Residence Life Staff

Residence Hall Director (RHD)

To apply for a Residence Hall Director (RHD) position, please refer to the Human Resources "Employment Opportunities" web page. If there is a vacancy for this position, you will find it listed there.

Job Description

The Residence Hall Director is responsible for the total functioning of the residence hall as an educational environment consistent with the academic and educational mission of the College.

I. GOALS

  1. Promote the development of a community environment within the residence halls characterized by consideration, respect and appreciation of others.
  2. Promote the development of an environment conducive to student involvement and participation.
  3. Encourage the development of students' leadership skills.
  4. Promote the development of an environment conducive to academic endeavors and achievement.
  5. Assist students, whenever possible, to identify and work toward attaining personal and academic goals.
  6. Foster and pursue care and maintenance of the physical facilities for the comfort, health and safety of all residents.

II. FUNCTIONS

A. Administrative

  1. Select, supervise and train Resident Assistants, Resident Mentors or Graduate Resident Mentors and other student employees, in-hall and in conjunction with campus-wide programs. Supervise a graduate assistant hall director in buildings of 400 or more.
  2. Participate in staff development workshops.
  3. Supervise and maintain appropriate housing records.
  4. With assistance of student staff, open and close the hall at the beginning and end of the academic year, and for periods of academic recess.
  5. Work with graduate and/or undergraduate staff to assure the efficient and effective functioning of the residence hall desk operation.
  6. Communicate, explain and enforce procedures, rules and regulations of the College with regard to residents and staff.
  7. Participate in the judicial process by serving as hearing officer, complainant or advisor, as appropriate.
  8. Be available to residents, and building and departmental staff. Maintain regular in--hall office hours (including daytime and evening hours) as well as phone accessibility between 8:00-4:30 on weekdays. Take no more than one weekend away from campus per month.
  9. Work with custodial employees assigned to the residence hall in conjunction with the supervising janitor.
  10. Promote and develop management procedures and practices, which preserve and enhance the physical plant. Oversee recycling operation.

B. Student Development

  1. Initiate and maintain activities of a developmental nature utilizing the Residence Life Curriculum.
  2. Work with residents on individual developmental issues and make referrals as appropriate. Provide assistance to students in developing their interests and abilities.
  3. Work with staff and residents to develop community in the hall and on individual floors.
  4. Advise hall government and subgroups, and help coordinate the efforts of hall government and student staff toward achieving specific Residence Hall objectives.
  5. Initiate and coordinate overall hall curriculum (student and community development) including development, implementation and evaluation of programs that are unique to each Residence Hall. Assist students in assessment of needs.
  6. Assist in the development and implementation of campus-wide programs.

C. Departmental

  1. Serve on departmental committees as assigned.
  2. Participate in other programs as requested including summer and other departmental or divisional programs.
  3. Assume on-call responsibility for the campus as assigned by the Residence Life and Housing Office.
  4. Initiate and maintain effective communication with other members of the Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Division in implementing departmental and divisional objectives.
  5. Serve on a divisional task force as directed by the Dean of Students or his designee.
  6. Initiate and maintain cooperative relations with the University Police, Auxiliary Services (in particular Dining Services), and other administrative and academic departments. When possible participate on college-wide committees, which include faculty and other staff.
  7. Establish and maintain positive community relations with individuals, businesses and organizations off campus.
  8. To balance workloads, directors of smaller residence halls may be involved with additional departmental tasks.

III. PERIODS OF ACADEMIC RECESS

Opportunities for summer employment may be available to directors on 10-month contracts. Possible assignments include orientation, central office assignments, summer school and conferences, programming, development of undergraduate and professional training.

Directors may also be asked to assume some out-of-hall responsibilities during other periods of recess such as winter break and/or spring break. This may include committee work or other assignments in the Office of Residence Life and Housing.


IV. TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

  1. This is a ten-month live-in position. The term of employment is August 1 through May 31 each year.
  2. The Residence Hall Director position is an entry-level assignment. To assist Directors in developing professional skills necessary to move beyond entry level positions, we have developed the Four Stage Professional Development Plan. Directors are encouraged to participate in the plan.
  3. It is expected that Residence Hall Directors will be regularly available to residents and respond to crisis situations and emergencies as necessary. Residence Hall Directors are also expected to participate fully in pre-service professional, graduate, and student staff training in August, as well as mid-year training in January.
  4. Occupancy of the assigned apartment is for the term of appointment. Check-in to and check-out of the apartment is to be arranged with the Residence Life and Housing Office. Residence Life and Housing has recently refurnished all staff apartments with fine quality furniture; for this reason, all department-owned furniture is to stay in the designated apartment. It is not to be removed from the apartment for any reason. A Director who is not working for the Department during the summer will be able to keep her/his apartment if s/he is returning as a Director for the next academic year. Hall Directors not working for the Department over the summer who remain living in their apartments will be expected to perform a minimum level of duties as long as they reside on campus. These assignments include, but are not limited to: professional on-call responsibilities, orientation sessions and staff searches. Residence Hall Directors who are not returning for the next academic year will typically be required to vacate their assigned apartment by July 1st.
  5. Residence Hall Directors must abide by the department’s pet policy, which states that hamsters, gerbils, domestically bred rats, parakeet-sized birds, fish in aquariums up to 20 gallons, lobsters 6 inches and smaller, turtles 9 inches and smaller, chameleons and geckos a maximum of 7 inches in length (including its tail), hermit crabs, soap dish crabs in aquariums up to 20 gallons, and guinea pigs are the only pets permitted.
  6. Significant involvement outside of job responsibilities must be approved in writing in advance by the Director’s immediate supervisor. This includes, but is not limited to, involvement such as taking classes, performing internships, working, volunteering, coaching. Directors are not allowed to take on any additional employment or significant outside involvement in the first year of employment. Complete information regarding this can be found in the Professional Staff Manual.
  7. Residence Hall Directors must abide by College policies and model mutual respect and inclusion for all residents.
  8. Residence Hall Directors will not be assigned to any duties nor be subject to any terms that are inconsistent with the standards set forth by the representing union: United University Professions.

To apply for a Residence Hall Director (RHD) position, please refer to the Human Resources "Employment Opportunities" web page. If there is a vacancy for this position, you will find it listed there.

rev 01/11