Director, Erb Memorial Union

QUALIFICATIONS AND  CHARACTERISTICS

Required Qualifications

A master’s degree and at least five years of successful full-time administrative experience in a student union or related higher education auxiliary environment are required. Experience must include facilities operation, human resource management, which includes supervision of full-time professional staff, budget administration that incorporates revenue generation and resource allocation, and program management involving student development and assessment. The successful candidate will demonstrate an understanding of current issues, best practices, and emerging trends in the university student union and the importance of and ability to generate revenue that strikes a balance between student and operational needs. Additionally, the ability to work effectively with persons from culturally diverse backgrounds, including students of color, international students, non-traditional students, and returning learners; sensitivity to and demonstrated competency for diverse issues in a university community; and strong organizational skills, including the ability to plan strategically, are expected.

Preferred Qualifications

• Documented ability to make important and high-profile decisions and provide effective leadership in a complex organization and an atmosphere of periodic ambiguity.
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and strategically in a team environment with all levels of professionals.
• Demonstrated experience with assessment and learning outcomes in a university environment.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Master’s degree in higher education administration, student affairs, college student personnel, or educational leadership.
• Ten years of professional experience in a role of comparable responsibility, size, and scope, five of which are in a leadership role in an auxiliary environment.
• Experience supervising in a collective bargaining environment.
• Knowledge and experience with large-scale facility design and construction.
• Involvement/leadership with national professional associations concerned with higher education.

In addition to the minimum academic and experiential requirements indicated above, the following are desired characteristics, skills, actions, strengths, and abilities noted from discussions with campus stakeholders:

• Demonstrated experience integrating student development principles within a student union environment.
• Strong leadership and change management skills, with the motivation to cultivate leadership through change processes that improve the student experience.
• Demonstrated skills as an advocate and champion for diversity, equity, inclusivity, anti-racism, accessibility, and social justice, along with a willingness to stand up for these values. Understand the intersectionality of a diverse student population.
• A student-centered focus, keeping the priorities and needs of the students at the forefront at all times.
• Ability to listen carefully, ask knowledgeable questions, learn the culture of the institution and the department, accept input from staff, and then make well-informed decisions that are best for the UO community and the Erb Memorial Union.
• Energy and enthusiasm for the role, passion for the work, a positive attitude—even in the face of adversity, a personable and approachable demeanor, and the ability to have fun on the job.
• Solid budget and finance skills, innovation in discovering new revenue sources, and the ability to effectively advocate for scarce resources.
• Ability to make difficult decisions, when necessary, to conduct difficult conversations when pertinent, to actively listen to all sides of an issue, and to balance the needs of the people with the needs of the organization.
• Experience in diplomacy, possessing a great measure of political savvy and the ability to develop consensus around issues pertinent to the EMU.
• A willingness to be highly visible and present throughout the EMU, serving as a positive “face” for the department and the building.
• Strong organizational development abilities, including emotional intelligence, transparency, and empathy, that inspire and unify staff, provide professional and personal growth opportunities, and promote teamwork throughout the EMU.
• An innovator with a futuristic orientation and a willingness to try new opportunities, remain informed on recent trends and best practices, and lead significant change processes.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF THE ROLE

The new director of the Erb Memorial Union must possess a broad and deep understanding of national best practices concerning service and program development for a multi-use student union facility, including fiduciary considerations, daily operations, reservations, staffing models, facilities maintenance, policies and procedures, technology, student organizations, and programmatic integration. The director should be a dynamic and energetic leader who is unwaveringly committed to customer service at the highest level, capable of managing complex situations and staffing, devising strategic initiatives, and administering multiple priorities. Furthermore, the director should possess insight into today’s students and their developmental needs, a deep understanding of the culture that exists in a large, public flagship institution of higher education, and the skill to contribute significantly at both a strategic and operational level to the student experience at the University of Oregon.

For this role, a competent and forward-thinking individual must be identified who can promote and develop the EMU team, set both long- and short-term priorities, and work daily to progressively, innovatively, and comprehensively move the EMU forward. The following were identified as priorities, opportunities, and challenges for which the director can exercise vision and lead change.

