The Placement Exchange Job Board

Reporting to the Dean for Title IX, Equal Opportunity, and Student Wellness, the Associate Dean for Counseling and Holistic Wellness supports the Student Affairs division in the development of a holistic approach to student health, personal development, and overall well-being. Specifically, the Associate Dean provides strategic direction for a comprehensive portfolio that includes counseling services, wellness education, and advocacy. In conjunction with the Dean for Title IX, Equal Opportunity, and Wellness, the Associate Dean provides leadership for the division's response to students of concern; monitors research and current behavioral trends affecting college students; develops campus-wide interventions for alcohol and other drug issues and related peer education programming; assesses and evaluates all related operations, policies, and programs to ensure compliance, student impact, and organizational effectiveness. The Associate Dean also promotes and supports the philosophy, policies, and procedures for comprehensive wellness services incorporating equity, anti-oppression work, and social justice concepts and principles to support student wellbeing. 

DETAILED STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Counseling:

• Plans, develops, and maintains a comprehensive campus counseling service to include psychotherapy, personal counseling, educational, vocational, and testing services, coordinates Counseling Services efforts with other Student Affairs offices and staff of the campus.
• Supervises professional and clerical staff of the Counseling services.
• Provides psychotherapy and counseling to students, individually and in groups, to help them understand themselves and their environment to overcome academic, vocational, and personal problems.
• Develops and provides opportunities for group counseling and workshops in areas such as substance abuse, anxiety, eating disorders, women's concerns, human sexuality, time management, etc.
• Provides crisis counseling and counseling services for patients with acute psychological problems and works closely with Health Center personnel in the provision of these services.
• Participates in rotating weekly 24-hour counselor on call coverage to meet the emergency needs of students after hours and on weekends.
• Refers students for specialized and/or long-term treatment as needed.
• Participates in the training of residential life and other staff and encourages faculty and administrative engagement with the Counseling Services.
• Manage technology resources including web site and Titanium software package to enhance counseling services work and minimize barriers to access.
• Plans and conducts research and prepares reports and analyses, identifying trends and student problems and recommending appropriate programs and solutions.
• Establishes long and short-range departmental goals and objectives and devises methods to improve the overall effectiveness of counseling programs.
• Develops and submits budget recommendations, monitors, verifies, and reconciles expenditure of budgeted funds.

Wellness:

• Provide leadership and functional responsibility for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a multifaceted campus-wide wellness education program and key performance measures for students' physical, emotional, psychological, and overall well-being.
• In partnership with the Dean for Title IX, Equal Opportunity, and Student Wellness, envision, plan, and implement a new student health and wellness strategy campuswide.
• Using a broad-base of knowledge and expertise in areas such as counseling, substance and drug use prevention, resilience and reflection, guide and oversee campus-wide harm reduction programming, student success, and intervention strategies incorporating mental health education principles, practices, and utilize models that have been proven effective in similar settings.
• Support and advocate for students who experience crisis; intervene directly in highly sensitive cases involving critical illness/injury, mental illness, and other threats to mind and body.
• Create regular opportunities to dialogue with faculty and staff about health assessment and wellness education to broaden the campus community understanding of influences on health behaviors and affect positive change.
• Develop programming to reduce inappropriate behaviors and increase positive behaviors by students; anticipate, evaluate, and address changes in student needs and improve the student experience on campus.
• Collaborate with the Director of Health Services to support, develop, and promote initiatives, programming, and outreach directed toward students' physical, mental, emotional, and psychological well-being.
• Develop collaborative partnerships across campus - both in and outside the classroom - to ensure strategic integration of holistic wellness programs, initiatives, and services.
• Oversee wellness related spaces on campus.
• Coordinate efforts to enhance collaborative relationships with other local colleges, local and state agencies, health care providers, and other entities to advance the College's wellness agenda.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

• Build and sustain a clinical team committed to and competent in supporting students representing a diverse range of backgrounds and identities.
• Collaborate with Senior Advisor for Institutional Equity and Belonging on training and education and employ best practices to support the wellbeing of traditionally minoritized populations.
• Provides for ongoing clinical staff training within a social justice framework.

