The Graduate Advisor (GA) position is a unique component of the residential life program at Dartmouth College. Under the supervision of a professional Community Director, each GA will provide support, counsel, and at least one program to residents in an effort to enhance their residential and academic experiences. The GA’s primary responsibility is to act as an academic mentor and advisor to residents. As a member of a cluster staff, each GA will share in the responsibility of establishing a strong residential education program in the residence halls to meet the academic and developmental needs of residents. Each GA will be expected to dedicate between 6 and 8 hours per week to the formal responsibilities of the position, and be present weekly during each term to serve in the GA role. In addition, appropriate informal interactions with the undergraduates are expected. A more detailed listing of job expectations is provided below.
Qualifications
Each Graduate Advisor must be willing and able to make a strong commitment to the curricular and extracurricular dimensions of a residential community. A GA must be an enrolled, full-time graduate student for the fall, winter, and spring terms during each year of employment; in good academic standing with the College; possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills; and have a high level of personal and intellectual maturity. A GA candidate must have been an enrolled graduate student at Dartmouth for at least one academic year before beginning the GA position. (This requirement may be waived for MALS students—see the selection coordinator for more information before applying.) Each GA needs to be willing to live in an undergraduate residential community in the living space provided and furnished by the Office of Residential Life, and abide by the policies of that community. For a listing of residential policies, please see the College Residence Policies and Terms.
Accommodations & Compensation
Each Graduate Advisor will receive furnished living accommodations in an on-campus residence hall, a $200-$400/term (excluding summer term) meal credit ($200 for GAs with a kitchen, $400 for GAs without a kitchen) to be used in College dining facilities, and local and domestic long-distance phone service. The living space is available year-round as long as the GA will be continuing in the position, and barring renovation or large-scale maintenance projects. Otherwise, occupancy of these accommodations will end at the completion of the appointment as a GA. Please note that parking is not provided near GA living spaces.
Appointment
Appointment to the position typically begins in July, and ends in mid-June. GAs who are continuing through the next year and want to occupy the living space through the summer term will be expected to work on special projects as assigned by their supervisor, and provide programming and advising for summer-term students and staff. Any GAs who will be gone for a period of time during their appointment that will prevent them from being available on a weekly basis during an academic term should seek a contractual exception before accepting a position.
Specific Job Expectations
The following expectations may be augmented by your supervisor.
A. Staff Training and Development
- Attend GA training and participate in specified sessions of the Student Staff Training, all of which typically occur in the summer/fall before the arrival of the first-year class.
- Attend bi-weekly staff meetings with the GA staff.
- Attend periodic individual meetings with your supervisor.
- Attend weekly staff meetings with the undergraduate staff in your cluster.
- Participate in the GA, student, and professional staff selection processes.
B. Program Development
- Work closely with the Community Director and Undergraduate Advisors in your cluster and with other Graduate Advisors to provide educational, cultural, and extracurricular programming in your cluster and in other residential spaces on campus. In particular, offer programs that are designed to meet the specific needs of residents in your assigned cluster. For clusters with upperclass student populations, your programs should focus on the following: (1) What to look for when choosing a graduate program; (2) Referrals to resources on requirements and strategies for obtaining admission to graduate schools; (3) What to expect when one attends a graduate school; (4) Post-graduate opportunities other than graduate school; (5) Referrals to resources on how to apply for national and international scholarships and programs; and other topics as needed. For first-year students, your programs should focus on the following: (1) Planning for research opportunities; (2) Academic success strategies; (3) Interacting and developing relationships with faculty; (4) Choosing a major; (5) Adjusting to college life and decision-making; and other topics as needed.
- Utilize the funding provided by Dartmouth College to support the programs that you organize. All expenditures must be in compliance with the policies and procedures of Dartmouth College and the Office of Residential Life.
- Support cluster programming and attend as many cluster events as is reasonable and effective.
- Organize informal discussions directed at providing students with information and advice about their academic experience and future goals. Specifically, organize gatherings that encourage conversation and discussion about life during and after Dartmouth, as well as discussions that promote intellectual discussion and out-of-classroom learning.
- Share your academic and personal interests with residents through formal or informal interactions, and seek out opportunities to involve faculty members in the residential communities.
- Provide written report of programs and initiatives to your supervisor at the end of each term.
C. Advising and Community Development
- Serve as a resource and referral contact for both the undergraduate staff and residents.
- Work with your Community Director and other ORL and College staff to create and maintain a safe, secure, and healthy residential community that respects and celebrates diversity and multiculturalism, respects individual rights and responsibilities, promotes safety and security, and respects College and individual property.
- Be available to meet with students to discuss and/or provide information about personal or academic issues and concerns. Provide a supportive environment where individual students can share personal or academic issues and concerns.
Evaluation
Each Graduate Advisor will be evaluated by her/his supervisor, incorporating comments and feedback from the Community Director and cluster staff, as well as other sources of information available regarding her/his performance. Individual meetings will be used to discuss performance, strengths, and areas of improvement. Continued employment as a Graduate Advisor will be based on satisfactory performance evaluations.
|