• It will be essential that the new director, acting as a “connector” in all instances, commit to a comprehensive culture of collaboration and partnering within the Erb Memorial Union and across campus for maximum effectiveness. The University of Oregon is wholly committed to building relationships as a foundation of the campus culture, and strong collaboration is an absolute necessity in all endeavors to ensure success. The EMU touches a vast number of entities, including students, faculty, administration, departments, tenants, vendors, and other external partners. It will be crucial that the director quickly reach out across each of these areas, conduct a “listening tour” to garner input, reinforce the relationships already in place, and build solid new relationships that foster ongoing positive interactions. These connections are essential to assess the real needs of constituents, provide exceptional programs and services for the campus community, and ensure that the EMU is known for its customer- and student-centered approach at all times.
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice are core values of the University of Oregon community, and the EMU director is expected to be a leader in supporting, understanding, embracing, and nurturing these concepts to develop and foster an anti-racist organization. There are many underrepresented populations throughout the institution, and the director and the entire EMU must be a model for maintaining a strong sense of equity and an unbiased, supportive environment. The director will engage with many students who have multiple identities at the University of Oregon. Therefore, the ability to learn about and collaborative with a variety of diverse students is important.
• The scope of responsibilities for this position is broad, including oversight of remote facilities not directly located within the EMU and oversight of some units not generally directly overseen by a student union administrator. Given this complexity, the ability to multitask will be a great asset. The director must quickly assess the full range of responsibilities, learn the staff, and develop a comprehensive list of priorities. The department and the facility are in great financial and organizational shape, so this is an outstanding opportunity for the successful candidate to quickly begin moving forward upon arrival, put their professional mark on the EMU, and build it to even greater heights. There is tremendous support from the vice president, the EMU staff, and other administration to promote a dynamic and forward-facing program and facility. As priorities are set and plans are initiated, the director should be prepared to identify programs and services that are working well, as well as those areas that are not as efficient or effective, and be willing to enhance, promote, and sunset programs as necessary.
• The current staff members of the EMU are highly committed to the vision of a solid and supportive team and are dedicated to offering the best service possible to the UO community. The staff works tirelessly to improve the student experience, and the new director should make it a priority to get to know the staff as individuals quickly, learn their particular needs, develop trust and confidence across the board, ascertain and understand the various responsibilities they perform and roles they play, provide comprehensive professional support for all levels of staff, and foster the continued and ongoing development of a strong, cohesive team. With both represented and non-union staff under their purview, the director should be responsive to all, recognizing the differing needs and priorities of each.
• While the administrative duties of the position may require many meetings and other office-centric responsibilities, it will be essential that the director be visible and accessible throughout the EMU, get involved with students and the community, personally promote programs and services, collaborate with colleagues on projects and committees, and serve as the “face” of the EMU to the campus. To be one of the most service-oriented departments at UO, it will be critical for the director to be known as a problem-solver and a consensus-builder, but also understand the priorities associated with a business model in which both auxiliary- and fee-funded revenues are in place.
• The fee-funding model for the EMU was recently changed from the student government, ASUO, to a student union fee, and the transition still has some wrinkles to be ironed out in its implementation. The new director should simply be aware when they arrive that this system has changed, and they should bring their budgetary experience to bear in creating maximum efficiency in the future.
• There was a significant $100 million addition and renovation of the EMU in 2016, which included a great deal of much-needed expanded meeting and event space. Deferred maintenance is relatively low, and the students review the building positively. However, that additional space within the student union facility is highly utilized by the campus community and is already at capacity as the University of Oregon continues to grow. The director should be prepared to bring their assessment and union facility knowledge to bear in the near future to effectively and efficiently maximize the ongoing use of the EMU and look to the future for any additional space needs. Of note is a current potential project to add a cover to the outdoor amphitheater. The director should review the project’s status upon arrival and move it forward as appropriate.
• The Erb Memorial Union Board, consisting of twelve students, three faculty members, and one EMU staff member, advises the director on general policy decisions, program budget allocations, space for student groups and long-range plans for the operation of the EMU. It is critical for the success of the next director to work closely with the EMU Board to provide ongoing, excellent programs and services for which the EMU is known.
• Some administrative services, including the business office (recent change) and marketing, are centralized within student life. The director should be aware of this model and that the EMU does not solely manage these services. Conversely, there are other programs and services not usually overseen by a student union in the portfolio of the director, including a comprehensive craft center, student organization sponsorship, a child-care center, club sports, and an outdoor program. The director should quickly get to know these areas of responsibility and appreciate the outstanding opportunities they represent.
• The University of Oregon’s geographic location, in the western part of the state off Insterstate 5 midway between Portland and Medford, makes it ideal for all walks of life. On-campus stakeholders reiterated that they liked working at the university, are very supportive of each other, enjoy the vibrant environment of the EMU and the UO, feel an excellent sense of collegiality, and believe that there are numerous opportunities for the next director to make a tremendous difference. Additionally, the surrounding communities contain a robust assortment of restaurants and food options, many cultural and arts-related events, opportunities for recreation and sports, and abundant year-round outdoor activities that appeal to a wide array of interests. The city of Portland is only two hours away, making it convenient and relatively easy to access the considerable opportunities and amenities of a major metropolitan area.