Graduate Assistant for Residential Community Standards
Position Description
- Position Title: Graduate Assistant (GA) Residential Community Standards
- Division: Student Affairs
- Department: Residential Services
- Reports To: Assistant Director (AD), Residential Life & Community Standards
Position Summary
The Graduate Assistant for Residential Community Standards (GA) works with the Residential Services team and the Office of Community Standards to foster an inclusive residential environment that fulfills the mission, goals, and vision of the Division of Student Affairs. The GA is a 10-month, 20 hour a week, master’s seeking student who lives on-campus and reports to the Assistant Director of Residential Life & Community Standards. The GA should be well-organized and able to work in a fast-paced, complex organization with daily priority changes.
A successful GA should possess excellent interpersonal and written communication, organization, administration, and project management skills as well as a commitment to educate students, engage the community, and enrich the Northwestern experience.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
The Graduate Assistant for Residential Community Standards will gain in depth knowledge related to the functional area of residential student conduct at Northwestern University. The GA will gain increased skill and experience with students, both individual students in one-on-one student conduct settings and student organization or group conduct processes. Responsibilities for the GA will be to assist the Assistant Director of Residential Life & Community Standards in a multitude of ways which include co-management of residential student conduct caseload, creating and routing cases via Maxient system, taking on higher level cases that occur within the Residential Life spaces, assisting in Summer and Winter training for professional, graduate, and student staff, community programming, and assistance with Fall/Spring/Winter office projects including Student Handbook review, Residential Life policies and procedures, website updates, etc.
The Graduate Assistant learning objectives include: to be an agent and advocate of community standards and its purpose in community building in a residential setting, increase ability to synthesize information in written and oral formats for a variety of audiences and settings, apply student development theory to the broad design of the student conduct process, and increase proficiency in working with students, parents, staff, and faculty in a professional capacity in student conduct work.
Residential Life Case Management (80%)
- Case management in Maxient for residential student conduct concerns, students of concern (SASS/Non-Wellness), and FYI’s and the creation of cases and routing to appropriate parties.
- Co-manage case data to ensure efficiency and effectiveness within Residential Life, for example: pulling overdue sanction reports, data analysis of survey data, benchmarking, and duty reports.
- Prepare for hearings by reviewing case information, creating cases files, compiling case information to be used in individual administrative hearings.
- Receive training and potentially serve as a panelist for UHAS sanctioning and appellate panels.
- Serve as a conduct administrator by meeting with students, reviewing cases, and determining appropriate case outcomes/sanctions to recommend to the Assistant Director of Residential Life and Community Standards.
- Responsible for sanction outcome follow up for assigned cases, timely updates to student and supervisor, and resolving cases within the appropriate time frame.
- Collaborate with residential life professional and student staff and academic partners to provide programmatic efforts for the residential community around topical areas of community standards and its role in community development and the area concept model (10%)
- Other tasks or responsibilities may be assigned as needed by Residential Life and the Office of Community Standards (10%)
*Percentages listed for tasks are estimates and will vary per week depending on the needs of the department and unit.
Compensation
The GA position will receive a $1000.00 monthly stipend (10 months) plus furnished housing accommodations and a meal plan to use when the campus dining halls are open. Please note, the candidate selected for this position will not receive any additional benefits, other than the stipend, apartment and meal plan stated above. The GA can purchase a faculty/staff parking pass through parking services but is not covered by the department. We are not able to offer a tuition waiver, health insurance, or other benefits.
Minimum Qualifications
A successful candidate will have the following qualifications:
- Undergraduate experience living on campus.
- Enrolled in a graduate masters-level program at Northwestern University for the entire 2021-22 academic year.
- The GA position requires the ability to review written documents, manuals, and online materials; operate office equipment including computers, cell phones, printer equipment as well as being able to assist others in doing so; and lift and carry at least 10 pounds.
- The GA position requires the ability to monitor social and educational activities, recognize fire alarms, and recognize facial features for security purposes.
- The GA must be able to ascend stairways and can identify potential safety hazards and to be able to monitor adherence to rules and policies.
- The GA must have sufficient abilities to provide clear instructions and directions in emergency situations where rapid and clear communication is essential.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with high-achieving and diverse students in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience with the implementation and assessment of student learning outcomes.
- Experience with research methods, both qualitative and quantitative.
- Enrolled in the Master of Science in Higher Education Administration and Policy program at Northwestern.
Application Process
Interested candidates should email Ron Alexander with the following:- A cover letter detailing their interest in, and related qualifications, for the position.
- Their resume
- Three professional references
Email: Ron Alexander
Assistant Director of Residential Life & Community Standards, Residential Services
About Northwestern University
Recognized both nationally and internationally for the quality of its educational programs at all levels, Northwestern University is a private institution founded in 1851. The University has two campuses located on Lake Michigan: a 240-acre campus in Evanston, the first suburb north of Chicago, and a 25-acre campus in Chicago. Northwestern also has a campus in Education City, Doha. Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) offers undergraduate degree programs in communication and journalism.
Northwestern combines innovative teaching and pioneering research in a highly collaborative environment that transcends traditional academic boundaries. It has distinguished itself by encouraging innovation and integrating experiences across fields. Northwestern provides students, faculty, and staff exceptional opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional growth in a setting enhanced by the richness of Chicago.
Northwestern’s Residential Services program serves nearly 4,200 undergraduates and nearly 650 graduate students in more than 30 residence halls, residential colleges, and residential communities.