Office/Department: Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life
Number of Positions Available: 2
Associate Director: Jim Gulbranson (He, Him, His)

Mission Statement: In partnership with local and national communities, we provide programs, resources, and services that support and empower students and advisors.

Functional areas included in this office/department: Interfraternity Council (IFC), Panhellenic Council (NPC), Office Assistants, Student Assistants (formerly Assistant Greek Coordinators).

Please note that membership in a fraternity/sorority is not required to participate in an assistantship or any other opportunity with the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life. Unaffiliated students are encouraged to participate so long as their professional and personal interests align with that which is offered through this assistantship experience.

Students who participate in this experience will gain an understanding of student affairs as a profession and the influence student affairs has on contemporary higher education through the following tasks and activities:

•  Participating in FSL staff meetings and professional development opportunities
• Co-advising, with a professional staff member, the Interfraternity or Panhellenic Council
  
  • Serving as a mentor to one or more council executive board members (this is not a formal supervisory relationship; however, the student should discuss with their supervisor if they wish to obtain supervisory experience)
  • Providing regular feedback and advice regarding council activities, programs, etc.
  • Attending council events and providing logistical support
  • Assisting in the preparation and management of council budget
• Developing a vision for and implementing several large-scale FSL events (e.g. hazing prevention and education, chapter accreditation, Greek Sing, Residence Life, etc.)
• Assisting in the development and administration of training and continuing education for Student and Office Assistants, House Managers, and/or fraternity and sorority leaders
• Advising undergraduate student leaders on accountability procedures and, if necessary, serving as a hearing officer for alleged violations of policy by organizations
• Providing outreach and information to campus and local community partners through presentations, meetings, outreach programs, etc.
• Serving in an on-call rotation and responding to emergencies as they arise
• Providing broad logistical support for all assessments conducted by FSL
• Completing other duties as assigned and/or according to the student’s professional and personal interests/goals

Students who participate in this experience will be exposed to the purposeful application of the following student development, career development, counseling, and/or organizational theories:

• Theory of Involvement (Astin, 1993)
• Theory on Quality of Effort (Pace, 1982, 1987)
• Student Engagement Theory (Kuh et al., 2007)
• Theory of Identity Development/Seven Vectors (Chickering, 1969, 1993)
• Various leadership theories (e.g. transformational, contingency, servant, relational, etc.)

Students assigned to this site will be able to participate in the following assessment and/or evaluation projects:

Fraternity & Sorority Life implements a variety of yearly assessments to monitor student involvement, learning, and achievement in addition to other assessment projects based on observed trends and student needs. Graduate assistants are expected to assist in basic elements of assessments conducted by the office (e.g. logistics, data collection) and are encouraged to take a leadership role about data analysis, etc. should they wish to do so.

Students who participate in this experience will be evaluated and provided on-going feedback in the following ways:

• Weekly one-on-one meetings with assistantship supervisor
• Regular contact with all FSL staff members (professional, graduate, and undergraduate)
• Formal evaluation(s) at the conclusion of each semester
• As requested by graduate student or deemed necessary

Specific expectations of students assigned to this site include:

• Uphold the mission and vision of the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life, University
  Unions, and James Madison University
• Arrive in late July for training; assist in August training sessions for undergraduate
  student employees
• Establish and maintain regular office hours; maintain appropriate availability for
  meetings, questions, etc. from students
• Complete assigned projects in a timely and organized manner
• Adhere to the ethical guidelines of the student affairs profession
• Maintain effective and appropriate communication with staff and stakeholders

Student Life highly values our Graduate Assistants and is invested in their professional development. Our department seeks to provide experience for students that resources them well and sets them up for success in their role. As a result, this assistantship requires the accepted students to begin their placement with our office beginning July 28, 2025, to appropriately train and onboard them before the beginning of fall semester. Students will be compensated as wage employees until the normal graduate school
contract is assumed on August 9, 2025.

Contact:
Jim Gulbranson
Associate Director
Gulbrajl@jmu.edu

Ryan Noble
IFC Advisor
Noblers@jmu.edu