Director of Center for Student Success

Reporting to the Provost/VP Academic Affairs, The Director, Center for Student Success is a twelve-month position that provides leadership and hands-on support for academic excellence and equitable access to learning. The Director is responsible for overseeing, planning, delivering, and evaluating operations within the Center’s three core service areas: Accessibility and Accommodations; Academic Support (e.g., tutoring); and the Testing Center.

DUTIES

Center Administration and Outreach:

• Directs and manages the Center for Student Success, including: overseeing and providing Center services; managing the physical facility; and hiring, training, and supervising Center support staff.
• Represents and advocates for the position’s areas of responsibility in Academy committees and working groups, including, but not limited to: Academy Council, Department Chairs, and Curriculum Review Committee; attends regular Behavioral Intervention Team (“SEA Team”) meetings and relevant student hearings; convenes, leads, or serves on new committees and personnel searches as needed.
• Contributes to Academy-wide and departmental planning, assessment, institutional data collection, accreditation, reporting, and retention efforts.
• Provides outreach to new and prospective students and their families at open houses, orientation sessions, and invited presentations, through inquiries, and by developing promotional materials and online content.
• Designs and delivers presentations on Center services and related topics to Academy students, faculty and staff.
• Creates and updates policies related to areas of responsibility in cooperation with Academy leadership.
• Assists staff as needed with the processing of student payroll functions.

Accessibility and Accommodations:

• Determines eligibility and facilitates accommodations for students with disabilities by conducting intake interviews, reviewing documentation, consulting with professionals, and communicating with Academy faculty.
• Provides ongoing case management and support to students with accommodations. • Maintains files, statistics, data, and confidential materials in accordance with state and local laws.
• Responds to faculty and administrative requests for accommodation-related information and advice.
• Partners with colleagues in the Academic and Student Services divisions on advising, diversity, inclusion, retention, grant support, and wellness initiatives.
• Mentors students in academic study, planning, note taking, reading, self-advocacy, and test-taking strategies.
• Recruits, hires, trains, and supervises student employees to serve as academic coaches, note-takers, and closed captioners.
• Partners with colleagues in the Information Technology department to arrange assistive and adaptive software and hardware solutions for students with disabilities.
• Initiates the procurement and/or production of alternative text materials as needed.
• Partners with colleagues in Dining Services (to arrange dietary accommodations) and Residential Life (regarding requests for housing-related accommodations).
• Maintain relevant professional memberships (e.g., AHEAD) and engage in ongoing training and professional development as needed.

Academic Support:

• Works closely and collaboratively with Academy faculty, students, and staff from areas such as Athletics and the Regiment of Midshipmen to ensure that academic support offerings effectively address student needs.
• Oversees the administrative functions associated with the Academy’s academic support and peer-tutoring programs, including tutor scheduling, and payroll, promotion of tutoring services, and tracking of related usage data.
• Contributes to the growth and assessment of tutoring and other academic support programs.
• Responsible for managing the Academic Alert process, including ensuring that Alerts are distributed to students and evaluating and addressing the effectiveness of the Alert system in cooperation with faculty and other stakeholders.

Testing Center:

• Develops, communicates, and ensures compliance with Testing Center policies and procedures to support successful and sustainable testing operations.
• Designs and maintains an appropriate testing environment in the Center facility in keeping with best practices in the field.
• Oversees scheduling of support staff to cover testing needs.
• Provides coverage of the Testing Center (i.e. exam proctoring) when needed.

This job description reflects the general duties of the job but is not a detailed description of all duties which may be inherent to the position. The Academy may assign reasonably related additional duties to individual employees consistent with policy and collective bargaining agreements.

SKILLS

• Ability to work independently and effectively prioritize multiple competing tasks.
• Outstanding interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills, including a professional, positive, and approachable demeanor.
• Ability to work closely and collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, leadership, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to effectively advocate for the needs of Center users.
• Ability to create and deliver presentations to both large and small audiences.
• Proficiency in standard office software, accommodations-management related tools, and assistive software and technology.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing clinical documentation, including psychoeducational testing reports.
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant federal laws and regulations and ability to learn and apply relevant Maine laws and regulations.
• Familiarity with FERPA and HIPAA best practices.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s degree in a human services field such as disability services, counseling, higher education or social work, or equivalent experience, strongly preferred. Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of five years of experience working in a disability services office or clinical setting in higher education involving the evaluation of eligibility for, and facilitation of, accommodations for disability.

PHYSICAL/ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

• Frequent use of a keyboard and computer screen.
• Occasional long days or evening or weekend hours.
• Work is generally in an indoor office environment.
• Occasionally lift and move up to 25 pounds.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Criminal background check required.
• Tobacco-free campus.