Dean of Counseling Services

The Dean of Counseling Services supervises, plans, and organizes the functional units within Student Services of Counseling, Advising, Career Services, and Disability Services. Programs and services include, but are not limited to academic advising, mental health counseling, disability services and accommodations, and career counseling. The Dean serves as an institutional and faculty liaison and provides expert guidance on matters related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Sections 504/508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The Dean of Counseling Services works on a schedule established by the Vice President for Student Services.  The position involves frequent handling of confidential information and records.  Work contacts include students, faculty, staff, administrators, high school representatives/counselors, community-based organizations, and governmental agencies.

All applicants must submit:

• An online Parkland College employment application
• Cover Letter that addresses the following:
  • How have you helped others understand and comply with ADA and section 504.
  • Your experiences or familiarity with the provision of career services.
  • Your experience with academic advising in higher education.
  • Your familiarity with mental health counseling.
• Resume

Essential Job Functions

• Develop overall vision and framework for the four Counseling Services functional areas (academic advising, career services, disability services, and mental health counseling) within Student Services; provide leadership in the administration of Counseling Services within the area of Student Services.
• Facilitate the formulation and development of goals and strategic plans for all functional areas within Counseling Services, assure those plans are consistent with the overall College plans; prepare statements of goals and objectives. 
• Review and implement the use of technology to enhance the services provided by the functional areas under direction by the Dean.
• Ensure all Counseling Services functional areas meet the highest standards of confidentiality and accuracy in advising; ensure consistent customer service.
• Monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures for the services provided by the functional units of Counseling Services; identify opportunities for improvement in delivery models, for applicability to our student population, and efficiency in maximizing the impact of the resources devoted to these services.
• Provide leadership and advocacy to enhance innovation and participation in issues related to areas of assignment to ensure student success; communicate new trends, changing expectations, oncoming governmental and professional mandates, and educational necessities effectively to college personnel.
• Work with the Vice President for Student Services and the Director of Counseling Services to establish an annual budget for all of these functional areas.
• Supervise and monitor data collection, including the Graduate Employment Survey, in the functional areas to be used for decision making within the functional areas and for institutional use for compliance and evaluation; prepare and give reports utilizing this data to various constituencies including the Parkland Board of Trustees.
• Serve on the institutional Crisis Management Team, Dean's Council, ETeam, Student Services Leadership, and other campus-wide committees; serve as liaison with other colleges, public and private agencies to assure coordination of activities.
• Ensure all areas supervised comply with FERPA, Title IX, Title IV, Clery Act, ADA, and other federal and state regulations.
• Lead, direct and approve the planning, development, direction, performance and evaluation of mental health counseling programs and services; meet with students, as necessary, for crisis intervention or to discuss appeals and academic concerns.
• Recommend and coordinate disability programming to the College community.
• In areas under Counseling Services, provide appropriate referrals to community agencies and, as appropriate, serve as liaison between students, faculty/staff, and these agencies.
• Serve as Parkland's ADA/504 Coordinator; advise all constituencies within the college on matters related to ADA, Sections 504/508 of the Rehabilitation Act and disability services in general.
• Work with Academic and Student Services Leadership to analyze the needs of regional employers and the trends in their industries; facilitate the relationship between these employers and Parkland's programs, faculty, staff, and students.
• Work with the Dean of Career and Technical Education to assist in the administration of the federal Perkins grant.
• Assist the Vice President for Student Services in strategic and annual planning for all of Student Services.
• Perform personnel management functions in accordance with college policies and procedures and appropriate collective bargaining agreements, including oversight of personnel selection, training, and evaluation; ensuring departmental practices are in compliance with college policy; and analyzing and recommending appropriate staffing levels.
• Other duties as assigned by the Vice President for Student Services.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Counseling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Social Work/Mental Health Counseling, or Social Work/Behavioral Sciences. Proof of credentials required if hired. 
• Current and valid Clinical Licensure; LCPC or LCSW.  Must maintain licensure during entire employment as Dean of Counseling Services.
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible leadership in higher education, including staff supervision and budget management.
• Familiarity with higher education legal issues pertaining to ADA, FERPA, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with diverse students, employees, and community members.
• Evidence of sensitivity to and understanding of diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, physically challenged, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students. 
• In an effort to comply with SURS return-to-work restrictions for employers (40 ILCS 5/15-139.5), candidates for employment at Parkland College must either not be a SURS annuitant or must be willing to suspend his/her SURS annuity upon employment.  This applies to all SURS annuitants except those receiving their annuity under either the Self-Managed Plan (SMP) or by lump sum payment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph. D or Ed. D.
• Familiarity with the provision of career services within higher education.
• Experience with Ellucian Colleague or similar ERP system.
• Active participation in state and national organizations.
• Experience working in a comprehensive community college.
• Understanding of and commitment to the principles of shared governance.