Job Description

Director of Student Affairs

Law School Student Affairs, Lincoln Center

Fordham University

Fordham University has an excellent reputation as a dynamic institution located in New York City.  Founded in 1841, Fordham enrolls more than 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students in its 9 Colleges and Schools. 

• Fordham University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to its employees, which includes medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• We offer tuition remission for employees and their dependents 
• A generous employer match towards a 403(b) retirement plan.
• As a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Fordham is considered a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, a federal program designed to forgive student loan debt for employees of certain public and certain nonprofit employers.
• As part of its work-life balance program, the University provides generous PTO including 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 2 personal days, 6 summer Fridays, and holidays that include paid time off between Christmas and New year.  
• University employees have access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP provides no-cost, professional, and confidential services, to help employees and family members address a variety of personal, family, life, and work-related issues.

Hybrid Policy:       

Please review the Hybrid Policy here.

https://www.fordham.edu/human-resources/policies-guides-and-agreements/hybridremote-work-policy-for-administrators/

Position Summary

The Director of Student Affairs oversees student advising, student life, activities, and professional development opportunities. This role focuses on supporting student health and wellness while fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment, primarily for the first-year class.

Additionally, the Director collaborates closely with the other Director of Student Affairs, who primarily focuses on upper-level students. Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs & Diversity, the Director will serve as the primary individual within Student Affairs and for the broader law school community to spearhead academic programming for the 1L class. The Director will provide students with the necessary resources and skills to guide their academic journey and to develop meaningful educational plans compatible with their professional goals. The Director will guide students in the decision-making process at each transition period at the law school.

In addition, this position fosters close working relationships with departments that directly affect student performance, including faculty, CPS (student counseling), Career Planning, and others. Overseeing a team of student advisors and teaching assistants the Director will manage and develop programming directly tailored to the first-year course schedule to support student retention and success from matriculation through to graduation by considering students’ experiences from a holistic perspective.

Essential Functions        

• Develops and manages Academic Success Program (ASP) and develops Qualtrics for tracking components of the program.
• Monitors and participates in national conversations regarding academic support and serves on the AASE Bar Advocacy Committee.
• Expands the Fall 1L ASP to include weekly workshops for 450 first-year law students and pilot new section/professor-specific workshops.
• Implements specialized support, counseling, and programs for students with learning disabilities/differences.
• Interviews, hires, trains, and supervises/manages a cohort of tutors annually to support 1Ls on workshops in the areas of Time Management, Introduction to 1L Study Skills, Outlining, and Exam Preparation and train those tutors on substantive issues.
• Develops, coordinates, and manages new evening division workshops.

Essential Functions Note

This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

The University may assign additional related duties as necessary.

Management Responsibilities  

Guides work of other employees who perform essentially the same work and/or student workers. Organizes, sets priorities, schedules and reviews work, but is generally not responsible for final decisions in hiring, performance management or compensation.

Additional Functions      

• Collaborates with the Director of Student Affairs to develop, maintain, and update workshop modules for long-term sustainability.
• Develops, maintains, and updates academic resources for learning-disabled students.
• Develops and regreen workshops to assist students for learning-disabled students.
• Collaborates with the Asst. Dean of Students and the Sr. Director of DEI to develop a leadership program for students with learning differences.
• Creates and develops Academic Success Program Guide for First-Year Law Students.
• Develops and maintains web products and platforms, including ASP Blackboard page, and creates and hosts 1L ASP videos and other academic information.
• Develops department resources for Fordham Law students from 1L to 4L.
• Provides individual counseling for first-year students to provide academic support and guidance on community building.
• Attends offsite professional development programs and conferences to develop training and education for OSA Team on relevant ASP issues and further develop programming for learning-disabled students.
• Spearheads the Family Day event.
• Collaborates with the DEI team to design and coordinate resources and programming for the REAL Scholars program and present during the pre-orientation program.
• Serve as an administrative mentor to REAL Scholars.
• Assists in the recruitment and training of REAL Scholars tutors.
• Hosts House office hours.
• Collaborates with OSA Team to manage 1L Empowering Every Minds program by creating and supporting programming for neurodivergent programs.
• Supports other student services aspects as required by the Office of Student Affairs.

Required Qualifications: Education and Experience        

• J.D. degree or equivalent
• Minimum of 5 years of student support experience in a higher education institution or a law firm.

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills     

• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and manage innovative programs
• Advanced communication skills to clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a diverse population of students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google suites
• Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience at a Law School
• Prior teaching experience
• Learning-Disabled Teaching Certificate or Certificate in Cognitive Disabilities

Minimum Starting Salary: $80,000

Maximum Starting Salary: $99,000

Note: Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills.

START DATE: ASAP

APPLY HERE: https://careers.fordham.edu/postings/8054

ABOUT FORDHAM

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its 9 colleges and schools.  It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom. 

Fordham University is committed to excellence through diversity and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.

Fordham is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories

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