The Assistant Dean & Director of Residence Life leads the Office of Residence Life in creating a safe, supportive, and engaging residential experience for students living in Andersen Hall. This role oversees the day-to-day operations of the residence hall and ensures that residents have access to the resources, support, and community connections they need to thrive at Manhattan School of Music.
The Director trains and supervises the Residence Life staff team, ensuring student leaders are prepared to support residents in navigating both everyday challenges and more complex concerns. This includes helping students manage roommate conflicts, adjust to life on campus, access campus resources, and receive support during emergencies or times of need.
The Director also develops and implements the residential curriculum, which guides community-building events and initiatives designed to foster connection, celebrate the diverse identities within the community, and help students make informed and responsible decisions while living on campus.
In addition, the Director collaborates closely with the Student Affairs team to support student success and adjustment to life at MSM. The role includes oversight of housing processes, student leader selection and training, residence hall programs and services, emergency response, conflict mediation, and the overall operation of the Office of Residence Life.
The Assistant Director of Residence Life works closely with the Assistant Dean & Director of Residence Life to support the day-to-day operations of Andersen Hall and the Office of Residence Life.
The Assistant Director helps guide and supervise the Residence Life staff team and plays a key role in supporting residents and maintaining community standards within the residence hall. This includes overseeing the student conduct process, managing the room change process, and administering guest policies and requests.
The Assistant Director also oversees key operational functions, including key and access management, supervision of the Residence Life office assistants, and support for housing operations such as hall openings and closings. The role frequently serves as a point of contact for students and families, helping address questions and concerns and connecting residents with campus resources.
Through daily collaboration with campus partners and Residence Life staff, the Assistant Director helps ensure that residents have the support, information, and resources they need to succeed while living in Andersen Hall.
Graduate Assistants are graduate students who support the Office of Residence Life and the broader Student Affairs team. They help strengthen community support, student leadership development, and after-hours response within Andersen Hall.
All Graduate Assistants serve on the professional staff duty rotation, providing after-hours support to the residential community from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends.
The Graduate Assistant for Staff Development & Training supports the training, and ongoing development of the Resident Assistant team. This role assists with planning and facilitating Resident Assistant training, leads weekly staff meetings, and helps coordinate task delegation that supports the day-to-day operations of the residence hall.
The Graduate Assistant for Programming supports community engagement and events within Andersen Hall. This role works closely with Resident Assistants to track programming progress, review and approve program proposals, manage the programming budget, and assist with ordering event supplies.
The Wellness Graduate Assistant works in the Campus Health Office and promotes healthy lifestyle habits and wellness education across campus. This role helps develop and implement wellness initiatives that support students in maintaining their well-being as musicians and students.
The Student Engagement Graduate Assistant supports campus-wide community building and co-curricular engagement. This role works with student government and assists with orientation and major campus events that foster connection across the MSM community.
The Coordinating Graduate Assistant helps support the training and development of the Graduate Assistant team. This role organizes GA training, coordinates the GA duty schedule, and assists with lower-level student conduct cases.
Resident Assistants are student leaders who live on each floor of Andersen Hall and serve as the first line of support for residents.
RAs help create welcoming and inclusive floor communities by:
Building relationships with residents
Hosting floor meetings and community programs
Sharing important campus updates and resources
Serving as role models and community leaders
Supporting residents with day-to-day concerns and connecting them to campus resources
Each RA develops a floor theme and hosts events designed to help residents connect with one another and feel at home in the residence hall.
Resident Assistants also participate in an after-hours duty rotation. An RA on Duty is available every evening from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends to respond to resident concerns and emergencies.
RA On-Duty Phone: 917-376-2418
April Jenkins, Assistant Dean and Director of Residence Life • Rm. 6C, Andersen Hall Lounge
Makila Kirchner, Assistant Director of Residence Life • Rm. 6B, Andersen Hall Lounge
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