JOB SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP) Director & Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success and Equity (SSE), the Assistant Director of USS is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and assessing programs designed to support the academic wellness and campus integration of undocumented students. The incumbent oversees a varied and complex set of co-curricular services and programs that advance knowledge of and awareness about UCSC's diverse undocumented community. The Assistant Director of USS works independently to analyze and assess student needs, make recommendations for changes and improvements, implement recommended changes, and establish operational and programmatic policies and procedures. The incumbent serves as a subject matter expert on AB 130,131,540, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and federal immigration law and policy.

The Assistant Director of USS supervises the USS Counselor and ensures quality programming and collaborative partnerships across campus and the surrounding community. The incumbent advocates for the well-being of students, with a specific focus on undocumented students, and regularly advises campus management and student groups on a wide range of issues for undocumented student populations including academic achievement, high-impact student services, campus climate issues, and the complex and rapidly changing immigration political landscape impacting undocumented students.

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APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

Budgeted Salary: $74,300 - $89,300 / Annually. Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility: Full benefits

Schedule Information:

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week: Mon-Fri
• Shift Includes: Day

Employee Classification: Career appointment

Job End Date: None

Work Location: UC Santa Cruz Main Campus

Union Representation: Non-Represented

Job Code Classification: 004502 (ACAD ACHIEVEMENT CNSLR 4)

Travel: Never or Rarely

JOB DUTIES

25% - Management & Assessment

• Works with the EOP Director or Designee on department mission, vision, and goals to improve undocumented students' access, retention, inclusion, educational achievement, and career options.
• Designs and develops program models to facilitate academic, familial, social, and cultural transitional adjustment to and from the University.
• Responsible for setting the comprehensive overall program goals and curriculum development for new and continuing students for programs, programming, and other activities.
• Responsible for keeping current and thorough knowledge of issues affecting undocumented and mixed-status students from multi-racial, first-generation, intersectional, and other underrepresented backgrounds, and identifies nuances and trends among students to redirect or re-set program goals and services as appropriate.
• Assists with the creation and maintenance of confidential IT software to maintain student and community contacts, communication, and other relevant data.
• Identifies undocumented student needs; conceptualizes and implements specialized student development program designs, budget, and evaluation methods that increase the access, retention, and success of undocumented students.
• Ensures implementation of an assessment plan for programs and services and works to compile data on a quarterly basis.
• Ensures a strength-based approach in assessing student personal, academic, and career success and alignment to department, division, and campus priorities.
• Represents the department and assists with operations.
• Builds collaborative relationships to help provide integrated programs, programming, and/or services.
• Supports campus campaigns/efforts to secure external funding, when needed.
• Develops and maintains complex or sensitive relationships with external organizations critical to program success.
• Represents the organizations to UC, the local community, and other relevant audiences.
• Provides expert-level knowledge regarding undocumented students to UC, the local community, and other relevant audiences.
• Serves as a liaison and partner with UC Immigrant Legal Services and UCOP.
• Responds to all UCOP requests and ensures all reports are submitted in a timely manner.
• Collaborates in other program management areas as needed.

25% - Supervision & Staff Development

• Leads the overall plan, coordination, implementation, and oversight of the department's recruitment, selection, training, and evaluation process of new student staff in support of the department's mission and goals.
• Ensures consistent supervision practices and policies. Provides leadership, direction, supervision, and support to student staff in the design, implementation, and evaluation of all programs, programming, activities, and support services.
• Identifies areas for professional and personal development and provides training opportunities for student staff to meet their goals and objectives. Works with student staff on presentations and training requests, as needed.
• Responsible for effective communication to staff regarding campus resources, training, policy updates, the strategic plan, and emerging student, departmental, division, and campus community issues.
• Supervises staff, appraises and evaluates the performances of staff according to goals and objectives, sets goals, monitors progress and productivity, interprets and enforces policy, disciplines, handles complaints and grievance resolutions, workload distribution, and manages student-staff relations.
• Supervises the 540 Extended Early Summer Program.
• Communicates with the EOP Director or Designee regarding all supervision matters.

