The Office for Student Success at the University of Kentucky is committed to designing and delivering unparalleled student services. We are comprised of more than four hundred professional staff and faculty across more than two dozen units that engage students from the time of early college outreach to graduation and beyond. Our diverse teams strive to put students first in everything they do, supporting them in living a life of meaning and purpose. Residence Life is one of 25 units housed within the Office for Student Success.
25 units
5
areas
1
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Designing and delivering unparalleled student services.
NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF RESIDENCE LIFE
Dear Prospective Candidate,
Justin A. Blevins, Ph.D. Director j.blevins@uky.edu
The University of Kentucky has a history of innovative and bold leadership, such as our extensive publicprivate partnerships with housing and dining to provide outstanding services to our approach to student success through our curriculum. We are delighted that you are interested in potentially working with us and are currently looking for new members of our team who will be part of paving our path forward. The path forward includes a solid commitment to serving our students and our institution’s mission. Additionally, we recognize that our strength comes from our diversity. So, we must be committed to making diversity, equity, and inclusion integral to all we do. This Staff Recruitment Guide will provide you with more information about the department and the university. Included are descriptions of our full-time staff positions, a summary of our compensation and benefits packages, a pictorial directory of our current staff, as well as information about the Lexington community. You are encouraged to visit the university and departmental websites, uky.edu and uky.edu/ housing. Should you decide to seek a position with our department, please apply at the UK Human Resources website, uky.edu/hr/employment. Thank you again for your interest in the University of Kentucky and for potentially being a part of our journey! Justin A. Blevins, Ph.D.
ABOUT THE
OFFICE OF RESIDENCE LIFE Our Educational Priority
The Office of Residence Life intentionally creates values-based living and learning communities that empower students and staff to engage in active learning, global citizenship, and self-discovery as they shape their Kentucky Experience. OUR VISION
To create a premiere residential experience that empowers students and staff to be lifelong learners and engaged citizens.
OUR VALUES
Prioritize Learning We focus on the co-curricular development of our residents through CATS Engagement, academic initiatives, Living Learning Programs, and faculty partnerships. Practice Engagement Interaction is the key to connecting with residents and staff. Staff connect with our students through CATS UP Sessions, Opportunity Meetings, as well as through Hall Council and area programming.
Be Dynamic Change is a part of life and definitely a part of college! We want our students and staff to not only embrace change, but to initiate it. We encourage our students and staff to always ask, “How can we make this better?” Cultivate Belonging We want the residence halls to be places where all residents and staff feel like they belong. We strive to help our residents and staff connect to campus life, so they feel like they have a home at UK. Serve Others Giving back to the community is a value that we work to instill in our residents. Whether it is being an upstanding resident or participating in a service project in Lexington, we want students and staff to understand the value of helping others.
LIVING OPTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS Residence Life creates a home-away-from-home in the residence halls for our students! We work to engage our residents and student leaders to make sure that they have the opportunity to succeed academically and personally.
LIVING LEARNING PROGRAMS
Our Living Learning Program is comprised of 14 living learning communities in partnership with academic and co-curricular units on campus. Our LLPs are successful because we have residence life staff and campus partners who are invested and involved in ensuring our students get the most out of their Kentucky experience. • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Audre Lorde Social Justice College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) Business Enterprise CI Connect Community of Scholars Creative Arts Residential College EdLife Scholars Engineering First-Generation Scholars International Village Interprofessional Healthcare Residential College (IHRC) Leadership and Service STEMCats Transfer Year Experience
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH
GREYSTAR
The University of Kentucky has partnered with Greystar with the goal of housing 7,000+ students on campus. Greystar
oversees the facility maintenance and
custodial needs of our halls. The Office
of Residence Life continues to be a part of UK’s Office for Student Success and
manages the day-to-day operations of the hall, supervising the hall staff and
student population, hosting programs and activities, and coordinating the security
aspects of the halls. We work closely with Greystar staff to maintain the halls to for the overall benefit of our residents.