Requirements:

• Hold a master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, or related field from an accredited program or doctoral level degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in clinical or counseling psychology from an APA accredited program.
• Currently licensed or eligible to be licensed as an independent mental health provider (e.g., psychologist, licensed clinical professional counselor, or licensed clinical social worker) by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (i.e., at time of application, must have completed all licensure requirements including successfully passing any examinations and completing any clinical supervision hours required for licensure by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts). Massachusetts license must be obtained no later than 6 months after hire date.
• Minimum 5-7 years of related experience in student affairs with an emphasis on wellness, counseling, student and leadership development, or experiential learning or comparable professional experience.
• Minimum 2-3 years of supervisory experience in a clinical environment.
• Knowledge of student development theory, program development, management, and leadership education, learning outcomes assessment, staff training/development, and student advisement.
• Proven experience in student crisis management and emergency response.
• Demonstrated clinical skills compatible with a brief treatment model and experience in assessment, individual and group counseling, and crisis intervention.
• A record of creating opportunities for ongoing learning and engagement in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility for yourself and others.
• Demonstrated leadership related to strategy development and implementation designed to support equity-deserving groups/student population.
• Knowledgeable of barriers to student success (systemic, historic, issues of access) for equity-deserving groups. Experience of using that knowledge to inform decision making and direction.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple initiatives, programs, and responsibilities while ensuring clinical excellence in the provision of direct services.
• Demonstrated innovative leadership practices and exceptional interpersonal, verbal and written communication.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of constituencies.
• Ability to use sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive mental health issues with confidentiality and discretion.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience working in a college counseling center or clinical experience with the college population is preferred.
• Knowledge of college student development and of the mental health issues specific to college students. ? Knowledge of higher education principles, practices, and procedures.
• Experience working with a diverse population in a fast-paced, stimulating environment.
• Interest in collaborating and working effectively with professional staff, faculty, students, and administrative staff, both on and off campus.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including oral, written, listening, and presentation skills. 

Additional Information:

This is a full-time, benefited non-unit position.  The salary range for this position is $80,000-$90,000.  

The deadline for applications is April 7, 2023.

It is the policy of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts that all employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they begin employment. Proof of the COVID-19 vaccine, including booster, is required of all individuals hired by MCLA, to be verified after an offer of employment has been made, and as part of the background check process. Prospective employees may submit a request for exemption based on a religious and/or medical basis, to Human Resources.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that they operate, which extends to admission and employment at MCLA. MCLA is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 ("Title IX") to not discriminate in such a manner. Inquiries about the application of Title IX may be directed to each respective MCLA's Title IX Coordinator, to the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, or both.

Patrick Connelly
Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer
Phone: (413) 662-5127
Email: patrick.connelly@mcla.edu
Mailing Address: 375 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights 
33 Arch Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02119-1424 
Telephone: (617) 289-0111; FAX: (617) 289-0150; TDD (877) 521-2172 
Email: OCR.Boston@ed.gov

About MCLA

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ continued commitment to an excellent, affordable education is reflected in the 2022-2023 U.S. News and World Report rankings: The College is #7 on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges for the second year in a row, ranks #33 as a Top Performer on Social Mobility among national liberal arts colleges, and first among all Massachusetts liberal arts schools. MCLA also continues to appear on the list of Top National Liberal Arts Colleges. MCLA has appeared on U.S. News’ list of Top Public Colleges for 10 of the past 12 years. The College has also been acknowledged in its list of National Liberal Arts Colleges for Social Mobility since the organization adopted this ranking in 2019. This list measures how well institutions graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants, typically awarded to students whose families make less than $50,000, though most Pell Grant money goes to families with income below $20,000. Slightly more than 42 percent of MCLA undergraduate students receive Pell Grants, and 51.4 percent are the first in their families to go to college. Overall, 93.1 percent of students receive some kind of financial aid. ... “As we once again appear in the Top Public College rankings, I feel immense gratitude toward my colleagues who support our Trailblazers in achieving their academic goals,” said MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D. “From faculty and staff strengthening and growing programs, to the exceptional student body striving for academic excellence and fulfilling lives, I am grateful to work at an institution with a mission of advancing equity, social mobility, and serving under-resourced students.” “I am incredibly impressed by MCLA’s continued success – an institution that is consistently recognized as a Top Public College,” said Brenda Burdick, Chair of the MCLA Board of Trustees. “The work that has been done to remain in the top 10 standings is extraordinary. With our excellent faculty and staff dedicated to growing and strengthening the College’s programs, I am proud to see affordable and accessible college education at the forefront of the College’s mission.” U.S. News ranks colleges based on indicators that reflect a school’s student body, its faculty, and its financial resources, along with outcome measures that signal how well the institution achieves its mission of educating students. For more information, go to usnews.com/colleges. About MCLA: At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. Nearly 93% of our graduates land competitive jobs or are accepted by some of the best grad schools in the country. We engage in the most nationally relevant conversations by hosting some of the most celebrated thinkers and speakers on our campus in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, an area known for its mountain ranges, hiking trails, and panoramic views. Our home town of North Adams is brimming with young, creative energy and the regional economy is booming as a result. In nearly every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate you as an individual, a leader, and a communicator, fully empowered to make your impression on the world.

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