Director, Student Intervention and Community Standards

Barnard College•New York City, NY

23h•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Vice Dean, Campus Life and Student Experience, the Director, Student Intervention and Community Standards will lead a unit that holistically manages student support initiatives including student conduct and case management. Working with campus colleagues, the Director is responsible for managing, processing, and adjudicating all academic and behavioral misconduct governed by the Barnard Code of Conduct. In administering these processes, the Director safeguards the integrity of the College’s conduct system and manages institutional risk by ensuring that every matter is resolved through fair, consistent, and fundamentally sound process; that all student-facing communications of the unit accurately reflect applicable policy; and that conduct findings and outcomes are supported by a documented rationale in the record. The Director will be charged with developing strategy and resources that will have a continued positive effect on the Barnard student experience. The Director will identify and deploy national best practices within the field of student affairs, to develop and maintain consistent policies and processes that are fair, equitable, and student-centered. This is a 12-month position and some evening and weekend work will be required.

Requirements

Demonstrated expertise in student conduct administration, including case investigation and adjudication, sanctioning, appeals, and the documentation and other standards that support defensible outcomes.
Ability to formulate a plan for and conduct (or supervise) a fact investigation. Ability to provide and deliver training across different areas of the college on the Code, policies, and procedures that affect students, ensuring staff understand and apply them consistently.
Working knowledge of the legal and regulatory framework governing student conduct in higher education, including FERPA, the Clery Act, Title IX and Title VI intersections, and due process and fundamental fairness standards. A law degree is not required for this role.
Sound, ethical decision-making, including consistent exercise of judgment about when to escalate, consult, and seek review before acting.
Rigorous documentation discipline: the ability to build and maintain case records that accurately reflect policy, procedure, findings, and rationale.
Leadership experience in higher education, including supporting students of concern and student conduct.
In-depth understanding of best practices and innovations in student conduct, proactive intervention, restorative practices, and supporting students of concern.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide variety of individuals, including students, faculty, administrators, alumnae, and parents/families.
Strong collaboration, conflict management, de-escalation, and team-building skills.
Understanding of how to move projects forward in a complex structure with multiple stakeholders and competing deadlines.
Excellent written, public-speaking skills, and interpersonal skills.
Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with high-performance expectations.
Highly organized and detail-oriented.
Able to independently manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
Demonstrated understanding of student development theories.
The ability to understand and adhere to College policy.
Appropriate and effective use of discretion and sound judgment.
Respect for confidentiality and demonstrated ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion.
Demonstrated ability to work with and among diverse communities
Demonstrated experience or interest in working in a liberal arts environment
Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team is essential.
Master’s degree in higher education administration, student affairs administration or related field.
Minimum 7 years of related/applicable work experience required, preferably in higher education, including at least 3 years of direct experience administering and adjudicating student conduct cases.
Formal training in student conduct administration through the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) or a comparable professional body required; Certified Student Affairs Educator–Student Conduct Administration (CSAEd-SC) credential or equivalent certification preferred.
Training or demonstrated proficiency in Title IX, Clery Act, and FERPA compliance as applied to student conduct preferred.
Must be willing to work during the summer months; some weekend and evening work will occasionally be required.

Nice To Haves

Certified Student Affairs Educator–Student Conduct Administration (CSAEd-SC) credential or equivalent certification preferred.
Training or demonstrated proficiency in Title IX, Clery Act, and FERPA compliance as applied to student conduct preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as the College’s primary student conduct administrator, overseeing the College’s student conduct processes, including academic and social/behavioral misconduct across the College.
Collaborate with colleagues to establish, update, and implement policies and procedures relating to the College’s Student Code of Conduct, Honor System, and all other academic and behavioral policies applicable to all enrolled students. Consult with the Office of the General Counsel as needed to ensure policies are in compliance with local, state, and federal law regulatory guidance, including FERPA, the Clery Act, Hazing, and applicable civil rights obligations.
Ensure procedural integrity in every conduct matter: identify and apply the correct governing policy and ensure that prescribed procedural language in all notices, outcome letters, and student-facing communications are consistent with that policy; document the rationale supporting each finding and outcome sanction in the case record; and ensure outcomes sanctions are proportionate to the underlying conduct and consistent with institutional precedent.
Provide leadership in coordinating and promoting signature initiatives, high-impact practices, support programs, and cross-divisional partnerships leveraging Barnard’s resources for students.
Oversee the Division’s case management efforts, including centralizing support for students of concern, and students preparing to take or returning from a leave of absence. Guide the College Case Manager and Leaves & Returns Coordinator in relevant work, including collaboration with colleagues that manage various aspects of a student’s enrolled status.
Hire, train, and continually develop a high-performing team of professionals. Provide leadership and oversight for the Student Intervention and Community Standards team and for their work with colleagues throughout Barnard College, and, as appropriate, Columbia University. The Director is accountable for the accuracy, procedural soundness, and quality of all conduct-related work product issued by the unit, including work executed by supervised staff at the Director’s direction.
Directly supervise the Associate Director for Student Intervention and Community Standards, College Case Manager, and Leaves & Returns Coordinator. Provide structured training and ongoing professional development for supervised staff on conduct procedures, applicable policy, fundamental fairness, and due process standards.
Adhere to established College protocols for escalation and review of disciplinary matters. Maintain a standing collaborative relationship with the Office of General Counsel and the Nondiscrimination and Title IX office. Plan, conduct, and/or supervise fair, thorough, and impartial fact investigations, including identifying relevant witnesses, gathering and evaluating evidence, assessing credibility, and preparing investigative findings.
Establish and provide leadership for a Behavioral Intervention Team. Provide intake support for student issues and crises, and work with colleagues in Human Resources, Community Safety, and other College departments to ensure intake, response, and support for personnel matters.
Maintain case records in data management database (currently Advocate system); serve as system administrator for the database; maintain complete, accurate, and timely case records; and produce regular reports on caseload, outcomes, timeliness, and trends to support assessment and data-informed decision-making.
Respond to internal and external inquiries regarding student conduct records and good standing status checks, consistent with FERPA and College policy.
Provide guidance and advisement to students, student organizations, faculty, staff, and administrators on matters related to the Code of Conduct and relevant policies governing student conduct. Deliver training and education for the campus community on conduct processes, community standards, fundamental fairness, and current legal parameters.
Lead a weekly overview of weekend incident reports to ensure appropriate knowledge sharing across relevant campus departments, and determine follow-up actions to be taken.
Collaborate with colleagues, particularly in Nondiscrimination and Community Safety, to produce data and other relevant information to develop reports including but not limited to the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.
Lead annual policy and procedure reviews of the Honor System and Student Code of Conduct, in consultation with the Vice Dean for Campus Life and Office of General Counsel, with attention to parity, procedural clarity, and student learning.
Remain current on emerging trends, case law developments, and regulatory changes affecting student conduct administration through sustained engagement with the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) or comparable professional bodies.
Actively participate in campus committees within the College as requested.
Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.