Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Stanford Law School

🔍 School of Law, Stanford, California, United States

📁: Student Services

📅   : Aug 16, 2023 Post Date

📅   : 100344 Requisition #

Reporting to the Dean, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs serves as a member of the Law School’s senior management team. The Associate Dean oversees the operations and manages staff in the Office of Student Affairs and the Registrar’s Office. The Associate Dean works with the Vice Dean and the Associate Dean for Curriculum in creating and implementing academic policies and procedures as well as programs and services that foster the academic and professional development of students in the JD, LLM, JSM, JSD, and MLS programs. The Associate Dean serves as the principal advisor regarding compliance with ABA accreditation standards, university policies, and state bar exam requirements. In this role you will be the primary liaison between the students and the faculty and staff, counseling students on personal, academic, career, and character and fitness matters and serving as the point person when students have family or personal emergencies. You will design and oversee the implementation of several major Law School events, including Orientation and Graduation, as well as programming ranging from wellness issues to academic policy and bar requirements. The Associate Dean provides programmatic leadership and managerial assistance to approximately 60 student organizations. The Associate Dean coordinates with and advises faculty and students regarding Honor Code, Fundamental Standard, and Title IX concerns and collaborates with other University offices on operational and policy issues and to provide needed services to students, including accommodations for students with disabilities and crisis intervention.

DUTIES:

Academic Matters

Implement academic policy revisions and updates to Law School Regulations to satisfy the ABA Accreditation Standards and other programmatic needs.
Interpret academic policy for Registrar, faculty, and students.
Conceptualize and define functions that will implement the Law School’s curricular policies and standards and maintain its academic operations.
Investigate and report on specific academic issues or situations.
Oversee process of evaluating courses and instructors.
Work with the Vice Dean on resolving grade and other academic grievances.
Advise and coordinate with faculty on potential violations of the Honor Code and Fundamental Standard; act as liaison with the Office of Community Standards and represent faculty in cases that go forward.
Advise and counsel students on academic issues including satisfactory academic progress, graduation requirements, and honors and awards criteria.
Coordinate with university counsel on legal issues involving academic matters such as reinstatement
Evaluate and decide leave of absence requests, exam rescheduling petitions, and unit overload petitions.
Advise Petitions Chair on petitions for reinstatement and other complex petition issues.
Work closely with Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and office staff to ensure that Advanced Degree students are getting appropriate guidance on academic and bar exam matters.
Advise and counsel students on requirements (both academic and character) imposed by the bar examiners of the various states.
Serve as advocate for Stanford and its students with bar examiners as needed.
Develop programming and informational materials to advise students on bar requirements and deadlines.
Oversee determination and notification of winners of academic honors.

Student Advising and Counseling/Student Life/Student Organizations and Journals

Assist with academic planning and advise students struggling with particular classes or other academic issues.
Advise on professional and personal matters; provide referrals to outside resources where appropriate; serve as liaison with other university personnel and departments, including being available as the students’ point person on a 24/7 basis during examinations and other deadline periods.
Respond to emergencies such as family crises, injuries, deaths, personal threats, arrests, and accidents; provide leadership to coordinate people necessary to implement useful response; monitor developments; work with faculty and Registrar to effectuate academic accommodations where appropriate.
Act as liaison between students and faculty on curricular issues and on specific academic/teaching issues.
Implement programs designed to facilitate students’ understanding of policies and procedures as well as “quality of life” programming and programming related to the bar exam.
Provide annual funding and budget oversight for student organizations.
Interact with all student services offices within the University (e.g., CAPS, Vaden, Graduate Life, Bechtel International Center, Housing, and Community Standards).
Interact and coordinate services with the police department on issues of student safety and safety of visitors.
Review and approve proposals for establishing new student organizations.
Administer and supervise budgets for student organizations and journals.
Evaluate and provide travel assistance for students attending conferences.
In coordination with faculty, evaluate proposals for student conferences at the Law School; oversee budget and planning for those conferences.
Coordinate with university counsel on legal issues that involve students and/or student organizations and their activities.
Develop and oversee implementation of policy guidelines for student events and reimbursements.

Orientation/Graduation/Communications

Plan programming for and oversee implementation of Orientation for 250+ new JD (1L and transfer 2L), JSM, LLM, and JSD students.
Plan and oversee the implementation of the Law School’s Graduation ceremony and related activities. Serve as Law School Marshal at the Law School and University ceremonies.
Update and produce the annual Student Handbook.
Update JD portion of annual Law School photo directory.
Oversee revision and production of Student Organization Handbook and Journal Handbook.
Oversee approval of courses for inclusion in SLSNavigator.

Academic Accommodations

Work with staff at the Office of Accessible Education and within the Law School to coordinate accommodations for disabled students and ensure that they are delivered in a timely and effective manner in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Coordinate with CAPS and/or Vaden and other University offices for the provision of accommodations for students with emergency health or family situations.
Coordinate with university counsel on legal issues involving accommodations.

Supervision

Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate Registrar, Assistant Director of Student Affairs, Director of Academic Success, and Journal Manager.
Supervise operations of the Office of Student Affairs Office and Registrar’s Office.
Prepare and monitor office budgets.

QUALIFICATIONS:

J.D. degree is required.
Significant experience in counseling and/or student services, or in the practice of law.
Understanding of the Law School’s academic program, as well as the legal profession and its career opportunities.
Knowledge of University procedures preferred.
Experience managing people.
Strong leadership and strategic management skills.
Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability in building consensus in a highly diverse environment.
Advanced communication skills to clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences, client groups, and all levels of management, including the ability to prepare clear, concise, sensitively written materials for a wide range of readers.
Demonstrated ability to establish/maintain effective working relationships with University departments and student groups.
Demonstrated sensitivity to issues faced by a diverse, demanding professional student population.
Demonstrated ability to analyze the needs of individual students and groups of students, and to be knowledgeable about the range of University resources available to students is required.
Excellent judgment and discretion.
Ability to establish credibility and effective working relationships across the organization.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively.
User knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.

Work Standards:

Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu

The expected pay range for this position is $175,000 to $219,000 per annum.
Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website (https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards) provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

*Note: The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

*Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

*Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

*Stanford Law School seeks to hire the best talent and to promote a safe and secure environment for all members of the university community and its property. To that end, new staff hires must successfully pass a background check prior to starting work at Stanford University.

Additional Information