Area Director
Letter to Prospective Area Director:
"I am a transparent person, so I will be open about my bias from the beginning. I love Illinois Wesleyan, and I love working here. I love the people, who are colleagues among staff and faculty. I love the students, with all the joys and the messiness that comes with them. And I especially love what I get to do with and for them every day to foster an environment where belonging and learning matter where they live.
Beyond my testimonial, I can confidently say that doing the work of living in at Illinois Wesleyan University grants you a chance to flex what you learned through coursework and practical experiences in an environment that is supportive and unafraid to try new things. If you have reasons why we should do something beyond "At my previous institution...," then let's go! That is who we are as an office. We always want to do better, because our students deserve the very best experience we can possibly give them. Are we perfect? Absolutely not. We own it when we need to, and we work together to improve.
An entry-level position in housing and residence life after obtaining a graduate degree will teach you many things, regardless of your institution. You'll be able to answer questions like, "Is Res Life right for me?" or "Do I actually like students as much as I thought I did to continue living with them and sharing walls and laundry facilities?" and even "Is Student Affairs where I want to be in the long term?" Trust me, I've been there with these quandaries and then some. In our office, we also value this kind of personal growth and development among our professional staff team while helping to prepare you for whatever that next step is. I'm grateful you're considering us as part of the next step in your journey. We look forward to meeting you! #TGOE"
Kyle Griffith, Director of Residential Life
The University’s Office of Residential Life (ORL) invites applications for Area Director. ORL is a dynamic department whose broad goal is to provide an exceptional residential experience for students. As essential personnel on a residential campus, Area Directors promote the development of skills for leadership, decision-making, conflict resolution, fiscal management, problem solving, and self-discipline among the students of IWU. As a live-in staff member, the Area Director develops and enacts procedures that support and enhance student safety during acute and ongoing crises. The Area Director is responsible for the supervision of hall staff in several residence halls and leads most aspects of the halls they supervise, including programming and activities. Professional staff members within ORL are expected to practice principles of social justice and inclusion in working in an office that serves students from different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, and who have various sexual orientations, gender identities, and ability statuses.
Responsibilities:
- Develop, implement and promote community development for the residence halls in order to provide a comfortable, safe, and inclusive atmosphere for all residents.
- Counsel residents informally, and provide appropriate resources and referrals.
- Participate in on-duty requirements with other professional and para-professional staff members.
- Supervise para-professional student staff.
- Act as a secondary source of first-year, international, and transfer student orientation to the University; contribute to the success of New Student Orientation, the First Year Experience, and Transfer Orientation.
- Serve as primary advisor for Hall Council.
- Enforce IWU and ORL policies and procedures. Track and adjudicate policy violations within the residence halls.
- Understand and observe emergency procedures as appropriate.
- Complete administrative work in a timely manner to facilitate communication and smooth operation of the residence hall.
- Facility management including damage hall reports, billing, and oversight of Asset Essentials.
Qualifications:
- A master's degree is required, usually in such areas as education, the behavioral or social sciences, counseling, or student development.
- Preferred experience includes supervision, facility management, advising, and program development.
- Has the ability to sustain communication with diverse groups, anticipate problems, reconcile conflicts, and maintains a strong philosophical base for residence life.
- Possesses an understanding of and the ability to apply student development and learning outcome theories.
- An understanding of the value of the residential living experience to the overall success of undergraduate students.
- Physical/environmental demands: Ability to walk up/down stairs.
Base salary for 12 months is $35,568 subject to federal income tax and Illinois state income tax withholdings. Compensation includes:
- A furnished apartment equipped with free local phone (if needed), high-speed internet, and cable
- A meal plan when classes are in session
- Benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
- Free campus parking passes for all vehicles
- Campus Recreational Center access for oneself and a partner
- Staff members accrue 20 vacation days, 2 personal days per year, paid sick leave, and paid holidays
- Professional development funds to attend local and national conferences
- Pet policy for live-in professional staff
You can find our pet policy here .
You can find pictures of Area Director's apartments here .