25% - Student Support Services

• Provides counseling services to support the personal, academic, and professional development of undocumented and mixed-status students.
• Works regularly with the EOP Director or Designee, campus departments, administration, counseling services, social workers, legal services, and other partners, as needed, to help manage the stress and anxiety surrounding students’ immigration status as well as the impacts of uncertain and changing immigration policies.
• Supports undocumented students, mixed-status students, and family members with a high level of confidentiality while being cognizant of FERPA, academic, legal, and immigration policies and processes.
• Utilizes counseling skills gained at the professional or graduate level to advise students on personal, academic, career, and financial issues related to income, first-generation, and immigration status concerns.
• Assesses distressed students, identifies risk, and refers students to appropriate campus, UC, or community agencies.
• Adapts and applies cross-cultural and intersectional models to address the various needs of a diverse undocumented student population, which may consist of differences in race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or uniformed services. With student consent, shares information with appropriate campus professionals to navigate student cases and needs.
• Keeps abreast of campus and local resources and referrals in residency, financial aid, scholarships, immigrant rights community advocacy, legal services, crisis intervention, social services, etc.
• Refers students to UC Immigrant Legal Services and attorney legal services for immigration-related legal service needs and emergencies.
• Supports the EOP Director with the management of EOP Department services, operations, policies, day-to-day usage, maintenance, data collection, and security.
• Communicates with the EOP Director regarding complex cases and referrals.

15% - Departmental/ Community Collaborations

• Develops and maintains relationships with campus and community liaisons, agencies, and professional organizations and maintains knowledge of current issues, services, and resources that can benefit undocumented and mixed-status students.
• Plays a key role in the outreach and support to student organizations. Ensures communications to campus stakeholders are made on plans, needs, and changes to programs and collaborations.
• Works in collaboration with affiliated student organizations and administration as needed.
• Assists with the outreach and training efforts of other campus departments such as Admissions, Career Services, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), etc.
• Participates in educating the campus community about the challenges the undocumented community faces.
• Participates in ongoing training by and with campus units, external agencies, and conferences on current issues, theories, and communication techniques.
• Promotes and advocates for the special needs and experiences of undocumented students from low-income, first-generation, and intersectional backgrounds.

10% - Program Evaluation and Reporting

• Utilizes EAB’s Student Success Collaborative (SSC) Campus, FileMaker Pro, and other tools to report and track student outreach, interactions, and overall engagement
• Prepares monthly, quarterly, and annual reports documenting patterns and trends in student cases and emerging best practices/solutions in serving students;
• Regularly tracks, reports, and briefs the EOP Director and other appropriate campus colleagues on the status of student cases.
• Researches, monitors, and tracks policy issues and practices related to student success, retention, and graduation.
• Develops forms and instruments for in-take, monitoring, and reporting on student cases.
• Participates in the development of annual goals and calendar of the USS/EOP office and the Student Success and Equity cluster, and the Division of Student Affairs and Success.
• Promotes and advocates for the special needs and experiences of undocumented students from low-income, first-generation, and intersectional backgrounds.
• In collaboration with the EOP Director or Designee, leads assessment and evaluation of the department and program efforts.
• Responds to all UCOP requests and assure all reports are submitted in a timely manner.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• Experience advising or counseling students who are undocumented, first-generation to college, low-income, underrepresented, non-traditional and/or immigrant backgrounds.
• Multicultural competency and experience advising diverse groups of students with special emphasis on immigrant and undocumented students.
• Experience in case management with undocumented students on a college campus and the ability to initiate, develop, and coordinate services and programs for undocumented students.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the theories and practice of counseling, learning, human, and career development.
• Knowledge of how to enhance students' intellectual and personal growth and development, including critical thinking, effective communication, self-appraisal, self-esteem, clarification of values, appropriate career choices, and leadership.
• Knowledge of the methodologies used to enhance student achievement, such as collaborative teaching and learning models, strategies for effective counseling and peer mentoring, small group facilitation and training, coaching, mentoring, and advocacy.
• Knowledge of trends and issues facing undocumented, low-income, and first-generation college, underrepresented, disadvantaged, physically challenged, and under-prepared students in higher education.
• Knowledge and experience in analyzing complex situations and identifying solutions for problem-solving.
• Skills and experience in developing and administering programs designed to meet the diverse needs of students.
• Knowledge and experience in researching, compiling and analyzing data, and generating reports.
• Knowledge of evaluation methodologies and research designs.
• Knowledge of and experience in conflict management and intervention strategies.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local requirements to provide for access, health, confidentiality, and safety, and of the legal and ethical issues governing the delivery of counseling services.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Masters degree in education, counseling, social work or related field.

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