Assistant Community Director

Basic Function

The Assistant Community Director (ACD) position is a half-time, nine-month live-in graduate assistantship within the Department of Residence Education and Housing Services. Assistant Community Directors are responsible for developing living learning environments coinciding with the mission and goals of Michigan State University and Residence Education and Housing Services.

The ACD is responsible for the general supervision of their designated Resident Assistant staff and supporting the building Community Director in the planning, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive community and student development program for a residential community of 700 - 1100 undergraduate and/or graduate students. ACDs assume primary responsibility for assisting undergraduate Resident Assistants increase the skill level in their job functions. ACDs are responsible for staff supervision and training, student organization advising, individual student development, and administrative and departmental responsibilities. The ACD is supervised by a full time Community Director.

Qualifications

Admitted to a graduate degree program at Michigan State University during period of appointment
Preferred: previous residence hall experience or related student affairs experience
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Skills in the areas of critical thinking, team building, initiative, and leadership
Available to work a full academic year (August through May), in addition to training dates
During the period of employment, the ACD may not hold any other assistantship, fellowship, student teaching, or other employment. In addition, the ACD may not be enrolled in the Law School, Veterinary, or Medical Colleges unless otherwise required by the graduate program and with written permission by the Director of the Department.

Roles and Functions

Supervision

Supervise 6-12 Resident Assistants in their floor responsibilities through weekly staff meetings, regular one-on-one meetings, semester performance evaluations, etc.
Develop and maintain formal/informal contact with Resident Assistants to assist with job/personal concerns.
Communicate regularly with staff regarding expectations of them as a group and as individuals.
Establish a good working relationship with all hall staff members.
Assist and advise Resident Assistants in meeting the needs of their community.
Provide guidance to Resident Assistants in the development, planning and assessment of initiatives that promote the Residential Learning Model.
Develop a team approach through communication and cooperation among staff.

Individual Student Development and Student Contact

Establish informal relationships with residents and build visibility in the community through attending hall programs, student group meetings, eating in the dining hall, building rounds, etc.
Work with Resident Assistants to assist students to achieve academic success and address personal concerns by making referrals to campus professionals and resources as appropriate.
Facilitate student learning through the Residential Learning Model.

Administrative Functions

Exercise good time management skills in order to balance administrative duties with academic and personal responsibilities.
Meet all administrative deadlines as directed by supervisor.
Respond to all work related emails within 24 hours using their @rhs.msu.edu email address.
Submit necessary reports such as incident reports, duty logs, and follow-ups to supervisor in a timely manner.
Maintain accurate records and immediately communicate changes to direct supervisor.
Work with staff and students to promote security awareness to include personal safety both inside and outside the residence hall.
Coordinate duty schedules of the Resident Assistants
Inform residents of fire and safety procedures by posting information and assisting in the coordination of fire drills.
Assure that all materials are distributed to students and/or posted on bulletin boards within one day after receiving them
Attend all necessary meetings unless there is an exception granted due to an academic conflict.
Maintain weekly office hours.
Partner with a diverse group of staff, students, and faculty to promote the University’s goals towards inclusion and diversity.

Facility Care

Promote a living environment in which there is a feeling of self-pride and respect for the residence hall and its facilities.
Work with hall staff, hall leadership groups, and residents in developing ownership for the residence hall building and facilities.
Hold residents accountable for excessive damages and vandalism to the building facilities.
Coordinate efforts to keep hallways, public areas, and outside areas clean and free from personal or University items.
Promote an inclusive living learning environment.

Facilitate Learning within the Residence Hall

Create and maintain a residence hall environment conducive to studying.
Collaborate with Community Director to implement the Residential Learning model.
Actively promote the use of the Engagement Centers and other campus resources.
Strive to develop an interest in each resident. Get to know the residents and be aware of their needs.
Be available to residents who may need information, help in working through personal or academic issues, and guidance.
Know the hall and its needs by being aware of changes in the hall (programming and physical) throughout the year.
Help residents to understand their responsibility to respect one another and their hall.
Actively support and participate in hall and neighborhood initiatives.
Support and enforce area, departmental, and university policies and procedures
Abide by, support, and enforce all University policies, procedures, and regulations.
Assist residents in their development of personal responsibility and the recognition of the rights of others.
Be proactive in regard to student conduct by informing residents of policies, the rationale for the policies, and possible consequences should they violate departmental and/or University policies
Communicate regularly with Community Director regarding policy concerns of staff and students as well as particular floor problems and ways to solve those situations.
Ensure that the staff are enforcing policies consistently and recording any verbal warnings given to residents.
Assist the department and/or other offices across the University as needed with investigations and follow-up
Preside over administrative meetings and determine appropriate sanctions and follow-up with students regarding incidents in violation of any University or Residence Hall policy.
Maintain confidentiality when documenting students and work through their supervisor or the Duty Chain to share information.

Staff Recruitment and Selection

Assist in the recruitment and selection of professional, graduate, and paraprofessional staff.
Actively encourage students with high potential to apply for Resident Assistant positions; help train and develop student potential accordingly.
Responsible for interviewing candidates and distributing and collecting interview materials for staff.
Submit recommendations to the Community Director for Resident Assistant selection.

Training

Assist with staff training in the areas of personal well-being, student learning, Inclusive Community Building, student development, community responsibility, community standards, team development, etc.
Present and/or co-present during summer or winter staff training
Support Department, Division, and University wide staff training efforts by participating actively and demonstrating a positive attitude.
Attend all required trainings, including trainings prior to the start of each semester.

Evaluation

Provide feedback to Resident Assistants as appropriate.
Each semester, complete one written evaluation of each staff member based on their interaction and as directed by the Community Director.
Meet with the Community Director at least once a semester for a formal evaluation, including discussion of performance and mutual feedback.

Advisor

Serve as the day to day advisor to a Residence Hall student group.
Actively promote and advise Hall Government, Caucuses, and other leadership groups.
Communicate regularly with Residence Hall student group president, treasurer, and the other officers.
Encourage the Resident Assistants to attend hall functions, and be involved in the planning and implementation of Residence Hall student groups programs.
Attend Residence Hall student group meetings and programs.
Regularly communicate with the Community Director about hall activities and the hall leadership group expenses.

Physical Effort

This position involves working in an environment with limited privacy and noise. The job involves night and weekend work on a regular basis and staff must frequently respond to situations at any time of the day and night. The job requires moderate physical effort when responding to emergencies.

Conditions of Employment

Depending on graduate or doctoral course of study, most ACDs must enroll for a minimum of six credits and may carry a maximum of twelve credits per semester. Exceptions are made by the academic department.
A minimum 3.0 grade point average must be maintained during the period of employment (depending on program of study).
ACDs are responsible for fees and tuition associated with their graduate programs beyond the nine credit tuition waiver.
Employment is contingent on a satisfactory background check.

Remuneration

Remuneration includes a furnished apartment, meal plan while school is in session, qualification for in-state tuition rates, matriculation fee waiver, a monthly cash stipend, and single-person health insurance paid for by the University. Nine credits of tuition are waived for each semester (Fall and Spring) at the MSU base graduate tuition rate. Please check with your Graduate Program college to see if there is an additional fee added in to the MSU base tuition rate. These additional fees are not included in the Graduate Assistantship tuition waiver. For more information about fees, please see MSU Tuition and Fee Rates.

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer.

Assistant Community Director