Assistant Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement

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INITIAL REVIEW DATE (IRD)

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The IRD for this job is: 09-24-2024

ABOUT UC SANTA CRUZ

UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university. It's known as an unconventional place where innovation and experimentation is part of the campus's DNA. That playful, bold spirit still thrives today, all on a campus renowned as among the most beautiful in the world.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Student Development and Engagement/Dean of Students (SDE/DOS) unit is one of four major units within the Division of Student Affairs and Success. SDE/DOS provides a range of programs, services, resources and experiences for all students with a focus on student engagement, leadership, basic needs and sense of belonging. Equity and social justice are at the core of the unit's approach to working with students and cultivating a vibrant, healthy and welcoming campus community.

The Division of Student Affairs and Success (DSAS) is a united division in service of students. DSAS consists of nearly 800 team members spanning 35 departments and 4 major units, each led by an associate vice chancellor. The division provides campus-wide coordination and leadership for student success programs, activities, and initiatives. The division also does our work through a range of resource centers dedicated to providing direct student support. The division's work is grounded in educational equity, institutional responsibility, and an unfettered commitment to supporting the whole student. The division aspires to ensure every student feels welcomed, supported, and a sense of belonging during their time on campus. The division's efforts are informed by robust and dynamic relationships with campus leadership, faculty, students, and staff from across the campus, reflecting the broad campus commitment to ensuring student success. Beyond UC Santa Cruz, the team is involved in numerous professional organizations and highly engaged in the local community.

JOB SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Associate Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement, the Assistant Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement is responsible for providing project and policy leadership and support for a diverse and exciting assemblage of programs, services, spaces and resources in the Leadership and Engagement and Dean of Students/Student Development & Engagement portfolios. This position requires the incumbent to work with a high degree of care, diplomacy, political acumen and cultural fluency when interacting with students, partners, constituents, and stakeholders across campus.

The Assistant Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement will lead programs and projects including (but not limited to) the Student Union Assembly, campus elections, Student Volunteer Center, voter registration/Get Out the Vote efforts, the Bias Response Process, and campus spiritual life. They will also provide leadership for and support campus-wide programming efforts for students. Additionally, they and the Associate Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement will provide campus wide leadership for student protests and demonstrations. The Assistant Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement may also manage special projects for the Associate Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement and the Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean of Students that concern a broad and complex range of student life issues, problem resolutions, communications and policy analysis/development. The Assistant Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement is responsible for representing the AVC/DOS and/or providing analytical and organizational support at key university, systemwide, and external events, meetings, and committees.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

Budgeted Salary: $105,000 - $115,000 / Annually. Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility: Full benefits

Schedule Information:

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week: Mon-Fri
• Shift Includes: Day

Employee Classification: Career appointment

Job End Date: None

Work Location: Hybrid - Remote / UC Santa Cruz Main Campus

Union Representation: Non-Represented

Job Code Classification: 007399 (PROJECT POLICY ANL 4)

Travel: Never or Rarely

JOB DUTIES

45% - Student Development & Engagement Programmatic Support

• Student Union Assembly Advising
  • Leads strategic planning, assessment, analysis and advising for the Student Union Assembly (SUA), including but not limited to: leadership development for officers, representatives and interns; establishing annual goals and learning outcomes, and program improvement/innovation.
  • Provides guidance to the SUA on matters of campus climate, especially related to student life at UCSC, to support their development as student leaders and their advocacy efforts.
  • Independently researches and analyzes policy in order to advise student leaders. Provides the SUA with timely advice regarding legal requirements, University policy and procedures, and other government regulations.
• Student Volunteer Center Advising
  • Provides high level oversight for the Student Volunteer Center, a student-run center which serves as a resource for students to connect them with volunteer opportunities, while also acting as a hub for volunteering education and connecting local/state organizations with passionate and dedicated students who are seeking civic engagement opportunities.
• Campus Climate and Bias Response Process
  • Provides intake and referral support to students who submit a Bias Report as one of the intake and referral leads for the student Bias Response Process.
  • Stays well-informed and keeps abreast of higher education's current issues, with particular attention and focus on issues that are impactful to the campus climate, in order provide the executive with a broad perspective across the organization.
• Campus Elections
  • Serves as the Campus Elections Commissioner for campus wide elections and works closely with ballot referenda authors and student elections commissioner on the SUA and the GSA.
• Voter Registration and Civic Engagement
  • Partners with the Office of Government and Community Relations to promote student voter registration and other campus wide programs intended to promote and support students in civic engagement endeavors.
• Student Engagement Team Co-Lead
  • Assists the AVC/DOS and Associate Dean of Students for Leadership & Engagement with SET training for other staff members in the Division of Student Affairs and Success, and co-leads protest and demonstration engagement and support efforts.
• Campus Spiritual Life
  • Stewards partnership with and serves as liaison to the University Interfaith Council (UIC), ensuring members have access to campus resources and space as they provide services to UCSC students.
  • Manages the UCSC Reflection Center, a space for prayer, meditation and contemplative practices.
• Campus-wide Programs and Events
  • Administers independent programs, typically with unit, division or campus-wide impact toward the goals of furthering student leadership and engagement, belonging and equity on campus.
  • Plans and co-manages large scale student events sponsored by the Dean of Students Office, Student Development & Engagement and the Division of Student Affairs & Success.
  • May lead a team of student leaders in developing and implementing programs and services to students.

