"Associate Dean of Students for Student Empowerment and Director of First-Generation & Low-Income Student Support"

The Office of the Dean of Students (DOS) cultivates the holistic growth and development of students through advocacy, empowerment, and education. We enhance the student experience by offering comprehensive support and resources, providing co-curricular opportunities, and fostering a sense of belonging.

The Centers for Equity, Empowerment, and Belonging (The Centers) are comprised of resource centers, empowerment units, and affinity groups within the Office of the Dean of Students to support the holistic development of the student experience by creating engagement opportunities, support services, and initiatives focused on student equity, belonging, and inclusion. Through transformational learning in the co-curricular experience, we strive to foster a greater sense of belonging, empowerment, and emotional intelligence, and help students thrive. The area is comprised of identity-based centers and offices that support and empower students from historically marginalized backgrounds while also providing all Cornell community members with opportunities to deepen their understanding of racial justice and equity, expand their allyship skills, engage in dialogue across differences, and be a part of the movement for positive social change.

In efforts to better serve its increasingly diverse student populations, the Division of Student and Campus Life (SCL) and the Office of the Dean of Students (DOS) is seeking an Associate Dean of Students for Student Empowerment, Director of First-Generation and Low-Income Student support. The Associate Dean and Director leads initiatives, programs and advises student organizations to support First-Generation, Low Income, and Undocumented identified students, including the Kessler Scholars program, the Access Fund and several donor funded initiatives. The Associate Dean and Director serves as a key member of the Centers for Student Equity, Empowerment, and Belonging (the Centers) leadership team. Contributing as a strategic thought partner to the Senior Associate Dean, contributing to strategic planning and leading cross-functional initiatives to enhance the goals of the Centers. This position is vital to tie together identity-specific support within Student and Campus Life and enhance our efforts in support of student empowerment, belonging and inclusion.

This position also serves as an extension of the Dean of Students. Serve as a liaison to campus partners in response to DOS or campus priorities. In this extension role the Associate Dean and Director will represent the Office of the Dean of Students on committees, working groups, and special projects at the divisional and institutional level, responding to campus-wide initiatives and issues as directed, including crisis response and expressive activity management (encampments, protests, rallies, controversial speakers, labor disruptions, etc.). Additionally, engage students and cross-functional initiatives to promote student engagement, wellbeing, inclusion, and sense of belonging for all students and serve as a rotating Administrator On-Call for urgent and emergent student issues, providing after-hours crisis response, management and support, and appropriate follow-up in coordination with other university resources.

If you are a team oriented, student-centered, highly collaborative professional looking to lead and grow the abilities of a professional team and empower and positively impact the college experience of FGLI students, undocumented students and other access limited student populations, we would love to have you join our team. We need an intentional, strategic, multitasking, innovative, equity-minded and passionate professional to lead with vision to develop and maintain structures to assist students in achieving their personal, professional and academic goals. This position should anticipate supporting student groups during non-traditional business hours, including evenings and weekends.

Success Factors

• Drive to obtain and continuously learn knowledge of student trends, specifically related to supporting FGLI student success and student development.
• The ability to foster a supportive and student-centered environment to empower and equip students with skills and strategies to engage in self-advocacy and student empowerment.
• Strong vision for FGLI student support and the ability to follow through with program management and planning to support various programs and workshops to engage and foster a strong sense of belonging among students from diverse backgrounds.
• Desire and experience to provide FGLI students with resources, support, referral and advocacy through advising and collaborating with student organizations and other campus partners to advance shared goals. One should be collaborative and responsive to managing multiple relationships and projects, adapting to new priorities, and being nimble and responsive as initiatives and needs change.
• An ability to work part of a dynamic and flexible team in a fast-paced professional office and to interact collaboratively with diverse audiences, navigating complex institutional topics.
• Willing and able to effectively affect change from within systems: ability to build relationships and maintain trust, to assess and balance the needs of various stakeholders, and to identify and advocate for achievable solutions.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree and three (3) - five (5) years of professional experience in College Student Development, Student Affairs Administration, Higher Education, Social Justice Education, Social Work, Counseling, or closely related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to take initiative, follow directives, work independently, respond to crisis and contribute to a diverse team environment.
• Multicultural competency and experience working with and/or advising diverse student organizations.
• Strong professional judgment about when to make referrals, set boundaries, and equip students with skills and strategies to engage in self-advocacy.
• Strong understanding of FGLI student success including issues, trends, language, and ability to proactively respond to a wide array of issues or emerging student needs.
• Experience building collaborative partnerships with faculty, administrators, students, parents/families, community partners, and alumni.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, planning, reasoning, organizational, and project management skills, with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Ability to serve on-call and respond to crisis situations according to organizational protocol, including evening and weekend work as required.
• Demonstrated skill in understanding cultural differences.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advance degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) - seven (7) years of progress work experience in higher education, or related fields.
• Experience supervising professional staff, graduate interns, and student leaders.
• Experience managing multiple budgets, including stewarding gift funds.
• Experience working in higher education and/or with college students.
• Experience creating programming or engaging in outreach on topics of intersecting identities, identity formation, mental health, cultural nuances, and/or empowerment.
• Demonstrated experience with crisis management and case management of students navigating difficult situations.

University Job Title: Coord Program III

Job Family: Student Services

Level: G

Pay Rate Type: Salary

Pay Range: $82,735.00 - $97,864.00