Dean of Learner Affairs

Rishihood seeks to build a campus culture that combines discipline with reflection, high standards with care, and individual growth with a strong sense of community.

Life at Rishihood has a rhythm. Learners should experience a campus where they are expected to be punctual, responsible, physically active, respectful and accountable — while also having space for reflection, friendship, exploration and personal growth.

The objective is not to create compliance.

The objective is to help young people develop the habits, character and confidence to lead meaningful lives and contribute to society.

The Dean of Learner Affairs is one of the principal custodians of this culture.

The Dean of Learner Affairs (DLA) is the institutional owner of the learner experience outside the classroom.

The role brings together learner experience, campus culture, student engagement, wellbeing, residential life, student leadership and discipline into one integrated mandate.

The DLA is responsible for creating an environment where learners feel a strong sense of belonging while being held to high standards of conduct, responsibility and personal growth.

This is not simply a student welfare or disciplinary position.

The DLA's fundamental responsibility is to ensure that the way learners experience Rishihood becomes an extension of the University's educational philosophy.

The DLA owns the overall learner journey outside formal academics, including:

Culture → Community → Engagement → Leadership → Wellbeing → Residential Life → Discipline → Student Voice

These dimensions should not operate as separate systems. They should work together to create a coherent learner experience.

Learner Experience & Campus Culture

• Own and continuously improve the overall out-of-classroom learner experience at Rishihood.
  

• Build a vibrant campus culture rooted in Rishihood's values of personal growth, professional excellence, public impact, responsibility and service.
  

• Ensure that learners experience a strong sense of belonging, identity and community.
  

• Design systems, experiences and practices that encourage learners to participate actively in campus life rather than remain passive recipients of university services.
  

• Work with learners, faculty and staff to understand what is working, identify gaps and continuously improve the learner experience.
  

• Ensure that the experience is consistent across Schools, hostels, clans and learner communities.
  

Student Engagement, Clubs & Societies

• Own the development of a vibrant ecosystem of clubs, societies, student communities and learner-led initiatives.
  

• Enable learners to conceptualise, initiate and execute activities with appropriate institutional support.
  

• Develop frameworks for student-led events, cultural activities, competitions, interest groups and community initiatives.
  

• Encourage interdisciplinary and inter-School engagement.
  

• Ensure that clubs and societies become spaces for leadership, collaboration, creativity and learning rather than merely event-organising bodies.
  

• Build mechanisms to identify learner interests and create opportunities around them.
  

• Support learners in converting ideas into meaningful campus initiatives.
  

The DLA should create the conditions for learner-led culture to flourish rather than becoming the sole producer of campus activities.

Student Voice & Representation

• Serve as a primary institutional bridge between learners and University leadership.
  

• Create structured channels for learners to share concerns, ideas, aspirations and feedback.
  

• Facilitate Student Council, Clan Leadership and other learner representative structures.
  

• Ensure learner representatives have meaningful responsibilities and are accountable for representing their communities.
  

• Conduct regular town halls, open forums and structured conversations where appropriate.
  

• Develop feedback mechanisms such as pulse surveys, learner feedback systems and periodic experience assessments.
  

• Identify recurring concerns and convert learner feedback into actionable institutional improvements.
  

• Represent the learner perspective in relevant academic and administrative discussions.
  

The objective is not simply to listen to learners, but to help build a culture where learners learn to articulate concerns, engage constructively and take ownership of solutions.

Learner Leadership & Community Building

• Build strong learner leadership structures across the University.
  

• Identify and nurture learners who demonstrate initiative, responsibility and leadership potential.
  

• Create opportunities for learners to lead communities, events, projects and service initiatives.
  

• Develop peer leadership and peer-support systems.
  

• Strengthen the Clan system as a mechanism for belonging, mentorship, participation and leadership.
  

• Create opportunities for senior learners to contribute to the development of junior cohorts.
  

• Encourage a culture in which learners take increasing ownership of the campus as they progress through their years at Rishihood.
  

Wellbeing & Pastoral Care

• Own the University's learner wellbeing ecosystem outside academic support.
  

• Ensure learners have access to appropriate counselling, medical, mentoring and pastoral support.
  

• Establish systems for identifying learners who may require early intervention.
  

• Develop strong coordination between mentors, wardens, counsellors, faculty and relevant University teams.
  

• Ensure appropriate support for issues including homesickness, academic stress, interpersonal challenges, emotional difficulties and other personal concerns.
  

• Develop escalation protocols for wellbeing and safety concerns.
  

• Where necessary, coordinate with parents, medical professionals and external specialists.
  

The approach should be early, preventive and developmental, rather than waiting until a learner reaches crisis.

Campus Rhythm, Traditions & Shared Experiences

• Steward the rhythms, traditions and shared experiences that contribute to Rishihood's identity.
  

• Ensure that key moments in the learner journey — induction, transitions, celebrations, cultural occasions, and graduation — contribute meaningfully to a sense of belonging and institutional identity.
  

• Develop appropriate daily, weekly, term-wise and annual practices that encourage reflection, community, discipline and participation.
  

• Work with relevant Schools and faculty to ensure that cultural practices are grounded in purpose and meaning.
  

• Ensure that institutional traditions evolve as Rishihood grows.
  

Assemblies, ceremonies, and other common gatherings may form part of this ecosystem, but they are mechanisms for building culture, not ends in themselves.

Orientation, Onboarding & Transitions

• Own the learner's transition into Rishihood.
  

• Design and oversee orientation and onboarding experiences that introduce learners to the University's culture, values, systems and communities.
  

• Ensure that orientation extends beyond an event into a structured transition journey.
  

• Build peer mentoring and buddy systems where appropriate.
  

• Support learners through important transitions during their undergraduate journey.
  

• Work with the Career Advancement Cell, Alumni Engagement and relevant Schools to support final-year learners as they transition beyond University.
  

Learner Safety, Crisis & Incident Management

• Establish clear protocols for learner-related incidents involving conduct, safety or welfare.
  

• Act as the senior point of accountability for significant learner incidents.
  

• Ensure appropriate response to issues such as ragging, substance use, serious conflicts, mental-health emergencies, safety incidents and disputes involving staff.
  

• Coordinate with Security, Medical, Counselling, Operations, Proctorial and academic teams as required.
  

• Conduct post-incident reviews and ensure institutional learning is incorporated into systems and practices.
  

Cross-Functional Learner Experience

The DLA works across the University and is not limited to any individual School.

The role will work closely with:

• All School Deans and faculty
  

• Learner Experience and academic support functions
  

• Career Advancement Cell
  

• Alumni Engagement
  

• Operations
  

• Security
  

• Counselling and medical services
  

• Proctors and Wardens
  

• Clan Leaders