Director of the IDEAS Center at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania

Job Description:

Director of the IDEAS Center July 11th 2022
Tagged: IDEA

Allegheny College, a small selective national liberal arts college, invites applications for the position of Director of the IDEAS Center.

The Director of the IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, & Social Justice) Center is a full-time exempt position reporting to the Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The Director works to cultivate a brave, supportive and nurturing environment for the Allegheny community while working closely with students from historically and systemically marginalized populations. The Director is also responsible for the development and coordination of programs that assist in the recruitment and retention/persistence of these students. The Director provides leadership to and oversight of the IDEAS Center, serves on the Bias Response Team, and participates in Allegheny's First Year Orientation programming. The Director, in collaboration with the Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and other campus and community partners, is responsible for developing and consulting on the creation of campus-wide diversity and inclusion programs and events to highlight and recognize the various cultural, heritage, and religious celebrations.

The Director serves as an advisor for the College's various departments, providing direction and guidance to further advance behaviors, attitudes, policies and practices that support diversity and inclusion. The Director will work in conjunction with the Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to guide the college's effort to move beyond access and cultural competency to developing interventions that will help yield equitable outcomes across the institution. The Director will also function as a stakeholder in the implementation and assessment of the overall strategic plan for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion specifically as it relates to retention, persistence and ultimately graduation of underserved student populations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develop long-range strategic planning and program development for the IDEAS Center


• Foster and create a supportive relationship with Allegheny students with a concentration on underserved student populations


• Support the Allegheny Listens Common Read program including instruction of module courses for students


• Maintain successful function of the IDEAS Center through assessment of programs, services, maintenance of budget and supervision of IDEAS Center staff


• Develop and nurture partnerships with campus departments to cultivate an inclusive campus climate and deliver intentional campus-wide programming around the various cultural, heritage, and religious recognitions on campus


• Create opportunities for leadership development for students with marginalized and minoritized identities


• Deliver educational opportunities to all students that uphold the commitments of ODEI


• Serve on the Bias Response Team and assist with coordinating educational interventions.


• Serve as a resource and consultant for other divisions and offices in the development of diversity awareness programming and training for students


• Supervision and advocacy of student groups that fall within the Culture, Identity, and Leadership Coalition (CILC) focused on culture and diversity
  
  
  • Examples include: African Students Association (ASA), Association for the Advancement of Black Culture (ABC), Association for Asian and Asian American Awareness (A5), Association for Caribbean Students, International Club, Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), and Union LatinX.
  
  
  
  


• Development and facilitation of leadership development for CILC organizations and follow-up trainings.


• Assist the College's senior diversity officer in the implementation of college-wide strategies designed to increase and enhance enrollment, support, retention, and ultimately the graduation of students designated as underrepresented (e.g. college bound organizations and pipeline organizations)


• Serve on appropriate College committees and ensure strong ties between the IDEAS Center and other areas of the College through planning and implementation of programming and collaborative initiatives that support and create a diverse and inclusive learning environment for all students


• Ensure that the IDEAS Center is represented at relevant campus and off-campus events including Admissions visit days.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree with 3-5 years of related professional experience


• Educational background in college student personnel, higher education administration, social work, counseling, or other related field


• A proven track record of working with historically and/or systemically underrepresented students


• Demonstrated understanding of identity development and concepts directly related to systemically underrepresented populations


• Ability to work with, train, and facilitate to all levels in our community, specificially students


• Proven knowledge and working experience with online tools used to support education and professional development


• Strong verbal and written communication skills with experience in facilitation/presentation.


• Supervisory experience in higher education

ALLEGHENY STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY

Allegheny students and employees are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and safe residential learning community that will actively confront and challenge racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, and other forms of harassment and discrimination. We encourage individual growth by promoting a free exchange of ideas in a setting that values diversity, trust and equality. So that the right of all to participate in a shared learning experience is upheld, Allegheny affirms its commitment to the principles of freedom of speech and inquiry, while at the same time fostering responsibility and accountability in the exercise of these freedoms. This statement does not replace existing personnel policies and codes of conduct.

As one of the nation's oldest liberal arts colleges, Allegheny College celebrated its bicentennial in 2015. A selective residential college in Meadville, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh near Lake Erie, Allegheny is one of 40 colleges featured in Loren Pope's "Colleges That Change Lives." Allegheny also is one of the few colleges in the country that requires students to choose both a major and a minor, helping to cultivate intellectual growth and the creative, big-picture thinking desired by employers and graduate schools. In its 2020 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny in the top 20 among all national liberal arts colleges for best undergraduate teaching.

The Chronicle of Higher Education ranks Allegheny as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, specifically in the areas of compensation and benefits. Allegheny has a total undergraduate enrollment of approximately 1,800 with students from 47 states (plus AE, DC, PR, and VI) and 70 countries. The College's picturesque location is ideal for outdoor recreation, with eight freshwater lakes, ski areas and recreational opportunities all within easy reach.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and provide contact information for three references to the Office of Human Resources, Allegheny College, 520 N. Main Street, Meadville, PA 16335 or by e-mail to
employment@allegheny.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.

Allegheny College is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Allegheny does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, or national origin.

Visit the Allegheny College Web Site at www.allegheny.edu

posted 07/11/2022