25% - Program and Project Management

• Makes high level contacts of a sensitive nature, internally and externally, requiring discretion, diplomacy and political acumen in order to negotiate with or persuade leadership and stakeholders to adopt proposed solutions.
• Guides and directs planning which may include campus leadership, faculty, student leaders, and/or external stakeholders.
• Develops and coordinates departmental, unit and campus wide communications.
• Manages the Dean of Students' email inbox and ensures that communications to campus campus and external stakeholders are replied to promptly, accurately and thoughtfully, and/or refers those communications to appropriate other parties for prompt response and follow up.
• Supports the Associate Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement and Associate Vice Chancellor & Dean of Students (AVC/DOS) with developing recruitment plans and assisting and leading selection committees.
• Serves as a member of the DOS Leadership and Core teams, which may involve supporting professional development and teambuilding opportunities for the unit and office.
• Continually assesses student needs and interests, and remains abreast of current trends and best practices in the field of student affairs (and adjacent fields) related to student leadership and engagement; student activism, protest and free speech; equity, access and belonging; civic engagement; and mental health and wellness.

20% - Policy

• With the support of the Associate Dean of Students for Leadership and Engagement, serves as the steward for the Campus Elections policy and other system and campus policies related to campus elections.
• Leads efforts to conduct highly complex analyses across a broad spectrum of programs, policies and initiatives and/or provides in-depth, complex analyses as a specialist in student leadership and engagement.
• Develops new policies and procedures for implementation within the organization.
• Ensures compliance with all policies, and legal and regulatory requirements.

10% - Other Duties

• Serves on the AVC and DOS leadership teams.
• Establishes and maintains strong relationships with students, student leaders, student activists and student organizations, and contributes to a vibrant and welcoming campus experience for all students by being involved, visible, and engaged in all aspects of campus and student life.
• Centers equity, access, social justice and anti-oppression frameworks in all student programming and engagement efforts.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with all levels of staff and influence, both verbally and in writing.
• Advanced skills in short- and long-range planning, program and project management, facilitation and collaboration.
• Strong skills in analyzing, researching and synthesizing large amounts of data for preparing sound and relevant proposals / analyses.
• A high degree of political acumen regarding sensitive and high visibility issues with the ability to establish and manage delicate balances that must be achieved among competing variables and interests in a diverse, complex university environment.
• Advanced ability to build and maintain relationships with a broad range of staff and members of the community.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain all confidentiality.
• Advanced project management skills.
• Thorough knowledge of organizational or initiative processes, protocols and procedures.
• Ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes.
• Advanced knowledge of applicable policy analysis techniques.
• Advanced analytical / problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of, commitment to, and experience working with members of African, Black & Caribbean; Asian American & Pacific Islander; Chicanx/Latinx; Native/Indigenous; South West Asian & North African; Disabled; Neuro Diverse; Trans & Non-Binary; Queer; Undocumented and other historically marginalized or underrepresented communities.
• Experience exercising tact and diplomacy, sensitivity and helpfulness when interacting with people from diverse cultural or socio-economic backgrounds.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree in related area.
• Knowledge and applied praxis of effective models/philosophies in higher education and student affairs, and of student development theories related to leadership and engagement; sense of belonging; free speech expression; protest and demonstration response; and issues of diversity, equity, and social justice.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Selected candidate will be required to pass a pre-employment criminal history background check.
• Ability to work long periods of time at a computer with or without accommodation.
• The selected candidate will be required to work a hybrid work schedule and must be able to work successfully from a home/remote office and fulfill the requirements of the UCSC telecommuting agreement.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as directed.
• Ability to maintain appearance and conduct suitable for working in a professional setting.
• The University of California has implemented a Vaccination Policy covering all employees. Employees, including new hires, are required to comply with any applicable policies relating to the University of California vaccine program.
• Per the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), this position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter. The selected candidate will be required to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect as defined by CANRA and will be required to sign a Statement Acknowledging Requirement to Report Child Abuse prior to commencing employment. CANRA Penal Codes, and related definitions, requirements, and responsibilities may be obtained here.

SAFETY STATEMENT

All UCSC employees must understand and follow job safety procedures, attend required health and safety training, proactively promote safety at work, and promptly report actual and potential accidents and injuries.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

EEO/AA

The University of California is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees.

For the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4010393/PPSM-20

For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination