Area Coordinators

Area Coordinators are members of our professional full-time staff team who not only support the residential experience of our students in one of our 10 unique residence hall communities, they also provide leadership and supervision for a residential quad.

If you're looking to get in touch with a specific member of our team, please visit our Contact Us page.

What Does an Area Coordinator Do?

Each Area Coordinator lives and works in a specific residence hall community. Every day can look different as our staff has the autonomy to adapt their schedule and approach in order to respond to the needs of their community. There are five major areas in which Area Coordinators strive to support their residence hall communities and departmental efforts through their day-to-day work.

Residence Life Leadership

Area Coordinators provide supervision and guidance to other staff in their roles related to one of the pillars of our department: Student Conduct, Student Leadership Development, Staff Development, and Housing Operations. Within one of these focuses, Area Coordinators will assist with departmental initiatives, train staff, and collaborate with campus partners to improve the residential experience.

Community Development

Area Coordinators cultivate strong communities in their hall, building rapport with residents through daily interactions and providing a consistent presence as a role model and resource. Using a Holy Cross approach to residentiality means individual hall identity is promoted and celebrated, and we encourage our staff to come alongside students as they create and maintain strong hall traditions and a sense of belonging for all residents. Area Coordinators implement educational programming and develop student leaders who support connections between the hall and other university partners. 

Student Development

Area Coordinators assist students with many facets of their lives including academics, social life, personal life, family, spirituality and faith, transition and adjustment, and more. They gain familiarity with many campus resources, helping connect students to experts in other offices that continue the support. Area Coordinators help mediate student conflicts and resolve issues between students. They are educators who teach students how to thrive within our community standards, upholding regulations and serving as a conduct officer for violations of these policies. Our staff get training to assist our Care Team efforts that support students in crisis. 

Staff Development

Area Coordinators serve as the primary supervisor for their designated Assistant Hall Director, a team of Resident Assistants in their assigned residence hall, and professional staff in assigned residential quad. They coordinate the selection of their Resident Assistants, and design hall-specific orientation and training for their staff.

Hall Operations & Administration

Area Coordinator maintain regular duty hours in their assigned residence hall in rotation with the Assistant Hall Director. They respond to problems and concerns brought forward by students and manage crises through sound judgment, excellent training, and appropriate referrals. They serve as a liaison with Facilities for the needs of the hall and with Campus Safety for security concerns. Area Coordinators also complete important administrative reports and oversee the stewardship of the hall's finances.

Area Coordinator Recruitment & Hiring

Updated 5/9/2023 - Recruiting for 3 positions!

The Office of Residence Life is excited to introduce this role into our residential model for the 2023-2024 academic year. These positions start on Monday, July 3rd, 2023. Scroll down for more information about working as a Area Coordinator and how to apply. 

University of Portland Benefits for Full-Time Employees 

UP offers a rich benefits package for full-time employees including a retirement contribution, low-cost health and dental insurance, tuition remission, and home-buying assistance. See the Human Resources Benefits page for full details. 

Additional Perks

Some of these are specific to the Hall Director role and the Office of Residence Life:

• 12-month position
• 12-month, fully-furnished, 1-bedroom apartment with separate office
• A full academic year meal plan to use in our on-campus award-winning eateries
• A monthly phone stipend
• The opportunity to earn a MA or EdD in Higher Education & Student Affairs from UP
• Professional training in emerging trends within Higher Education
• An opportunity to be a part of a fun and supportive team
• Living on a beautiful campus located in popular Portland, Oregon
• A flexible schedule that gives you time to explore the Pacific Northwest

Supervision Opportunities 

• Supervision of professional Hall Director(s).
• Supervision of a professional Assistant Hall Director.
• Building and hiring a team of paraprofessional Resident Assistants.
• Overseeing student-leadership positions like Community Assistants, Hall Council Members, and Hall Ambassadors.

Professional Development & Growth Opportunities 

In addition to receiving an annual professional development budget from the Office of Residence Life, Hall Directors can:

• Participate, coach, and teach through the University's Leadership Certificate Program.
• Teach a 1-credit course for RAs on residential leadership.
• Teach a 1-credit course for student ambassadors on residential wellness.
• Serve on University-wide committees (including orientation/FYE, sustainability efforts, DEI, food insecurity, Title IX, and Green Dot Bystander Intervention).
• Lead RA recruitment, selection, training, formation, and development.
• Work alongside and gain experience from other University offices/services for student care and behavioral intervention, student activities, campus ministry, service and justice, health, counseling, career development, disability support services, FGEN support, dining, facilities, DEI, admissions, international student services, athletics, recreation, and more.

Our Area Coordinators also benefit from opportunities for growth within the University. Former hall staff are currently serving or have served in other roles at UP including: 

• Program Counselor (academic advisor)
• Career Advisor
• Dean of Admissions
• Director of the Shepard Academic Resource Center
• Wellness Education & Prevention Program Coordinator
• Associate Director for Community Standards
• Associate Director for Housing
• Associate Director for Student Support
• Associate Director for Support and Development
• Housing Coordinator
• Director of Campus Ministry
• Assistant Director for First Year Experience
• Associate Director of Student Activities
• Program Coordinator in Student Activities

Salary

In addition to year-round housing and an academic year meal-plan our Area Coordinators get an additional salary of $40,000 with annual increases.

Staff Apartment Occupancy

Currently, the University does not permit staff to live on-campus with spouses/partners, children, or pets. We welcome and support staff with individualized accommodations through partnership with our Human Resources department.

Get More Information

Potential applicants can email questions anytime to the Director of Residence Life, Andrew Weingarten, at weingart@up.edu. We can even connect you with a current hall staff member to hear about their experience. 

To Apply

The Area Coordinator position is posted now. See the job description and apply here using the University's HireTouch site (select to filter by 'Residence Life' department to find 'Area Coordinator'). A cover letter, resume, list of references, and response to a supplemental question are required.

In your cover letter, please respond to the following questions:

• Why are you interested in this position at the University of Portland?
• What are your areas of work-related strength and what areas would you like to grow?

In a separate document, please respond to the following supplemental question:

• If you were selected for this position, how would you use your skills and experience to contribute to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in this position at the University of Portland?