The Assistant Director/Director of Residential Life is a live-on position responsible for contributing to the development of: collaborations, outreach and programming that fosters community, belonging and educationally-purposeful engagement; a rich and vibrant co-curricular environment; activities and experiences that contribute to the ongoing transition of students through and beyond the first year as they develop, explore and grow their skills, knowledge and capacities in pursuit of the attributes of a Juniata graduate.
The assistant director/director works individually and with colleagues to design, promote, implement and assess programs and services that contribute to and support student learning and personal development. Efforts of the student life team are collaborative, critical and constructive, and align with the division’s mission: We foster inclusive campus learning environments where Juniatians thrive and engage with purpose and meaning in citizenship practices characterized by empathy, empowerment and respect for all.
Typical Duties and Responsibilities *Position title, duties, and responsibilities contingent upon experience of selected candidate. • Contribute to the development and implementation of a vision for the holistic student experience that reflects the mission, strategic plan and values of the College. • Clearly articulate a vision for and the value of residential and living-learning experiences. Engage in program development that captures opportunities, aligns with enrollment and retention goals, and creates dynamic living experiences that support and delight students’ outcomes and interests. • Foster inclusive excellence with a demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and the valuing of marginalized people. Support development of self-efficacy, identity and leadership through individual, policy and institutional influence. Promote community unity and personal well-being. • Provide direction, oversight, support, and professional development for professional residential life staff and for all student residential life staff. • Select, train and evaluate Residence Life Professional Staff and paraprofessional staff; • Coordinate regular performance evaluations for paraprofessional staff, and feedback mechanisms for professional staff and student experiences. • Develop, lead and assess residential life programming and student engagement initiatives and a curriculum of student staff leadership trainings that contribute to the strategic plan, institutional learning outcomes, and departmental mission. Staff trainings, engagement and recognition activities should foster position competency, staff satisfaction and retention, and ensure alignment with residential life best practices. • Assist in the creation of program learning and development outcomes, and assessment measures to describe effectiveness, inform incremental positive change. • Identify needs, coordinate efforts and develop policies that promote safety, responsibility, and respectful living conditions to support student engagement and learning. Address issues of student conduct as assigned in partnership with the Dean of Students and designees. • Understand and support a residential life and housing system that meets institutional revenue goals through occupancy predictability and stability. • Supervise the room selection process for all residential students. • Serve as a resource/referral person for individual student concerns about residence life. • Oversee room change process in consultation with the students involved and the residential life professional staff. • Advocate for adequate resources and innovative building and common-space renovations and design; maintain a positive working relationship with Facilities Services and Public Safety regarding facilities, safety and student needs. • Keep accurate records, data and statistics on the Adirondack software system (The Housing Director) for housing information pertinent to the college housing operations; • Participate in the student life on-call after-hours rotation; handle crises and hospitalization of students, including contact with parents, and medical and public safety personnel. • Performs related duties as assigned.
• Master’s degree in higher education administration, college student personnel, or related field • 3-5 years of progressive leadership experience in a residential life setting • Have a working knowledge of legislation and regulations that affect residential life programs (i.e. Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and Title IX) • Must work collaboratively and cooperatively with diverse individuals and groups including administrators, faculty, staff, students, and parents. • Experience with, and a commitment to, the residential liberal arts experience. • A collaborative, inclusive and transparent management style. • Must live within a reasonable distance from campus and be available to respond to periodic emergencies and student crises. • Experience with residential life software such as Adirondack Solutions or an equivalent system • A willingness to work nights and weekends as program and college demands dictate.
Founded in 1876, Juniata is an independent, co-educational college of liberal arts and sciences that draws students from more than 35 U.S. states and 30 to 40 nations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and South America. Juniata’s exceptionally strong programs in the sciences and education; innovative business and international studies offerings; signature programs in peace studies, museum studies, and integrated media arts; and experience-driven humanities offerings pair with the Juniata College Curriculum’s focus on local and global engagement to create an invigorating campus environment.
Juniata is among the nation’s top private colleges due to its educational quality, commitment to access, and distinctive environment. Its spirit is shown in memorable traditions including Mountain Day, Storming of the Arch, Lobsterfest, and Liberal Arts Symposium.
For nearly five decades, Juniata has empowered students to design their educational experience. Students use the College’s signature Program of Emphasis (POE) system to work with two faculty advisers to shape their education. Because the POE is more flexible than a major, Juniata students pursue varied interests and discover tale...nts in a system that rewards their initiative. About one third of Juniata students author a totally customized, individualized POE. Well over half of all students shape designated (pre-designed) POEs to meet their goals.
Because its students favor forging their own way, Juniata is one of 40 colleges featured in Loren Pope’s influential book, Colleges That Change Lives. Juniata students transcend what they think is possible, choosing the College for the strong community of people who partner with them in pursuing academic achievement, professional preparation, and personal growth.
Juniata earns accolades annually from The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Washington Post, Money magazine, and U.S. News & World Report, which places Juniata on its list of the top 100 national liberal arts colleges. Juniata earned a 2012 Senator Paul Simon Award for comprehensive internationalization on campus; Juniata enrolls a very high percentage of international students, of whom two-thirds are four-year degree-seeking students. The College recently earned recognition for its academic offerings, its successes related to diversity and inclusion, and its programs to prevent interpersonal violence.
Juniata College takes an intentional approach to ensuring access and degree attainment, guaranteeing students graduation in four years or fewer, both to maximize career momentum and to minimize costs. The Juniata College Curriculum is rooted in interdisciplinarity and engagement, reflecting the pragmatic ethos of Juniata and matching it with contemporary student learning needs.
Located in the rugged mountains of central Pennsylvania in a spot seemingly reserved for the purpose of fostering exploration, Juniata’s 110-acre main campus is enhanced by the nearby 315-acre Baker-Henry Nature Preserve and Baker Peace Chapel and the 400-acre Sparks Farm. In addition, a 365-acre environmental studies Field Station on nearby Raystown Lake provides one of the most distinctive opportunities in environmental science in the nation.
On campus, a broad, open quadrangle—the hub of student activity—is surrounded by core facilities, including the LEED-Gold certified Founders Hall, home to the humanities and College administration; the 88,000 square-foot von Liebig Center for Science; the Kennedy Sports and Recreation Center, home to several championship athletic teams; the all-new 42,000 square-foot Kepple Hall, home to integrated media and studio arts; the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts and its innovative Suzanne von Liebig Theatre, a black box space utilized by the College’s groundbreaking theatre program; and the Beeghly Library, an intellectual heart of the campus soon to be renovated to reflect the College’s contemporary student learning strategies.
Juniata is located in the county seat of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, along the Juniata River in the heart of south-central Pennsylvania, in a town where both the writing tablet and reflective road paint were invented. Now home to a growing community of artists, small-business entrepreneurs, the Allegrippis Trails (recognized as one of the best mountain biking trail complexes in the world), Raystown Lake, and the sprawling Rothrock Forest, Huntingdon’s small-town charm is connected to the larger central Pennsylvania region. Huntingdon is a half-hour drive from State College, where the state flagship university is located, and halfway between I-80 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Amtrak services Huntingdon with direct routes to Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and New York City.