7,000+ beds 13 suite-style residence halls 1 apartment-style residence hall 14 Living Learning Programs
CATS ENGAGEMENT – OUR RESIDENTIAL CURRICULUM The University of Kentucky Office of Residence Life has intentionally created value-based living and learning communities that empower students and staff to engage in active learning, global citizenship, and self-discovery as they shape their Kentucky experience.
CORE VALUES
Prioritize Learning • Practice Engagement Cultivate Belonging • Be Dynamic • Serve Others
Academic Preparedness Manage faculty and staff relationships Apply academic and career exploration skills Illustrate an awareness of academic resources Belonging & Involvement Name Residence Life staff members that care about their success Identify as a part of the hall community Understand themselves as a part of the Lexington and UK communities Employ an appreciation for other identities, races, and cultures Responsibility Demonstrate behaviors within the Student Code of Conduct Develop leadership and involvement on campus and in the hall Identify and engage in community service opportunities Personal Wellness Identify and utilize skills that promote a healthy lifestyle Reflect on personal wellness habits
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Our Curricular Approach to Student & Staff (CATS) Engagement is based in Schlossberg’s (2005) Transition Theory. Schlossberg’s theory provides a framework for understanding and supporting residential students’ needs as they prepare for current and future success. The residential curriculum seeks to promote students’ success by supporting students’ academic, social, and personal needs. Schlossberg, N. K., & Goodman, J. (2005). Counseling adults in transition. Springer Publishing Company.
STRATEGIES SIGNATURE EVENTS/LEARNING MOMENTS – Resident Directors, in conjunction with student staff, plan events to promote student learning based on community needs and resident connection assessment. CATS UP SESSIONS – Structured conversations that provide information on students’ well-being, roommate relationships, and academic and social adjustment issues, as well as create more intentional and meaningful interactions between student staff and their residents. ROOMMATE AGREEMENTS – Focused on personal and community responsibility, student staff meet with each roommate group and help facilitate completion of a guided written agreement within three weeks of introduction. COMMUNITY GATHERINGS – Group meetings that student staff facilitate once a month. During these meetings, student staff may discuss community needs and updates, university policy and community standards. STUDENT CONDUCT – Utilizing a restorative justice approach, conduct meetings are an opportunity to provide one-on-one coaching and support to students. The student conduct process promotes personal responsibility and peer accountability.
Departmental Initiatives RESIDENTIAL CURRICULUM Our curricular approach to student learning that aims to engage and integrate students - both academically and socially - into the university. We believe a curricular approach provides greater intentionality to the work we do as educators, demonstrates educational purpose to academic colleagues, and allows for ongoing significant assessment of learning. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Our diversity and inclusion initiatives aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all staff. Staff participate in professional development opportunities that seek to increase knowledge and understanding of the issues their students and colleagues may experience. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Our student leadership initiatives seek to provide students with opportunities to grow and develop as leaders. We have an active Residence Hall Association, with every residence hall having its own hall council. Additionally, our RA Advisory Board, provides valuable student staff insight regarding departmental policies and initiatives. STAFF CURRICULUM Our staff curriculum focuses on our departmental goals, principles, and professional competencies. The curriculum includes structures for recognition/appreciation and influences departmental culture and experiences for senior staff. ASSESSMENT Our goal to continue to make a difference drives our assessment practices. We strive to make informed decisions about our curricular approach and departmental initiatives. From campus-wide surveys to engaging students in focus groups, assessment is integrated into everything we do.
