Assistant Dean of Students

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Job Summary

Department Summary:

The Dean of Students Office promotes student development and enhances the experience of undergraduate and graduate students through programs, services, partnerships/connections, and policy development that promote an inclusive campus climate and facilitate the successful navigation of campus life.  

The core work of the Dean of Students Office includes promoting a safe and respectful campus community, enhancing students' Michigan experience, providing support services and managing critical incidents impacting students and the campus community, and recognizing and responding to the emerging needs within the student population.

Position Summary:

The Assistant Dean of Students is responsible for leadership of critical incident response and student support, the respondent support program, and the community concerns program in the Dean of Students Office. This role includes supervision of 3 full-time case managers and 1 full-time community concerns coordinator and a variable number of visiting staff members and graduate student interns; providing direct support to students experiencing complicated, complex critical incidents; training various constituents about DOS critical incident response and student support; overseeing all aspects of the visiting staff program; developing comprehensive annual reports and conducting data analysis on behalf of the Dean of Students Office; serving on the cross-disciplinary behavioral intervention team; overseeing evaluation and assessment efforts related to critical incident response and student support; managing the critical incident response team's use of Advocate; utilizing relevant theory and best practices related to college student development and crisis response/management; and contributing to the Dean of Students Office through support of its administrative and programmatic functions. The Associate Vice President & Dean of Students will also provide direction and supervision for specific incidents, projects, and initiatives.
 

Responsibilities*

Critical Incident Response and Student Support (45%)

• Responsible for providing direct service to over 500 students (annually) who are experiencing complex interpersonal/social, physical, and mental health, financial, academic, basic needs insecurities, or other complicated critical incidents
• Supervise three full-time professional critical incident case managers
• Lead all aspects of the visiting staff program, including recruitment, training, and supervision of team members
• Provide supervision to graduate student intern(s) serving on the DOS Student Support Team
• Assess individual students' needs to determine developmentally appropriate, comprehensive, and effective interventions and resolution options; assist with navigation of the university structure, systems, and policies; and make referrals to on- and off-campus resources for students experiencing a critical incident
• Collaborate and connect with multiple university offices, academic units, health care providers, and community resources to meet student health and well-being, academic, financial, housing, social, and other needs
• Provide guidance and support to parents, families, faculty, and staff as needed in navigating university policies, procedures, and resources and in response to critical incidents affecting students
• Directly address students who are engaging in significant concerning and/or disruptive behavior, including consulting with faculty and staff regarding appropriate, coordinated response and direct intervention options
• Teach and coach students to develop and demonstrate problem-solving and self-advocacy skills
• Provide a safe listening space in which to offer compassion, support, and guidance to students
• Educate students regarding their rights and responsibilities as members of the university community
• Maintain current knowledge and awareness of laws, policies, federal regulations, and other guidance relevant to student affairs, case management, student support, and critical incident response

Direct Leadership of (Title IX and Title VI) Respondent Support Program (15%)

• Provide direct support and process advocacy to students identified as respondents in sexual and gender-based misconduct (Title IX) and discrimination and harassment (Title VI) cases including but not limited to assessing individual student needs, helping students identify, locate, organize, and access necessary services and interventions, assisting students in navigating family and community impacts and effects, attending meetings, and reviewing documents and materials
• Receive and address student referrals from Equity Civil Rights and Title IX, including timely outreach throughout case investigation and resolution stages
• Collaborate with the Equity Civil Rights and Title IX office, Office of the General Counsel, Student Resolution Resources, SAPAC, and DPSS to interpret University policy and procedures in order to counsel respondents appropriately
• Develop a multifaceted team of Respondent Support Advisors who provide direct support to respondents, including coordinating on-going training and annual recruitment of team members
• Participate in the formal review and evaluation meeting(s) for respondents returning to the university after a period of separation; provide ongoing support to respondents during their transition back to campus and/or throughout probation periods
• Assess the effectiveness of the Respondent Support Program through ongoing student and stakeholder feedback, benchmarking with other institutions, and closely monitoring updates in higher education policy development

Outreach and Collaboration (15%)

