Dean of the Senior Class

If you have any questions about the position or our application process, reach out to us at [email protected].

Job Description

The Class Deans are the central academic advisers at Smith College and are responsible for a comprehensive program of academic advising and course management in a residential liberal arts environment. The Class Deans help students make progress toward their educational goals and graduation requirements, work with faculty to support students in the classroom and develop meaningful interactions, facilitate access to academic and non-academic support services, and guide students to succeed academically. Class Deans collaborate with the Dean of the College, the Associate Dean of the College, the Registrar’s Office, and the Academic Board in the development and implementation of academic practices and policies, and represent the Class Deans Office on various College committees.

The Dean of the Senior Class is responsible for monitoring the academic progress and welfare of senior students. The Dean provides academic advice about curricular requirements and degree progress and post-graduate possibilities. They work closely with fellow Class Deans, faculty and administration on student academic matters, and consult and coordinate with offices across the campus. The Dean communicates with faculty and advisors of majors, minors, and concentrations in support of the over 620 students in the senior class.

Essential Functions

Academic Advising and Class Management (60%)

• Provide academic advising to students on a range of issues, including but not limited to academic progress, interpreting academic program policies, and making appropriate academic choices and decisions.  

• Monitor seniors’ academic progress toward the degree.

• Meet regularly with students on academic probation and warning. 

• Connect students to appropriate academic and non-academic support services.

• Collaborate with other offices to promote student academic success, including campus partners such as the Accessibility Resource Center; the Jacobson Center for Writing, Teaching and Learning; and the Spinelli Center for Quantitative Learning.

• For seniors who have not finished their program of study, determine a course of study to complete the degree elsewhere.

• Communicate with students in academic, personal, and emotional difficulty and contact faculty around student difficulties, as appropriate.

• Explain Smith policies to students, faculty, and parents.

• Serve on the Academic Board, CARE Team, Behavioral Intervention Team, and the Campus Safety committee.

• Coordinate and collaborate with fellow Class Deans in awarding summer and J-term funding through Smith Student Aid Society (SSAS).

Administrative (20%)

• Maintain meeting notes and records through Workday.

• Create and manage Maxient reports for students of concern.

• Serve as a resource person for students, parents, and other college personnel.

• Facilitate referrals to appropriate academic, centers and/or administrative departments.

• Collaborate with the Registrar’s Office in building seniors’ academic schedules and tracking degree requirements.

• Liaise with the Accessibility Resource Center to meet students’ accommodation needs.

• Represent the Class Deans team on designated committees as needed.

• Collaborate with campus partners, such as the Lazarus Center, to implement programming for seniors to help them design their post-Smith trajectories.

Other Functions

Other Duties (20%)

• Develop relationships with campus partners and collaborate with them to guide students as they prepare to transition from college to post-college life.

• Advise faculty and students about departmental honors, student-designed majors/minors, and the Smith Scholars program.

• Administer departmental honors program (review of all approved theses, approval of honors funding requests, maintenance of honors Moodle website, general advice to students and faculty, calculations of departmental honors every May).

• Prepare departmental honors lists for the commencement program.

• Review of Latin Honors in consultation with the Registrar’s Office and SHIP.

• Reading of names for graduating students at commencement.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree with at least 5 years of teaching or academic advising experience at the post-secondary level or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

• Demonstrated competence working with a diverse student population.

• Demonstrated experience working with faculty to understand student issues and collaborating with them to advise students in succeeding academically.

• Demonstrated experience supporting student transitions to post-college life.

• Proven leadership effectiveness, including the ability to relate and engage with all segments of campus.

• Experience with Workday (or equivalent SIS), Maxient, SalesForce or comparable CRM, and Zoom.

• Proven leadership effectiveness, including high emotional intelligence as demonstrated through the ability to relate and engage with all segments of campus.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a residential liberal arts college environment.

• Ph.D.

• Desire to join a dynamic team of highly-skilled, experienced educators strongly committed to the education of women at an institution founded on a mission of access and diversity.

Skills

• Excellent problem-solving, interpersonal, communication, organizational and data management skills.

• Excellent organizational, oral, and written communication skills.

• High level of computer literacy and technical skills: Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite, MacOS, and Adobe.

• Keen attention to detail, follow-through, and confidentiality.

Additional Information

Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends, as needed, and occasional holidays (when emergencies arise).

Target start date: 7/1/25

You will NOT be able to attach additional files after you have hit the Submit button.

Review of applications will begin

Position Type:

About Smith College

Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is one of the largest women’s colleges in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts.  A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 151B, it is the policy of Smith College to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our recruiting team at [email protected].

As set forth in our mission and values, Smith College is committed to promoting a culture of  equity and inclusion among students, staff and faculty.  The College will not discriminate in employment on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by law. Smith College is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination.