Associate Vice President for Campus Safety

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION

Reporting to the vice president of finance and administration, the newly created associate vice president (AVP) for campus safety serves as the chief security director and emergency management leader for Rhodes College. The AVP is primarily responsible for leading, managing, and evaluating programs and services, overseeing 35 personnel, and administering a budget of $2.1M ($1.8M for compensation and $275K in operating budget). The AVP provides effective leadership and communication during crises, conflicts, and other campus safety challenges. The AVP must interface effectively with senior leadership, campus partners, students, faculty, staff, parents, local neighborhood leaders, and law enforcement to strengthen safety and security and ensure fully inclusive and transparent relationships with all stakeholders.

The AVP is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating safety, emergency, and risk management policies, protocols, programs, and services, ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal laws, including the Clery Act, and managing a comprehensive statistical reporting system. They must also coordinate with law enforcement agencies, including government investigation units; oversee the campus parking program; and deliver security/safety training to the campus community.

In addition to providing executive leadership and financial management for the campus safety department, the AVP is responsible for:

• Risk, incident, and emergency management for the overall health and safety of the Rhodes community and visitors.
• Providing advice, counsel, and expertise on campus safety and emergency management issues.
• Serving as the designated campus security authority (CSA) per the federal statutory requirements of the Jeanne Clery Act.
• Developing and sustaining collaborative partnerships with students, faculty, staff, parents, neighborhood leaders, and law enforcement agencies in the Memphis area.
• Ensuring the work of campus safety builds and maintains fully inclusive and transparent relationships with internal and external communities.
• Overseeing investigations of on-campus criminal activity and policy Serving as the primary follow-up investigator if circumstances warrant and creating professional reports based on factual findings.
• Facilitating the development of comprehensive policies and procedures for event security and ensuring staff training to manage various events effectively.
• Ensuring the campus is educated about safety and security issues impacting the campus community and aware of services provided by campus safety.
• Supervising the campus parking program, including establishing and enforcing parking regulations.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE

The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and substantial experience in safety and security or law enforcement, with a minimum of five years serving in a leadership capacity. Ideal candidates must demonstrate effective managerial ability; training and development; oversight of complex projects; experience building consensus and sustaining collaborative working relationships; and expertise in safety and security best practices within a small, private, liberal arts university in an urban setting. Highly desired qualifications and skills include the ability to lead change and foster continuous improvement across an organization; excellent organizational, oral and written communication, interpersonal, and public relations skills; expertise in Clery Act, Title IX, and other compliance requirements; ability and willingness to work flexible hours; and an unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and to promoting an inclusive campus climate.

Additionally, stakeholders indicated the following as essential characteristics and attributes of the associate vice president for campus safety:

• Establishes and maintains rapport with, and fosters a cooperative and respectful environment for, students, faculty, staff, alumni, dignitaries, visitors, and other constituencies.
• Shares information and seeks input from others; adapts communication to diverse audiences; protects private and confidential information.
• Analyzes and prioritizes situations to identify and solve problems and make collaborative, timely, and strategic decisions.
• Communicates complex and time-sensitive information accurately, clearly, and transparently to students, faculty, staff, and other constituencies.
• Prioritizes and manages multiple projects effectively.
• Possesses strong conflict resolution and negotiation skills.
• Culturally competent, possess a genuine appreciation for and experience working with a diverse student population, and a robust understanding of social justice issues.
• Understands and appreciates a student-centered educational environment and the department’s role within the campus community.
• Actively engages in community connection practices, facilitates ongoing open communications and positive daily interactions, and is responsive to needs and concerns.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF THE ROLE

Memphis is a city with a vibrant culture and a small community feel. It is also a city with deep socio-economic divides and highly publicized crime. The new associate vice president for campus safety has an opportunity to develop a holistic, proactive, and robust campus safety program and strengthen overall campus safety at Rhodes College. Taking advantage of willing partners across campus and investments in campus safety technology, the new AVP must leverage their expertise and skills to:

• Improve department training and retention; build a department focused on high-service delivery and strong partnerships on campus and in the community.
• Build relationships and align expectations with campus and community partners to enhance stakeholders’ satisfaction with campus safety services and staff.
• Implement strategies to strengthen practices that enable equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Work collaboratively with local law enforcement and emergency response agencies to establish mutually agreed-upon processes and procedures.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate high-quality campus safety, emergency management programs, services, standards, and protocols.
• Create and implement security and safety training for the campus community.
• Utilize data to inform and evaluate departmental efficacy, decision-making, and resource allocation.
• Contribute to college policy and provide effective advice, counsel, and leadership on committees.
• Enact initiatives and processes to proactively minimize incidents, minimize injuries, and reduce risk.