• Serve as a core member of the Dean of Students Behavioral Intervention Team (DBIT), including providing input on complicated and/or patterns of student behavior at weekly meetings and leading the response and follow-up on specific cases as necessary.
• Provide leadership and direction to the Community Concerns Program, including direct supervision of one full-time Community Concerns Coordinator
• Maintain strong collaborative and consultative relationships with Michigan Housing, Student Resolution Resources, CAPS, Office of Financial Aid, SAPAC, Wolverine Wellness, all 19 UM schools/colleges, ECRT, Government Affairs and Community Relations, and other departments/units to coordinate supportive, effective resources and interventions for students
• Serve on the Activism Response Team, responsible for in-person response to planned events that could be disrupted and spontaneous activities that are potentially disruptive to the campus community; directly address student organization leaders and other students in regard to campus policies, community expectations, and possible accountability processes
• Establish and maintain collaborative and consultative working relationships with agencies in the Ann Arbor community, including area hospitals and other resources for students
• Represent the Dean of Students Office to other University departments and the campus community through various training and presentation opportunities, resource fairs, and other outreach events
• Serve on various Student Life and University committees as a representative of the Dean of Students Office and Student Life

Reporting and Record-Keeping; Evaluation and Assessment (15%)

• Prepare special and periodic reports regarding critical incident response and student support, the respondent support program, and the community concerns program for internal and external audiences when requested and as necessary
• Develop comprehensive annual reports for DOS critical incident response and student support, the community concerns program, and respondent support
• Prepare information and data for Clery compliance and ensure accurate reporting to UMPD annually
• Maintain critical incident response and student support protocols and procedures
• Manage the day-to-day functionality and use of Advocate by the DOS critical incident response team, including developing new processes, forms, and other materials and maintaining current processes to reflect case management practices; create training guides and process documents for Advocate systems for use by DOS professional staff; develop new workflows and processes in Advocate as necessary
• Maintain records of cases reviewed during DBIT meetings, including discussion items and action steps
• Develop and monitor evaluation and assessment tools for critical incident response and student support, the community concerns program, and the respondent support program
• Analyze relevant data for modification of existing services as necessary

General Administration (10%)

• Contribute to the daily functioning of the Dean of Students Office through support of its administrative, on-call, and crisis management responsibilities
• Maintain appropriate documentation for critical incident response and student support
• Protect the privacy of student educational records per FERPA
• Assure compliance with Title VI, Title IX, and Clery reporting requirements
• Respond to campus crises and emergencies
• Schedule a daily and after-hours on-call schedule for the Dean of Students Office
• Provide rotating after-hours on-call support for the Dean of Students Office
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the Dean of Students Office
   

Required Qualifications*

• 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in student affairs administration within a higher education setting
• Master's degree in college student personnel, higher education administration, counseling, psychology, social work, law, or related field
• Direct experience in crisis intervention, response, and management, and case management procedures, preferably in a higher education setting  
• Experience managing complex situations involving students, parents, staff, faculty, and community members
• A strong working knowledge of issues impacting college students, student development theory, and its application in a higher education setting
• Supervisory experience
   

Desired Qualifications*

• Doctorate or other terminal degree
• Working knowledge of current laws and guidance pertaining to FERPA, the Clery Act, Title VI, Title IX, Campus SaVE Act, and other applicable regulatory provisions
• Knowledge of risk management practices informed by higher education best practices and relevant laws, policies, and procedures
• Demonstrated technological proficiency (i.e., database systems management)

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

Position Responsibilities Criteria:

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to problem-solve, be adaptable in a fast-paced environment, and thrive in a student affairs office responsible for responding to challenging emergent needs and issues
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and navigate change effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a dynamic, diverse, and engaged student population, both individually and in groups. 

Financial/Budgetary Responsibility:

• None

Working Conditions:

• Work unpredictable evening and weekend hours on-site or at home in response to the emergent needs of students and the campus community
• Remote opportunity up to 1 day per week during the academic year and up to 2 days per week during the spring/summer, depending on office and position responsibilities

Physical Requirements:

• Travel to various on and near campus locations to conduct work and deliver materials; routinely present information at events in front of large audiences (of parents/families, staff, faculty, students); may need to move items weighing up to twenty-five (25) pounds, etc.; routinely move through the facility to attend meetings/events and access files or information. Overnight travel (to conferences and other off-site events) may be required.

Direct Reports:

• (3) Critical Incident & Student Support Case Managers
• (1) Community Concerns Coordinator
• Visiting staff members and graduate intern(s) for critical incident response and student support

Additional Information

This role may have reporting obligations under Title IX and Clery.

Authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment and applicants for this position will not be sponsored for work visas.

Salary may vary depending on qualifications, experience, and education of the selected candidate.

Relocation will not be offered for this role.

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Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.