Resident Director Position Overview RESPONSIBILITIES
The Resident Director (RD) is a full-time, live-in, 12-month, professional staff member who serves as part of the Residence Life departmental leadership. The RD assumes responsibility for the overall direction, management, and leadership of a designated residence hall with 250-750 residents, and their work directly impacts their students’ academic and personal success. • Provide supervision for multiple staff members, including an Assistant Resident Director or Senior RA, between 12-20 Resident Advisors, 4-6 Desk Clerks, and a full-time Office Assistant for the hall. • Form positive relationships with other University departments by communicating regularly with them and following-up on issues promptly. • Develop an inclusive residential curriculum to meet the academic and developmental needs of their residents. • Promote an academically supportive environment by intervening with students who are at risk due to academic concerns. • Serve as hearing officers for conduct cases, providing a supportive environment for students to grow and develop. • Ensure that effective crisis management procedures are in place, including procedures for fire and weatherrelated emergencies. • Responsible for a departmental assignment or initiative team, or teach at least one section of EDP 518 (RA Class) each semester.
QUALIFICATIONS
A master’s degree in College Student Personnel, Higher Education Administration, or Counseling and experience working with leadership development programs is highly preferred. A bachelor’s degree and one year of employment experience in working with students in higher education or in a residential setting or an equivalent combination of education and related experience is required. Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate: 1. supervisory and administrative skills 2. knowledge of academic support strategies in a residential setting 3. responsiveness to safety and security issues in a residential setting 4. application of student development theory
The University of Kentucky’s Office of Residence Life understands that candidates have many options when making decisions about the next step in their career. To assist with that process, we do our best to provide as much information as possible about the standard of living that a new staff member at UK might expect. This section is designed to provide you with answers to some important questions about salary and basic benefits. We believe that the overall compensation package for our staff positions is very competitive, and we encourage you to look closely at what we are offering when weighing your career options. SALARY RANGE The official salary range is $30,722 - $49,150; most new Resident Directors salaries are between $36,500 – $40,000; tuition waiver; and comprehensive benefits package. All full-time employee salaries are based on the level of experience in comparison to those of current employees. RDs are classified as “exempt” employees under FLSA. All full-time staff members earn one day of sick leave per each month of employment. Staff members earn 15 days of vacation each year during the first five years of continuous service and 20 days each year following. STAFF APARTMENTS Full-time staff members are provided with a furnished apartment, phone, Internet, cable, and utilities. Laundry machines are in each apartment (or close by) for the staff member’s use.
PET POLICY
Full-time, live-in staff can own and keep pets in their residence hall apartments. The RD must pay a nonrefundable cleaning and maintenance fee prior to bringing the pet into the apartment. Permitted pets include fish and/or one cat or one dog. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The department prioritizes funding each year for full-time staff members to attend one professional conference, budget permitting. In addition to conferences, there is ongoing professional development for Resident Directors to attend. The university provides numerous opportunities for staff
development, including sessions in communication, problem-solving, leadership and other topics. MEAL PLAN All full-time staff members are provided a partial meal plan that may be used in Dining facilities across campus, budget permitting. The meal plan is provided to give staff members the opportunity to eat with students and other staff members to create informal learning opportunities. PARKING The department provides designated parking spaces near their hall for all full-time Resident Directors. RDs are required to pay for their permit at a cost of about $40 per month. RETIREMENT Participation in a retirement plan is a condition of employment for all regular full-time employees. UK’s plan is designed to help you save and invest for retirement. Employees contribute a required 5% of their base salary on a pre-tax basis. After three years, the university will also contribute the equivalent of 10% of your base salary, meaning UK puts in $2 for every $1 contribution you make. INSURANCE A variety of insurance options are available for staff members, including medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, and flexible benefits, which sets aside pretax dollars for medical expenses. These options should be evaluated in terms of your individual needs before an enrollment decision is made. More information can be found at uky.edu/hr/benefits.
ABOUT The University of Kentucky has a broad range of resources centered on a single campus in the heart of the Bluegrass. Our wide array of programs allows us to excel in multidisciplinary studies and fosters an environment of cooperative engagement across all colleges, programs, and research endeavors. Because of the lives we touch and teach, we remain anchored in our mission to Kentucky– to educate, innovate, heal, and serve. To be sure, our complex, multifaceted mission looks different today in many ways than it did in 1865. However, our sense of responsibility to our communities on campus and across the region is resolute. The mission has evolved and grown. The vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world beyond remains the same. They remain our compass – the soul of the University of Kentucky.
