Working/Functional Title
Student Life Manager
Position Summary
This position leads the Office of Student Support & Accountability (OSSA) in fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive university environment. This role ensures the development of co-curricular programs that enhance and complement academic experiences while overseeing the student conduct processes and is focused on promoting student growth, maintaining academic integrity, and supporting conflict resolution across the university. This position has oversight of the student conduct processes (individual student conduct, academic misconduct, and organizational misconduct), including case management, adjudication, and conflict resolution. This role within OSSA is integral to creating an environment where students thrive both academically and personally, ensuring that accountability processes are aligned with the University's mission of student development and success.
This position reports to the Director of the Office of Student Support & Accountability and is responsible for the following:
Operational Management:
- Supervise, facilitate, and oversee the functional areas of individual student conduct, student organization conduct, academic integrity, and conflict resolution.
- Supervise the policy and procedure development for the university’s academic integrity student organization conduct, individual student conduct, and conflict resolution processes.
- Adjudicate high level and complex conduct cases, including emergency safety concerns.
- Administer sanctions that center campus safety and emphasize education, student development, and repairing harm as appropriate.
- Oversee the Hearing Officers acting on behalf of OSSA (including those within OSSA and Residence Education and Housing Services).
- Advise Hearing Board(s) and ensure effective training of parties involved in the accountability function of OSSA (such as hearing board members, student rights advocates, Hearing Officers).
- Work with highly sensitive, protected information with discretion and good judgment to maintain student confidentiality, while attending to institutional risk management concerns.
Strategic Planning:
- Oversee OSSA’s strategic planning for the accountability function.
- Serve on the leadership team of OSSA, actively working on the strategic planning, operations, assessment, and decision-making for the office.
- Formulate and implement objectives, policies, and procedures for evaluating programs and organizational effectiveness within the accountability function.
- Set internal policies and procedures for the accountability functions of OSSA.
- Conduct research and reviews of student conduct best practices and legislation, including, but not limited to, issues related to student conduct, free speech/expression on college campuses, restorative practices, and other matters within higher education.
- Monitor and analyze relevant legislation and regulatory changes to inform and guide organizational practices.
Compliance:
- Ensure OSSA’s compliance with federal and state laws guiding the university’s academic integrity process, student organization conduct, and individual student conduct (e.g., the Clery Act and the Stop Campus Hazing Act).
- Report appropriate numbers and participate in audits regarding conduct with the Office of Audit, Risk, and Compliance (e.g., Clery reports).
- Appropriately refer applicable cases to the Office of Title IX Education and Compliance.
- Ensure consistent, fair, and timely resolution of conduct cases.
- Respond to students and their legal representation concerning University policy and procedures.
- Identify risk areas and gaps between practice and policy/regulations.
Outreach and Education:
- Advise and support students, staff, and faculty through the university’s academic integrity, student organization conduct, individual student conduct, and conflict resolution processes.
- Work collaboratively with Deans, Department Chairs, Directors, and other members of the University community to enhance the overall climate for students, particularly those around conflict resolution and student accountability.
- Respond to inquiries from student families, (inter)national headquarters, advisors, and other community members regarding University policy and process.
- Provide leadership in the development and implementation of co-curricular educational programs that complement and supplement the academic programs of the University, such as conflict resolution trainings and creative sanctions.
- Prepare, present, and share data regularly regarding the university’s academic integrity, student organization conduct, individual student conduct, and conflict resolution processes.
- Engage in assessment of the Office of Student Support & Accountability processes to ensure the diverse needs of the student population are addressed.
Leadership and Supervision:
- Recruit, hire, supervise, and evaluate the Assistant Directors of Student Organization Conduct, and Academic Integrity.
- Indirectly supervise and provide guidance to Conduct Coordinators and investigators.
- Lead the operational functions of accountability within OSSA.
- Serve on the leadership team of OSSA, actively working on the strategic planning, operations, assessment, and decision-making for the office.
- Serve as a proxy for the Director of OSSA when the Director is unavailable.
- Represent the Director of OSSA on various University committees where matters of the Office of Student Support & Accountability are of concern.
- Utilize a trauma-informed approach to working with students, staff, and faculty.
- Carry out other duties as assigned by the Director of the Office of Student Support & Accountability.
Quality Improvement:
- Use evidence-based and best-practice interventions related to academic integrity, student organization conduct, individual student conduct, conflict resolution, and college student development.
- Engage in research and program evaluation activities to assess the effectiveness of current programs and identify areas for improvement.
- Consider the needs of students, including support for students of diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, LGBTQIA+, ability, and gender backgrounds, ensuring inclusivity in all processes.
- Promote the office values of integrity, equity, learning, and care through continuous improvement of office practices and policies.
COMMUNICATIONS – INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Interacts with:
- Provost Office, academic administrators (including Assistant Deans), and department chairs - in order to serve on committees, consult on or adjudicate cases.
- Co-workers/Staff - in order to exchange information and coordinate activities.
- Support staff - in order to provide direction.
- Supervisor/Director - in order to exchange information, seek alternatives and provide requested work.
- Students/Student Organizations - in order to advise, train, consult and supervise.
- University Departments - in order to coordinate programs and services and interpret policies and procedures.
- Colleges/Universities/Local and National Agencies/Professionals - in order to provide resources, consultation and referral.
- Committee/Board Members - in order to exchange information and conduct proceedings.
- Faculty/Administrators/Health and Law Professionals - in order to provide information and consultation.
- Students/Families/Public - in order to provide information and consultation.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WORK OF OTHERS
First level supervision over regular and student employees.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HEALTH-SAFETY OF OTHERS
This position has significant responsibility for the health and safety of others. Responsibilities include ensuring that proper policies and procedures are developed and maintained for student health and safety.
IMPACT ON PROGRAMS – SERVICES – OPERATIONS
Improper handling of responsibilities may result in substantial health and financial liability as well as negative impact on programs, services, and image of the University. Well-developed strategies and programs will affect academic achievement of students and retention.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Standard office environment. The job requires very little physical effort.
Minimum Requirements
Knowledge equivalent to that which would normally be acquired by completing one or two years of post-bachelors degree work such as a master’s in higher education administration; five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in student affairs programs and services (specifically student conduct), an understanding of the formal and informal organizational structures, academic governance procedures, and informal organization structures specific to the university, computer technology, training and development programs, designing and developing research projects and in supervising staff and office operations, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Desired Qualifications
Ten or more years of professional experience in a college or university setting. Demonstrated ability to collaborate and build relationships with many individuals and populations. Familiar with alternative dispute resolution and/or restorative or transformative justice. Working knowledge of higher education law, FERPA, and electronic record-keeping systems (Advocate). Experience navigating a complex system of multiple offices/partners. Experience in crisis management. Experience utilizing trauma-informed models of care. Strong administrative skills. Strong oral and written communication skills. Training in mental health response, continuation of care, suicide prevention, substance abuse, behavior threat analysis, de-escalation, restorative justice, bystander intervention, hazing, threat assessment, and/or active listening. Ability to listen to and process different perspectives from one's own. Ability to manage and de-escalate crisis situations. Ability to listen to and process different perspectives from one's own. Ability to motivate others and facilitate collaborative discussions
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Application Materials
Resume, cover letter and 3 professional references required.
Work Hours
STANDARD 8-5
Remote Work Statement
MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.
Bidding eligibility ends April 22, 2025 at 11:55 P.M.
