Assistant Director of New Student Programs - Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts - North Adams

The Assistant Director of New Student Programs leads and manages initiatives designed to welcome, transition, and support new students at MCLA. Particularly, this includes supporting all aspects of New Student Orientation; a comprehensive set of onboarding programs aimed at promoting student success and supporting institutional retention goals. In addition to these responsibilities, the Assistant Director will work collaboratively by serving as a member of cross-divisional teams established to maintain and support new student onboarding programs and activities to include a cohesive introduction to college life for first year students.

The Assistant Director will also play a key role in building an infrastructure of support for first-gen students. This involves fostering cross-campus collaboration, participating in the First-gen Committee, managing events such as National First-gen Day, and providing day-to-day support for related initiatives and events. These efforts collectively contribute to creating a positive campus culture, fostering a sense of belonging, and promoting student persistence, academic success, and overall well-being, while supporting division and university goals for enrollment and student success.

The position is also responsible for a variety of administrative duties and responsibilities as described below; nights and weekend work hours are required.

Departmental Support

• Oversee development and design of department website and social media.
• Different marketing efforts to promote programs (Save the Dates, Flyers, social media etc.).
• Representation of department at different college wide events.
• Collaborate on assessment plans to ensure programs are achieving stated learning out comes.
• Hire, train, manage student office staff.

Orientation including but not limited to

• Supporting:
  
  • Online orientation.
  • Hiring, training, managing of peer Mentors.
  • Hiring, training, managing of Staff Mentors.
  • Creation of orientation programming.
  • Creation of niche group programming; transfer students, first generation, etc.
  • Serve on college wide committee to support the department and need of onboarding new students.
  
  

Direct oversight of

• Curriculum for FSEM course material.
• May Peer Mentor Training.
• Supporting L.E.A.D Academy a staple program of MCLA that is incorporated into Orientation.
• Campus wide participation in additional programing needed for orientation.

Responsible for Alpha Lambda Delta First Year Honor Society

• Invitation of qualified candidates.
• Connection with national office.
• Induction ceremony.
• Creation of group programming.

Coordination of Family and Trailblazer Team Engagement

• Support selection and implementation of Family Weekend.
• Creation of Family and Trailblazer Team Newsletters.
• Continued connection of engagement.

Manage First-gen Initiatives

• Serve on college wide committee.
• Creation/continuation of National First-gen Day celebration.
• In partnership with areas across the college, implement and sustain programming geared to the recruitment and retention of first-generation students.
• Contribute to equitable policy and practice formation as they relate to collegewide systems.

Additional Duties as assigned related to the role, including but not limited to

• Participate in division and collegewide committees as appropriate.
• Engage in professional development.
• Serve as a mandated reporter per the MA State EO Plan and Federal TIX guidelines.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

1. Bachelor's degree.
2. Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in student activities, student leadership programs, and/or orientation programs is required. 
3. Familiarity with best practices in supporting first-gen students and other student populations from historically marginalized and underserved communities. 
4. Demonstrated experience working with students to promote personal development and leadership skills, as well as a successful track record of advising and managing large scale programs and activities. 
5. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; attention to detail; and ability to negotiate successfully. 
6. Demonstrated cultural competency, with a track record of working effectively with a diverse community.   
7. Evidence of an understanding of factors influencing student success and ability to engage students in high impact practices.  
8. Knowledge of principles, best practices, and procedures in higher education and student affairs administration.   
9. Knowledge of student development theory. 
10. Ability to work evening and weekend hours as required to carry out stated responsibilities. 

PREFFERED QUALIFICATIONS: 

1. Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Personnel or related field.
2. 1-3 years of administrative and leadership experience in orientation, transition, or retention interventions or programs for new students
3. Expertise in web page development, social media, and graphic design desirable.   

This is a full-time, grant-funded position in the APA bargaining unit. Annual salary range is $45,000 - $50,000. Position will run from April to September 2025.



Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts strongly encourages employees to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.  The Centers for Disease Control recommendation is that everyone aged 6 and up should get 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they've received any original COVID-19 vaccines.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. Should you need to request a reasonable accommodation for the application process, please email Brenda Stokes, Executive Director of Human Resources. 

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is deeply committed to fostering a community of excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We provide equal access to educational, co-curricular and employment opportunities for all applicants, students, and employees regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital or parental status, veteran status, or membership in any other legally protected class. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity that they operate, which extends to admission and employment.  

Inquiries about Title IX, Equal Opportunity, or ADA/504 and other non-discrimination policies may be directed to MCLA's Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer, to the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, or both. 

Liz Frost

Interim Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer 

375 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247 

Titleix@mcla.edu 

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights  

33 Arch Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02119-1424  

Telephone: (617) 289-0111; FAX: (617) 289-0150; TDD (877) 521-2172  

OCR.Boston@ed.gov