Director of Student Care

Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff.

Job Description:

Amherst College invites applications for the Director of Student Care position. The Director of Student Care is a full-time, year-round position. The expected salary range for this job opportunity is: $90,000 to $100,000.

Reporting to the Associate Dean of Students and Class Dean (the Associate Dean) and as a member of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), the Director of Student Care (the Director) is responsible for supporting a vibrant community of students at Amherst College by overseeing and creating policies, processes, and practices that are transparent and equitable, and ensure that students of concern are connected to appropriate levels of care.

The Care & Accountability Team’s focus is on the creation of communities that emphasize comprehensive student development in an environment that is challenging and supportive. The Student Care team serves as the hub of support for students who are experiencing difficulties related to mental health, physical health, psycho-social adjustment, financial, familial, and/or personal challenges by providing direct case management services, including interventions, referrals, and follow-up services.

The Director is principally responsible for overseeing the Care Team’s collaborative approach to student support. The Director maintains a caseload of students and plays a significant role in triaging concerns and consulting with campus partners such as Class Deans, health care providers, Student Affairs colleagues, faculty members, staff, students, and families. The Director partners with the Associate Dean on the coordination of the multi-department workflow of the Leave/Return process. The Director spearheads campus outreach and professional and student staff training on student support processes.

The Director serves in the second tier of after hours on-call rotation. Due to the nature of this position, early mornings, evenings, and weekends may be required.

Summary of Responsibilities:

Department Leadership

• Provides strategic direction, operational oversight, and guidance for the Student Care team.
• Oversees the development, supervision, and assessment of policies, practices, services, systems, and processes that facilitate support for students who are experiencing difficulties related to mental health, physical health, psycho-social adjustment, financial, familial, and/or personal challenges in collaboration with the other Student Affairs departments and campus partners.
• Hires, on-boards, supervises, and evaluates the Student Care Coordinator. Oversees work of wellbeing checks and outreach of the Area Coordinators.

Student Support

• Manages a caseload of students experiencing significant difficulties related to mental health, physical health, psycho-social adjustment, financial, familial, and/or personal challenges.
• Collaborates with the Associate Dean to develop and maintain partnerships and protocols with community resources and campus partners, including the Center for Counseling and Mental Health (CCMH), the Health Center, Accessibility Services, Athletics, and Campus Police.
• Serves as a primary liaison for student support during hospitalizations, including liaising with emergency and family contacts, peer groups, on- and off-campus treatment providers, Class Deans, other Office of Student Affairs staff, coaches, and/or employers, and other involved parties. Engages with students, support networks, and providers throughout the hospital discharge planning and medical clearance process, including delivering follow-up support and assisting students with tracking multiple resources upon discharge. Assists with withdrawal and departure from campus when medical clearance cannot be established.
• Communicates with staff and other concerned individuals, such as family members or peers, when there are crises or critical incidents that impact a student or multiple students/people in the community, and with families, deans, faculty, and other necessary partners to assist with coordinated care plans and management of high-risk students.
• Collaborate with the Associate Dean and/or General Counsel to develop behavioral expectations statements in cases of high-risk student behaviors.
• Maintains thorough knowledge of College standards and practices, including the Student Code of Conduct, and related state and federal laws such as FERPA, HIPAA, Title IX, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Workflow and Recordkeeping

• Facilitates the cross-departmental Care Team Meeting. Prepares agenda, leads meetings, and arranges for appropriate follow-up in collaboration with all Care Team Meeting members.
• Oversee the triage of Care Reports, reports from campus police, Office of Community Living, administrators-on-call, faculty, staff, parents, and others.
• Assigns and routes student concerns to appropriate staff/faculty support resources by entering case data into Maxient workflow, in accordance with Student Affairs protocol.
• Partners with Associate Dean on Leave/Return Process. Serves on the Leave/Return Committee.
• Follows up with reporting parties to collect pertinent case details and to provide updates on case progress, with respect to student privacy.
• Ensures assigned cases are receiving timely attention and that records are being kept in accordance with College protocol.
• Assists in preparation of annual report and other reports and analyses as requested. Collects data, prepares and distributes statistical reports regarding key student support initiatives; analyzes trends.

Team Support, Training, and Outreach

• Facilitates weekly Case Review meetings in collaboration with the Associate Dean and Director of Community Standards. Regularly reviews specific student support cases with the Care & Accountability Team and other members of OSA. Prepares agenda, leads meetings, and arranges for appropriate follow-up.
• Communicates student care and support services initiatives to the College community through outreach education, training, consultation, and the production and distribution of materials to faculty, staff, and students.
• Serves as a resource, trainer and consultant to faculty, staff, and students on recognizing and responding to students at risk and reporting concerns.
• Serves as a resource to Health/Counseling Centers to assist students with referrals and connections to off-campus resources.
• Offers regular consultation to Office of Student Affairs staff, including the Class Deans, Accessibility, and others. Reviews active student support cases, offers guidance on documentation and communication strategies, and plans strategic goals. Provides training and mentorship on navigating college and community resources.

Student Affairs Generalist

• Serves as a member of the Behavioral Intervention Team.
• Serves on a rotational basis as a Tier 2 Administrator on-Call for Student Affairs during the day/nights/weekends. Responds to crisis situations, assesses and refers at-risk students for additional intervention by appropriate personnel.
• Submits an annual report outlining goals, progress, assessment, and emerging opportunities.
• Participates in a wide range of discussions regarding strategic planning for the Care & Accountability Team and the Office of Student Affairs.
• Serves on campus-wide committees as appropriate.

Qualifications:

Required

• Master's degree in Education, Counseling, Social Work, or a closely related field.
• 5 to 7 years of related experience.
• Five years of pertinent experience in case management, student support, crisis intervention in higher education, including progressively greater levels of responsibility and accountability.
• Experience leading and supervising professional staff and demonstrated commitment to the professional development of those members.
• Knowledge of college student development theory and practice.
• Demonstrated commitment to student on-campus living and learning community development and programming.
• Robust understanding of academic priorities and ways in which on-campus living and learning communities and functions can promote student engagement, advance student learning, and contribute to achieving desired learning goals.
• Demonstrated effective administrative, supervisory, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong skills in written, verbal, and electronic communication
• Evidence-based commitment to supporting a diverse student community.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with other Student Affairs departments and members of the faculty in the College community.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, exhibit resilience under pressure, set priorities, and achieve goals.
• Demonstrated ability to steward sensitive and private student data toward its inclusion in operational processes and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to problem-solve complex issues while functioning as an independent decision-maker
• Knowledge of applicable state and federal laws, including FERPA, HIPAA, Title IX, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Successful completion of required reference and background checks.
• An acceptable criminal offender records information (CORI) check.

Preferred

• Seven or more years of related experience in case management.
• Experience working with the complexities of a diverse residential community.

Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume and cover letter online at https://amherst.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/Amherst_Jobs. Please be sure to upload all requested documents prior to clicking Submit. Applications cannot be revised once submitted. (Current employees and students should apply by clicking on the Jobs Hub icon from their Workday home screen.) Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Amherst College is committed to an inclusive hiring process and will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates throughout the application and interview process upon request.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.