Brooks DC Director of Residential & Student Life, Cornell Brooks School - Washington DC

The Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy is seeking to hire a Brooks DC Director of Residential and Student Life based in Washington, DC. This is a 12-month, live-in position that leads the management of the Brooks School's Washington DC residence hall including ensuring life safety and security, fostering community, supporting students, and responding to student conduct and instances of crisis for 40-50 students living each semester and over the summer. The Brooks DC programs seek to foster a close-knit community with a high level of student involvement in regular events, programming, and opportunities to experience the culture and history of Washington, DC, and connect those experiences with what they are learning in the classroom and via their internships. This position has a direct impact on student development by serving as a resource and role model for students, while also striving to cultivate a strong sense of community and belonging.

The Opportunity
The Brooks DC Director of Residential and Student Life, alongside their manager, the Director of Administration, and joined by the Director of Teaching and Learning (a faculty member) form a three-person DC-based leadership team for the Brooks DC programs. These positions work under the direction of and with support from relevant Assistant and Associate Deans of the Brooks School to ensure alignment with the Brooks School's mission and adherence to relevant Brooks School and Cornell University policies and procedures.

This position works closely with the broader Brooks DC team including a 12-month, live-in Residential Fellow who provides academic and course support to faculty and students and whom the Director will train to share in an on-call rotation. Other members of the Brooks DC team include administrative staff that help facilitate the program including maintenance of the facility with a DC-based property management firm and an Ithaca-based position that promotes the programs and supports students in their internship searches.

The Director of Residential and Student Life's successful performance will depend on their ability to build a vibrant, engaged, and supportive community through their leadership, and the formation of collaborative relationships with the Brooks DC team, Brooks School leadership, and partners across the University. Additionally, the Director will be expected to demonstrate their expertise in managing residential and student life and regularly make sound decisions, especially in times of crisis.

Salary: Annual compensation for this position is $62,714 - $72,900. The value of a one-bedroom apartment with utilities and internet included are factored into the annual compensation for this on-site live-in position.

Position Responsibilities/Essential Functions Include:

Residence Hall Management and Leadership 40%

Residence Hall Management

* Be the primary point of contact for residents regarding their residences including housing assignment and accommodations processes. Work collaboratively with staff colleagues to develop a system to communicate about, track, and resolve residence issues.
* Coordinate and be present during student move-in and move-out each semester.
* Work to develop and implement a smooth opening and closing of each semester and other logistical processes including pre-departure meetings, move-in, orientation presentations, and resident meetings to establish a safe and inclusive residential community.
* Work with Brooks DC team and partners in Housing and Residential Life to document and implement housing processes and policies including housing contract terms and expectations for student care and maintenance of residences. Explain and enforce these terms and expectations with residents.
* To maintain the safety and security of residents, staff, faculty, and facilities, develop and provide robust training each semester related to life safety including fire alarm and security systems. Respond to and manage life safety issues as they occur. Follow up on resident compliance with policies and processes.
o Collaborate with Brooks staff including Directors of Facilities and IT, University partners such as Public Safety, and the property management company on an as-needed basis as the on-site resource for routine activities such as once-a-semester fire drills.
o Identify facility operational problems and work with Facilities colleagues and property management company to develop solutions.

On-Call Coverage
* Provide on-call coverage for crisis support and conflict resolution.
* Responsible for 3 weeks per month of on-call coverage during the Fall and Spring Semesters - from program move-in through move-out
* Responsible for 2 weeks per month of on-call coverage during the Summer term
o The balance of on-call coverage provided by one other live-in staff member, the Resident Fellow who balances residential support with academic and course support duties. The Resident Fellow will report any incidents while on call to the Director of Residential & Student Life.
* There are no residents in the building for approximately 4 weeks in December and January; 2 weeks in May, and 3 weeks in July and August at which time this position has no on-call responsibilities. Vacations and other planned leaves should be scheduled during these weeks or during weeks when the Resident Fellow is on call and the Director of Administration is in town and able to support the Resident Fellow on any emerging issues or crises.
* Provide training and guidance to the Resident Fellow regarding their on-call duties.

Student Life/Student Affairs 30%

Student Support
* Serve as a first point of contact for students for any questions or concerns; provide support and resolve issues when possible. When appropriate refer students to others the DC-based team, or to their home college or school academic advisor, or to Ithaca-based campus resources
o In coordination with the Brooks Assistant Dean of Student Services, establish collaborative working relationships with other University offices and partners, including the Housing and Residential Life Office, Dean of Students office, Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSCCS), Cornell Health, individual college advising offices/services, and any other partners as required.
o For example, maintain contact with Cornell Health to stay informed on policies and resources available to off-campus out of NY state students.
* Maintain regular office hours in the Director's first-floor office to ensure students, staff, and faculty can easily find and connect with this position.

