Director of Community Standards

Overview

Tufts University Student Life supports dynamic co-curricular learning, engagement, and belonging for all undergraduate and graduate students within the School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (View email address on administration.academickeys.com). Consistent with the University’s mission as a student-centered research university committed to transformational experiences in an inclusive and collaborative environment, Student Life cultivates a community in which students grow as ethical leaders, engaged scholars, and active citizens of the world.

Community Standards, a unit within Student Life, contributes to the holistic development of the student experience at Tufts by educating students about university expectations of behavior; administering university policy in a manner that is fair, consistent, and educational; and managing the student conduct program so that students who participate in the process learn from their experience. The office emphasizes a developmental, care-centered, and restorative philosophy that balances individual accountability with community repair, while ensuring procedural fairness, safety, and compliance with applicable law. Community Standards partners closely with colleagues across the University including Residential Life & Learning, the Office for Campus Life, Tufts University Police Department, the Office of Equal Opportunity, Health Service, Counseling & Mental Health Service, Health Promotion, the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT), the Office of the Provost, and academic deans — on prevention, education, and response.

What You'll Do

The Director of Community Standards is responsible for designing and implementing a robust, educationally grounded system to prevent and address student misconduct in alignment with best practices in the field, applicable law, and Tufts' values of integrity, self-discipline, and respect for ourselves and others. The Director oversees the investigation and resolution of cases involving alleged violations of community standards at Tufts, including behavioral and academic misconduct, with particular attention to emerging issues such as the misuse of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies. In addition to supervising all student conduct cases (including those assigned to direct reports and to colleagues in partner departments), the Director personally handles designated cases, including complex matters with high legal risk, media exposure, or safety implications. The Director leads the integration of restorative practices and other forms of dialogue-based, alternative resolution into the conduct system, ensuring that processes promote learning, accountability, repair of harm, and the strengthening of community.

This is a hybrid position with some evening and weekend work required to respond to incidents, support hearings, or participate in University events. On-call responsibilities during student crises. Occasional travel for professional development.

• Triage all incoming incident reports and complaints submitted to the Office of Community Standards, assign reports to appropriate staff, and direct staff in the handling of cases. Coordinate a holistic, school-wide response to incidents, including consultation with academic, residential, and wellbeing partners.
  Track turnaround time, learning outcomes, student feedback on process, equity in outcomes across student populations, and other relevant metrics. Follow up as needed to ensure prompt, fair, and educational resolutions of all cases, and use data to continually improve the system.
• Regularly update standards for managing cases (e.g., procedures, timelines, decision-making criteria, etc.) that are consistent with the developmental philosophy of student conduct practice, relevant legal standards, restorative practices, and best practice in the field as articulated by the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) and similar bodies. Train staff in the Office of Community Standards, Residential Life & Learning, and other partner areas in these standards, including the application of restorative approaches such as restorative conferences, circles, and shuttle dialogue. Oversee cases so that established standards are met. Serve as an escalation point for all conduct officers when cases unexpectedly become challenging; provide ongoing coaching and instruction to staff members handling cases. Regularly review and update processes to increase efficiency, educational impact, and consistency.
• Personally resolve very complex and highly sensitive conduct cases, including matters involving threats to community safety, alleged academic misconduct with significant institutional implications, and cases involving the unauthorized or improper use of generative AI and related technologies. Interview, maintain ongoing communication with, and provide appropriate educational intervention and resource referrals to complainants, respondents, witnesses, and others involved in the student conduct process. Conduct investigations, facilitate developmental and restorative meetings, create and assign educational sanctions and learning-based outcomes, and assess student learning. Interact with families, attorneys, faculty, and others on behalf of the University as needed.
  In partnership with faculty, CELT, and other university partners, serve as a primary resource for academic integrity matters involving generative AI — distinguishing permitted scholarly uses of AI from misuse such as undisclosed use, fabrication, or misrepresentation of authorship — and ensure that resolutions emphasize student learning about ethical use of emerging technologies in scholarship and research.
  Compose formal letters to students regarding complex and serious issues, and routinely compose detailed documentation on meetings with students, investigation progress, restorative agreements, and other case-related information.
• Maintain the highest standard of integrity and consistently act with good judgment, ethical sensibility, procedural and substantive fairness, equitable treatment of all, a nuanced understanding of and respect for the rights of students, and a recognition of the University's educational philosophy of student conduct. Role model the dialogue, listening, and accountability behaviors expected of community members. Exercise well-seasoned decision making in complex situations.
• Manage the student conduct system in a manner that is sensitive to the mental health and support needs of students interacting with the process. Use experience regarding college student mental health and knowledge of relevant research and professional literature to anticipate challenges, recognize distress, and respond appropriately. Apply an ethic of care, knowledge of best practices and law, trauma-informed and identity-conscious approaches, and strong helping skills to identify issues, construct a path toward solutions, ensure student safety, and increase student self-efficacy.
• Foster a campus climate in which conflict is treated as an opportunity for learning. Champion the use of restorative practices and other forms of dialogue-based resolution — such as facilitated conversations, restorative conferences, and community circles — to repair harm, restore relationships, and strengthen the sense of belonging across the Tufts community.
• Supervise the management of all records related to student conduct and serve as the official custodian of all Tufts education records related to student conduct. Serve as on-site administrator for the conduct records database; establish and implement standards for documentation that maintain student conduct records in excellent quality; and ensure that records practices comply with FERPA and other applicable law. Review and approve letters and outcome documents written by others that have high-risk legal implications for the University.
• Supervise the Community Standards staff, including one Associate Director, one Assistant Director, and one Administrative Assistant and, as needed, temporary staff or graduate assistants. Hire, train, develop, establish and communicate expectations to, and set goals for staff members. Assess staff performance and provide ongoing feedback.
• Support professional development, including continued learning in restorative practices, trauma-informed care, academic integrity, and the responsible use of AI in scholarship and administration. Maintain a collaborative, inclusive team culture characterized by strong performance and positive morale. Provide functional supervision to staff in other departments handling cases on behalf of Community Standards.
• Serve as the primary Student Life content expert on federal and state laws and regulations related to student conduct administration, including the Clery Act, FERPA, Title IX, Title VI, the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act, the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Stop Campus Hazing Act, and others. Regularly review and revise university policies related to student behavior, including the Student Code of Conduct and academic integrity policies, with particular attention to evolving expectations regarding generative AI, online conduct, and digital communication.
• Consult with, train, and present to high-level university partners, including faculty committees, individual faculty members, leaders in other university departments, and student life leaders, on community standards, academic integrity (including AI-related issues), and restorative approaches to conflict. Provide authoritative advice and expert guidance during relevant crises.

