Student services adds director position

The application deadline on a new position at this college, a director of student support services, has been extended to the end of June. It was originally set to close June 17.

On PeopleLink, the district’s site for job openings, the job is described as oversight of disability support services and veterans affairs, Emma Mendiola, dean of student affairs, said.

The job is available to internal and external candidates.

Mendiola said the position is necessary because this college has the highest disabled and veteran population of the Alamo Colleges.

This summer, there are 851 veterans enrolled at this college, senior secretary Gloria Gonzales said.

There were 1,732 veterans here last fall and 1,676 this spring.

Student services assistant Delia A. De Luna estimates disability support services assists about 650 students in the fall and about 550 in the spring.

She estimates only about 150 students use services in the summer because a condensed schedule is harder for disabled students.

Both programs will be housed on the first floor of Moody Learning Center when renovations are complete next month.

De Luna said she is excited about the move from Chance Academic Center, but there will be adjustments. The office moved to Chance when the building opened in 1992.

In Chance, mobility impaired students can enter the lowest level of the building via a ramp on the northwest side of the building or on the second level from the east side. Once inside, they use the elevator to descend to the level the office was on.

“It’s going to be a big change,” she said. “We have to be there for our students and we have to adjust as well.”

On the south side of Moody is a ramp students can use to get to the first floor or they can enter through the east side entrance on the second level and take an elevator to the first floor.

“We are hoping for the best,” Gonzales said.

De Luna said the two departments go “hand-in-hand” because so many veterans have returned from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan with damaged or missing limbs.

Mendiola said discussions about the new position have been happening for a while.

She said the extra space improves services for both veterans and those with disabilities.

Duties include “developing programs and processes that provide a service to students and/or other internal college or district customers.”

Mendiola said the director’s main job is to make sure students get services and the college complies with regulations.

The position calls for the candidate to compose program goals and implement those programs.

It also calls for the director to budget necessary resources and appraise results of student support services to make sure they are efficient.

Another duty is to evaluate resources, referrals to external agencies, college retention and graduation rates.

The director also will be responsible for generating reports and assuring “cohesive team efforts” to provide student services.

The director will familiarize employees with the college student support services functions by developing procedures, processes, materials and training.

The director will consult with staff to plan collegewide retention activities.

The director will have to cooperate with students to resolve conflicts to achieve the student’s goal.

Finally, the director will have to serve on a collegewide, districtwide or ad hoc retention committee.

Though a master’s degree is preferred, the job requires candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree in education, counseling, psychology, personnel administration or a related discipline.

Candidates need three years of experience in college program administration, career exploration or advisement, special populations, federal grant management or counseling.

For more information, call 210-485-0200.