Dean of Students

 

Responsibilities of the Position

A Cornell Law School (CLS) senior leadership team member, the dean of students (DOS) directs efforts to retain and support a diverse student body. The DOS oversees student administrative services such as disability accommodation requests and advising, as well as student activities and programming. The dean oversees all aspects of the Law School’s counseling and case management services for matriculated students, focusing on issues that affect their personal lives, academic studies, health, and well-being. The DOS also plays an essential role in building a sense of community among the JD students, ensuring the equitable distribution of resources to support student activities and success. The DOS supervises a student affairs and services professionals team and fosters communication and collaboration with other Law School and University offices.

Qualifications and Characteristics of the Successful Candidate

Successful candidates will have earned a master’s degree or equivalent and possess five to seven years of professional experience in law school or higher education administration, with preference granted to those with an earned JD and related law school work experience. Candidates must have experience in and knowledge of student development theory and student affairs trends, with a preference for those experienced in legal or other graduate professional education. Candidates must demonstrate excellent organizational, management, and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to work effectively across multiple internal and external constituencies, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, and various agencies and institutions. Candidates must provide evidence of exceptional strategic, analytical, conceptual, and communication skills and be collaborative, adaptable, pragmatic, and effective problem solvers. This position requires excellent decision-making skills and the ability to handle sensitive matters and data with tact, discretion, and confidentiality. Successful candidates will have proven experience connecting diversity, inclusion, and well-being practices to business goals.

In addition to the qualifications stated above, key stakeholders identified the following capabilities and attributes of a successful candidate:

• Evidence of excellent judgment, knowing when to refer student cases to the relevant University office or the Law School Administrative Committee, and understanding how and when exceptions are appropriate
• Experience handling disability accommodations.
• Exhibit empathy and an understanding of the student law school experience.
• Budget management and oversight skills.
• A record of successful event planning and program development.

Opportunities and Challenges of the Role

This is a tremendous opportunity for a seasoned student affairs and student services professional to lead a team at a top-14 law school. The new dean of students will have the opportunity to strengthen and create a well-managed and organized DOS office that enforces academic and student affairs policies while demonstrating support for students and their success. The new DOS will find support for this work in joining a strong and growing law school leadership team ready to address structural issues, winning the gratitude and confidence of faculty, staff, and students. The new DOS will join three other relatively new members of the CLS leadership team—the vice dean, the registrar, and the associate dean of admissions, who are essential collaborators with the DOS. There are additional opportunities to network with other student affairs personnel across Cornell University. 

In transitioning to Cornell Law School, the dean of students will encounter the following priorities and challenges shared by campus stakeholders. The new dean of students must be ready to:

• Strengthen and create a well-managed and organized DOS office that enforces academic and student affairs policies while demonstrating support for students and their success.
• Provide leadership that increases student confidence in the DOS office by improving service and communications.
• Develop and implement strategies to retain and support a diverse student body.
• Quickly understand Cornell Law’s existing student policies and practices and how they interface with Cornell University’s policies, practices, and resources to ensure that students receive needed guidance and support.
• Work with the faculty to understand academic policies that affect student standing and welfare and bring cases to the Faculty Administrative Committee when needed.
• Assist faculty or staff who report student needs or challenges, follow up with the students, and manage student case needs.
• Advise student organizations on activities, budget, scheduling, and event planning.
• Oversee the planning and implementation of key CLS student events, including JD orientation, JD convocation, and regularly scheduled social and mixer events.
• Lead and empower the relatively new DOS office team, ensuring clarification of roles and responsibilities and providing opportunities for professional development.
• Ensure equitable application of disability accommodation policies and standards.
• Develop a plan to work effectively with non-JD students and JD students, making recommendations on how to handle the growing demands of the office.
• Facilitate the codification of all policies and practices relevant to students with a more effective way of disseminating that documentation.
• Balance needs for student activities programming with student services’ needs (e.g., disability accommodation, advising, and crisis management).

Measures of Success

The items listed below will define the dean’s success throughout the first year of employment:

• Students will report an increased sense of inclusion and belonging.
• The DOS office will provide timely responses to student, faculty, and staff queries and transparent explanations for decisions.
• The new DOS will quickly learn the applicable University and Law School policies and practices and develop a plan to codify and communicate those that are unclear.
• The DOS will work with the office staff to clarify roles and responsibilities, ensure appropriate training, and delegate work as appropriate.

The Student Body

Total JD enrollment: 609

• Entering JD students: 211
• Men: 54 percent
• Women: 46 percent
• Number of states represented: 33
• Number of countries represented: 10

Total General LLM Enrollment: 132

Total JSD Enrollment: 9

Student to faculty ratio: 5 to 1

Diversity Statement

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law. 

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

Application and Nomination

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. To apply for this position please click on the Apply button, complete the brief application process, and upload your resume and position-specific cover letter. Nominations for this position and questions about the status of the search may be emailed to Sharon Meagher at smm@spelmanjohnson.com. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895 or email info@spelmanjohnson.com.

The public salary range is $119,700-146,300. Exceptional candidates may qualify for additional compensation, including a signing bonus and relocation assistance.

Related Links

Cornell Law School Homepage

City of Ithaca, New York