What We're Looking For

Basic Requirements:
Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:

• Master's Degree in higher education, college student development, conflict resolution, restorative practices, counseling, psychology, law, or another closely related discipline, or the international equivalent
• At least 6 years of progressively responsible experience adjudicating student conduct cases in a higher education setting, including at least three years working full time in student conduct
• Experience creating, analyzing, and interpreting policy
• Experience directing complex or sensitive investigations
• Experience managing substance abuse concerns, including prevention efforts, policy and educational interventions, and familiarity with treatment options
• Experience working effectively with a wide range of diverse faculty, staff, and students.
• Current and extensive knowledge of laws, trends, and practices related to student conduct in the college and university environment - including the evolving landscape of academic integrity in the era of generative AI - and demonstrated experience applying them to the student conduct setting
• Demonstrated experience integrating restorative practices, restorative justice, transformative justice, or other forms of alternative dispute resolution into a student conduct or community accountability framework
• History of success supervising, coaching, and developing professional staff.
• Experience creating, analyzing, and interpreting policy, including academic integrity and technology-use policies
• Experience directing complex or sensitive investigations
• Experience managing substance use concerns, including prevention efforts, policy, and educational interventions
• Demonstrated success in starting up and implementing innovative programs — for example, restorative resolution pathways, peer accountability models, or AI-literacy initiatives tied to academic integrity
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills, including experience with legal and decision-letter writing
• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills,with the ability to make sound, well-documented decisions under ambiguity
• Highly advanced helping skills (e.g., active and reflective listening, facilitated reflection, appropriate confrontation, recognition of mental health concerns requiring referral, suicide prevention and intervention, etc.), and experience providing case management to students in distress
• Experience successfully employing conflict management skills (e.g., de-escalation, assertive communication, conflict coaching, giving feedback, mediation, facilitated dialogue)
• Proven ability to shape outcomes successfully in a cross-functional, fast-paced environment, including effective partnership with faculty on academic integrity matters
• Integrity, forthrightness, and fair-mindedness are characteristics essential to success in this position
• Excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to build strong relationships with members of diverse constituencies, and a successful track record of collaboration in achieving objectives
• Experience working effectively with a wide range of diverse faculty, staff, and students, with a demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging
• Ability to utilize technology — including conduct records databases and case management systems — in the delivery of student programs, and informed awareness of the ethical use of artificial intelligence in administrative practice
• Strong personal computer, time management, and organizational skills.
• Experience with the administration of a student conduct records database (e.g., Maxient, Symplicity Advocate, or equivalent)
• Training in bystander intervention and motivational interviewing

Preferred Qualifications:

• Completion of the ASCA Donald D. Gehring Academy for Student Conduct Administration
• Formal training or certification in restorative practices, restorative justice facilitation, or mediation
• Membership in the Association of Student Conduct Administrators (ASCA), NASPA, ACPA, or other relevant professional associations
• Eight years of experience in student affairs/student life
• Experience leading institutional response to academic integrity issues involving generative AI, including policy development, faculty consultation, and educational sanctioning
• Experience conducting student learning assessments and program assessments and using data to drive equity-focused program improvement
• Experience creating and assessing learning outcomes
• Training in bystander intervention motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed practice
• Experience partnering with athletics, residential life, and student organization advisors in NESCAC, UAA, or peer liberal-arts and research environments
• Service to and leadership of professional organizations

Pay Range

Minimum $87,400.00, Midpoint $109,300.00, Maximum $131,200.00

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.