1 ofUK 8 is one of only eight institutions in the country with the full complement of liberal arts, engineering, professional, agricultural and medical colleges and disciplines on one contiguous campus
$2.8 Billion
Invested in infrastructure across campus, including a $256 million multidisciplinary research building and the continued expansion of a $1 billion health care facility started in 2004.
3.68 Average graduating GPA of Lewis Honors students 1616 Degree Granting Colleges plus the Lewis Honors College and the Graduate School 31% 31% of undergraduates are from out-of-state 16:1 16:1 Student to Faculty Ratio 550 UK has more than 550 Student Organizations 5 UKYears has been recognized for five straight years as a Diversity Champion by Insight Into Diversity Magazine
Top 30 UK is a Top 30 Campus for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety
ABOUT
We are fortunate that the University of Kentucky is nestled in one of America’s Best Cities - Lexington, Kentucky. VIDEO: Why We Love Lexington
LEXINGTON HAS IT ALL!
Unwavering hospitality. Great restaurants. Distinctive arts and culture. Beautiful scenery. Rupp Arena, the home of our Kentucky Wildcats. Urban bustle. Rolling hills. Horse farms. That feeling of home.
FACTS Lexington is within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the United States population – at the intersection of interstates 64 and 75. Three airports – Lexington, Louisville and Cincinnati – are within 80 miles of campus. #6 Best Cities for College Grads SmartAsset, 2021 #9 Friendliest City in the U.S. Conde Nast Traveler, 2020 #33 Best Places to Live in the USA U.S. News and World Report, 2021 #22 The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021, Travel + Leisure
STAFF DIRECTORY If you have questions about the RD position or UK, please reach out to Kenyatta Jeter at kenyatta.jeter@uky.edu or (859) 323-4626.
LEADERSHIP TEAM
RESIDENT DIRECTORS
Dr. Justin Blevins Director of Residence Life j.blevins@uky.edu
VACANT Boyd Hall
Heather Burgess Ball Hall heather.burgess@uky.edu
Lisa Williams Associate Director lisa.r.williams@uky.edu
Raven Garcia Blazer Hall vrg222@uky.edu
Brooke White Woodland Glen III brooke.white@uky.edu
Kenyatta Jeter Acting Associate Director kenyatta.jeter@uky.edu
Domonique Cudjo Holmes Hall domonique.cudjo@uky.edu
Peyton Palmour Woodland Glen III peyton.palmour@uky.edu
Christopher White Assistant Director, Strategic Planning chris.white@uky.edu
VACANT Jewell Hall
Casey Roley Woodland Glen IV casey.roley@uky.edu
Marc Presley Wildcat Coal Lodge marc.presley@uky.edu
Marelle Adams Woodland Glen V m.adams@uky.edu
Jimmie Jones Assistant Director, Living Learning Programs jimmie.jr2@uky.edu Libby Hogan Assistant Director, Student Conduct libby.hogan@uky.edu Lisa Lockman Assistant Director, Staff Recruitment lisa.lockman@uky.edu Merna Brown Assistant Director, Business Operations merna.brown@uky.edu Susan Wilton Assistant Director, Student Leadership and Development susan.wilton@uky.edu
Alex Kerns Johnson & Haggin Halls alex.kerns@uky.edu
Cameron Rose Lewis Hall wcro225@uky.edu
Lynne White University Flats lynne.white@uky.edu
MaKayla Seifert Chellgren Hall makayla.seifert@uky.edu
THIS COULD BE YOU! WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA Website: uky.edu/housing Twitter: @UKHouseResLife Instagram: @ukhousingreslife Facebook: UKHousingResLife LINKS TO EXPLORE Virtual Visit Campus Map
An Equal Opportunity University