Managing Ongoing Students of Concern
* Organize and chair a standing 'students of concern' meeting every week during the Fall and Spring semesters, and biweekly during the Summer term with the Director of Administration, Resident Fellow, and a Brooks Student Services representative to ensure holistic student support and as much as possible, proactive management of both academic and social/residential concerns.
o Organize these meetings to maintain student privacy and comply with relevant policies and laws including FERPA, ADA, etc.
o Ensure timely reporting of and response to student concerns and academic concerns via the appropriate University reporting tools
o Work with University partners who design and manage reporting and response processes to ensure the processes support students are appropriately adapted to a remote location; meet with partners to provide information and context for Brooks DC programs as needed
Responding to Students in Distress or Crisis
* Respond to students in distress or crisis with care and compassion. Provide support and resolve matters when possible and proactively seek guidance and support from the Director of Administration and the Brook Assistant Dean of Student Services or her designee as appropriate.
o Respond to Title IX incidents, and other such situations promptly, using appropriate University resources and policies including reporting. Inform the Director of Administration and the Brooks Assistant Dean of Student Services immediately of compliance or crisis concerns.

Programming and Events 25%
* Facilitate individual and community development by creating, implementing, and evaluating programming to advance the mission of the Brooks DC programs through educational, social, and recreational opportunities in the residence and Washington, DC.
* Match programming and events to the needs of the student cohorts in residence with special care and attention paid to programming for first-year students in the Brooks DC Start cohort each fall.
* Creatively promote and communicate about programs and events to ensure student participation, work closely with program assistant to include programming in newsletters, and to create content for program materials including social media.
* Work with the Director of Administration and the administrative staff to plan and budget for programs, collaborate effectively with the program assistant to make purchases, and plan for all set-up and clean-up or supply needs.
In-residence programming may include:
o Planning and hosting community dinners regularly during the term
o Informal gatherings such as movie and game nights, craft projects
o Drop in breakfast, snack breaks, study breaks around exam periods

Local and community-based programming may include:
o Tours and visits to cultural and historical landmarks
o Sporting events, shows, and concerts

Other Position-related Responsibilities5%
* Complete training specific to university residential staff - may include occasional travel to Ithaca to participate in training sessions.
* Engage in professional development and stay up to date about new developments in the residential life and student services fields.
* Attend Washington Program Consortium meetings to learn best practices from other programs and stay informed about new developments in the field.

* Participate in projects or other duties as assigned with occasional work responsibility falling above or below current classification.

* Completion of any university required compliance trainings.

* While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically 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:

* Bachelor's Degree
* 2-4 years of relevant work experience in residential life, community development, student affairs program planning or implementation at the undergraduate level. Professional or graduate-level experience will be considered to a lesser degree than undergraduate experience
* Required to live in the residence hall 12 months per year and interact regularly with students and staff. To meet these requirements, the Director is provided with a furnished one-bedroom apartment, and basic internet service and utilities (excluding cable service).
* Experience in supporting first-year students
* Excellent communication (written and oral), interpersonal, time management and organizational skills.
* Knowledge of academic initiatives in residence halls, including living-learning communities/thematic programs, faculty engagement, and academic support services.
* Demonstrated experience in being a team player, ability to manage priorities, and working in an evolving environment
* Demonstrated crisis management skills, including problem-solving and critical thinking, with the ability to serve on-call and effectively respond to crises as needed.
* Knowledge of residential life and housing best practices and industry trends
* Knowledge of housing policies and compliance with university, state, and federal regulations (e.g., ADA, FERPA, Fair Housing Act)

Preferred Qualifications:

* Master's degree in Education, Higher Education Administration, Counseling, Social Work, or other appropriate field, and a minimum of 3 years of experience in a relevant educational leadership position, or some equivalent combination of the two.

* Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

* Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.

Important Position Details
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Application Materials

A cover letter and resume are required for full consideration.

What We Offer in Total Rewards and Benefits
Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives. Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay. Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.

Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays.
Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

What We Expect for Success
Employees are expected to meet all of the Cornell University Staff Skills for Success, which are essential for individual and organizational success.

About the Brooks School and its DC Programs

The Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy harnesses the University's broad disciplinary excellence in public policy, along with its innovative teaching, research, and engagement programs, to solve pressing global challenges. The school's prestigious faculty apply an interdisciplinary and problem-oriented focus to wide-ranging public policy issues as they explore how government choices intersect with people's lives.

Located near Dupont Circle in Washington D.C., the Brooks School's DC programs offer inspiring, immersive public policy education and learning coupled with a supportive and engaging residential and student life experience to three cohorts of Cornell University students per year.
* Each fall, approximately 40-50 first-year, first-semester undergraduates from the Brooks School will join Brooks DC Start to jumpstart their policy studies with a full load of required and elective coursework that includes co-curricular experiences only possible in DC.
* Each spring, 40-50 upper-division students (2nd-semester second-years and above) from any college or school at Cornell enroll in a full-course load and complete a part-time internship.
* Each summer, another 40-50 upper-division students take one or two summer classes and complete a full-time internship

The Brooks School DC Programs are housedat the corner of 22nd and O Streets in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington D.C. The facility offers single and double residence apartments that include their own bathroom and kitchen with a full-size refrigerator, stove, and microwave. The building is equipped with 24-hour cameras and a monitored security and fire alarm system. Classrooms, meeting rooms, and a student lounge provide ample space for classes, programs, events, and study.

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