Area Director; Staff Assistant

Position: Area Director (Staff Assistant)
Job Description:

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

The Area Director provides active and visible leadership, direction, and oversight to coordination to an assigned area of residence hall communities in accordance with established policies and procedures. A residential area is defined as comprising two or more residence halls, along with two or more security desk operations, and with a combined design capacity in excess of 500 residents.

The Area Director is responsible for establishing and maintaining a living environment conducive to student growth and which supports learning and academic endeavor. The Area Director is expected to have the ability to work with diverse populations and support and advance departmental equity; inclusion and anti-racism initiatives.

The Area Director also leads student engagement efforts and contributes to campus recruitment, orientation, retention, and commencement events and activities; serves as a student conduct system hearing officer; supports and manages vacation period and group housing initiatives; and serves on department, student development, and campus committees and work groups as assigned.

This is a full-time live-on position and, as such, the Area Director is expected to have regular and significant presence in the residence halls, including on evenings and weekends. The Area Director is a designated essential personnel staff position and provides campus coverage in an on-call capacity.

Specifically assigned residence halls and on-campus accommodations are subject to change.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

The Director of Residence Life provides supervision to the Area Director.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

The Area Director provides supervision to student staff including Administrative Resident Assistants (ARAs), Resident Assistants (RAs), Security Desk Attendants (SDAs), and vacation, summer or other Residence Life staff members as assigned.

EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Creates and maintains a community environment conducive to student learning and success.
• Responsible for overseeing or assisting in the recruitment, selection, supervision and training of Resident Assistants (RAs), Security Desk Attendants (SDAs), and other departmental staff members as assigned.
• Works with RAs, SDAs and other residence hall staff to provide adequate supervision and coverage in the halls according to established procedures.
• Conducts on-going weekly supervisory meetings and periodic staff development sessions with staff on a group and individual basis.
• Plans, presents, documents, and attends staff training sessions and programs with staff throughout the year Including Residence Life, housing, student conduct, regulatory-related, and student affairs training and professional development programs.
• Evaluates Resident Assistants, Security Desk Attendants, and other student staff in accordance with departmental procedures.
• Regularly interacts with residents through formal and informal contacts (i.e., office hours, floor programs, visiting student rooms, hosting open houses for students, etc.)
• Serves in an "on-call" capacity in rotation, in accordance with established policies and protocols, to provide year round after-hours campus coverage of the residence halls.
• Interprets and explains University regulations, policies, philosophy and expectations to individual students, groups of students, conference participants and guests in the residence halls.
• Fosters a community environment which values and supports identity development, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism by sponsoring, promoting, leading, through example and/or providing appropriate programming and training to residents and staff. Participates in professional development activities to continually increase cultural competence and support inclusive community efforts.
• Acts in an advising and referral capacity to residents and guests.
• Responds promptly and thoroughly to assist residents in crisis, including direct meetings to identify resources and help evaluate and coordinate emergency and after-hours responses as necessary.
• Regularly inspects assigned residence hall(s) to monitor facilities, resident behavior, hall climate, programming, communications, safety/security and hall operations. Follows up on findings promptly and in keeping with departmental and campus standards; promptly reports facility maintenance needs discovered.
• Directly supervises the opening and closing of residence halls at the beginning and end of each semester, during vacation/summer housing periods, and during conference housing occupancy periods.
• Assess residence hall damage in accordance with departmental guidelines including maintaining and submitting accurate records.
• Responsible for managing key and access control.
• Coordinates room changes within and/or between buildings with the appropriate Residence Life administrator according to established procedures.
• Attends and assists with the annual room selection process as directed.
• Works in conjunction with staff and appropriate…