Description
The Graduate Hall Director (GHD) is a ten-month live-on member of the Housing Staff responsible for promoting and maintaining a positive living environment. The GHD position offers experiences in leadership, supervision, advising, mediation, conduct management, crisis response, budgeting, and facilities. The GHD is responsible for the day-to-day management of Gilbert Hall, a 459-bed freshman residence hall. In addition, the GHD assists with department-wide initiatives, such as staff selection and training. The GHD has on-call responsibilities and must respond quickly to emergencies. The GHD is deemed essential staff and may be required to report to work when the University is closed for emergencies and inclement weather. The GHD position is for one academic year and is renewable for up to two additional years based on job performance and continued academic progress toward degree completion. Summer housing may also be available.
Duties:
- Complete up to 29 hours per week in direct job-related functions. This includes 15 hours of office hours plus time for staff meetings and department initiatives. The typical week will require approximately 20 hours.
- Train, supervise, and evaluate 14 Resident Assistants.
- Coordinate programming and community development efforts within the hall and manage the programming budget for the residence hall.
- Serve as a hearing officer, making appropriate disciplinary referrals as needed.
- Participate in the emergency on-call rotation within Housing and respond to and resolve emergency and non-emergency situations.
- Provide crisis intervention, conflict mediation, academic and general counseling, and resource referrals for residents and Resident Assistants.
- Develop a positive working relationship with the custodial and maintenance staff so as to support cleaning and repairs within the residence hall.
- Coordinate at least one department-wide function (RA training, Room Selection, etc.)
- Other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Required:
- An earned Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited college/university. Undergraduate UWA students in their last semester of college with significant housing and residence life experience will also be considered.
- Admitted as a graduate student and enrolled as a graduate student in at least two classes for a full academic term (Fall or Spring) or one class per online term (Fall 1, Fall 2, Spring 1, Spring 2).
- Prior experience as a Resident Assistant or a related position.
- Demonstrated leadership skills, including the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing and the desire to work with students individually and in groups.
Preferred:
- Experience coordinating and/or presenting training workshops.
- Crisis response experience.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Graduate Hall Director to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
- Must live in the assigned residence hall apartment.
- Must be able to hear and speak clearly and concisely, both face-to-face and on the phone. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision and distance vision. The GHD is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, climb stairs, use hands to feel, reach with hands and arms, smell, lift, and/or move items up to 10 pounds. The GHD is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, lift, and/or move items up to 25 pounds. Some accommodations are possible, but the GHD must be able to climb stairs to access residence hall rooms located in buildings without an elevator.
Activity Commitments
GHDs are prohibited from having off-campus jobs when school is in session. Off-campus jobs are permitted during University breaks, such as winter break. As the GHD position is an extensive time commitment, on-campus jobs, other assistantships, internships, student teaching, and activities requiring significant commitment must be approved in advance by the Director of Housing and Residence Life. Approval is not guaranteed and may require that activities be dropped or limited.
Appointments
The GHD appointment is for the Fall and Spring semester only, but summer work may be available. The position is renewable for up to 2 years, depending on performance and continued graduate school enrollment.
Compensation
- Furnished apartment with cable, internet, and all other utilities are included.
- A scholarship equal to the cost of tuition for six credit hours plus student activity and athletic fees each semester (Fall and Spring).
- Partial meal plan while classes are in session.
- $500 deferred scholarship per month.
- Reserved parking space on campus: GHD is responsible for registering, paying for, and obtaining a parking decal to park on campus in order to use the reserved parking space.
Before hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation, including information obtained from social media and other internet sources.
Application Instructions
To Apply: When you select “Apply Now,” you will be prompted to provide the following:
- Cover Letter.
- A current resume or CV.
- Transcripts of all college work. Unofficial transcripts will suffice for application. Official transcripts must be submitted immediately upon employment.
- Email and phone number of three professional references. Reference letters may be requested later.
The University of West Alabama does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, hearing status, personal appearance, color, sex, pregnancy, political affiliation, creed, ethnicity, national origin (including ancestry), citizenship status, physical or mental disability (including perceived disability), age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, or any other protected category under applicable local, state, or federal law, including protections for those opposing discrimination or participating in any grievance process on campus, with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or other human rights agencies.
AA/EO Employer.
Minority applications encouraged.