriate communications.

• Provide liaison and maintain formal and informal relationships with national and regional organizations relating to the department.

• Working with the Director of Operations, respond to residential community concerns. Provide channel for communication with affected students and student groups to ensure concerns are heard and addressed. Provide communication channel for residential community members to ensure individual and/or group issues are heard and addressed.

• Work with staff to identify issues and potential resolutions. Serve on appropriate committees.

• With the Director of Operations, develop, implement, and interpret residential policies and programs for all resident students (undergraduate and graduate).

• Adjudicate residence-related disciplinary cases as appropriate.

• Develop and maintain models for projecting enrollment and housing needs for use by Academic Council in determining freshman class size. Coordinate residence portion of Residence/Orientation Program.

• Facilitate increased educational programming in all living groups, particularly in an effort to increase faculty and staff contact in the student residences.

• Encourage and support Institute efforts to strengthen services and programs for MIT’s diverse student body. Provide Institutional advocacy, support, advice and direction to MIT student activities, organizations, residential programs, LBGT (lesbian, gay and transgendered) support programs and the Public Service Center.

• Design and implement ways to strengthen the Fraternities/Sororities & Independent Living Groups (FSILG) system; advises the Intrafraternity Council (IFC), individual residences and residence corporations, and the Alumni Interfraternity Council (AIFC).

• Advise, support and encourage self-governance in Institute Residence Halls and the FSILG System through work with the IFC, Dormitory Council, House presidents, mediation committees and social chairs.

• Participate in long-range planning for new construction, including Institute and FSILG housing, with an emphasis on programmatic needs.

• Oversee the Graduate Residence Tutor program, including selection, training, communications, and budgeting.

• Facilitate educational activities in all living groups, particularly to increase faculty and student contact in the student residences.

• Maintain liaison relationship with City Licensing Boards and the Cambridge Licensing Advisory Board with regards to FSILG lodging house licenses, and temporary liquor licenses, and related alcohol issues.

• Work closely with the Office of Government and Community Relations and others to support MIT’s town-gown relationship with the City of Cambridge.

Supervision Received
Direction is received from the Dean for Student Life.

Supervision Exercised
This position directly supervises the following professional staff: Assistant Dean and Director of FSILGs, Assistant Dean for Residential Programs, Assistant Dean for Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Assistant Dean and Director of the Public Service Center. With the Director of Operations, jointly supervises Manager of Financial Operations and the department Administrator for Information Technology.

Contacts Required
Advise and counsel individual students, student groups, living groups, and student leaders, particularly on program-related matters, as well as personal and academic matters as appropriate. Interact with the appropriate City officials, Institute departments and committees. Consults with senior leadership, Department Heads, Program Coordinators, Faculty, Housemasters, staff and students to discuss strategy, planning, mutual problems and other related matters. Serve as collaborative member of the DSL leadership team together with the Director of Operations.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree required (doctorate preferred) with extensive experience in design, coordination, and evaluation of educationally purposeful activities and leadership programs.
• Budget and supervisory experience with a proven ability to work collaboratively, raise issues, and facilitate decisions is required.
• Strong understanding of student development and cultural change is essential.
• Proven ability to work and lead in a cross-functional, fast-paced, educational environment necessary.
• Demonstrated success in the development of professional staff is highly desired.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; excellent interpersonal skills required.
• Must be achievement oriented, with demonstrated ability to influence others.
• Experience working with diverse student populations, strong organizational skills and collaborative skills are important considerations.
• Widespread knowledge of student life and higher education is highly desirable.