FSY Counselor

The FSY Counselor is responsible for advising and counseling an assigned group of students. Counselors oversee the welfare of each of their students and are the first point of contact when students have questions or problems. Counselors are under the direct supervision of the FSY Community Coordinators (CoCos) and FSY Program staff with whom they work closely on a regular basis.  Throughout the summer, Counselors participate in community duties and curriculum work, helping to organize events and activities and to ensure the program runs smoothly. In addition, FSY Counselors are considered members of the Yale Summer Session (YSS) residential staff team and are assigned responsibilities related to summer residential college experience and these activities are overseen by the Head of Summer Colleges (HoSC) and the YSS Residential Director (RD) team.

Responsibilities

Expectations and Communication

• Counselors communicate with FSY and Summer Colleges staff in a timely and professional manner via phone, email, and text, and are responsible for communicating important information, policies, and expectations with students.
• Counselors are expected to model and reinforce the behavior expected of students which is covered with students at Orientation, reviewed with Counselors at training, and outlined in the Yale Summer Session (YSS) Student Handbook.
• Counselors should regularly communicate any issues or concerns with a member of the program team. Counselors are invited to reach out to the Director of FSY and Program Coordinator at any time.

Relationship and Community Building

• Counselors be accessible, approachable, and get to know students. To do this, Counselors hold regular group meetings, host study break social events, conduct check-ins with individual students, and are generally present in college spaces, including the dining hall, library, courtyard, etc. 
• While Counselors work most closely with their assigned students, they are encouraged to build rapport with all FSY students and make themselves available to any student seeking help.

Coverage

• Counselors hold frequent Counselor Group Meetings with their assigned counselees using a specifically designed curriculum that aligns with the various programming planned for FSY students.
• Counselors plan and lead optional social events ("study breaks") for FSY students, and are encouraged to attend those led by other Counselors. In addition, Counselors participate in cohort-wide activities and events and may be asked to assist with the planning and implementation of these events.  
• Counselors are assigned to attend and assist FSY workshops and other events throughout the program, assisting guest speakers, checking students in, taking notes, etc. Any pre-assigned duties may be exchanged with other counselors to arrange for a more compatible schedule only if (a) both counselors agree and (b) the Community Coordinators are informed ahead of time.
• As members of the broader Summer Colleges team, FSY Counselors are assigned multiple shifts throughout the summer to assist with morning and evening rounds as well as buttery shifts. 

Staff Meetings & Training

• Prior to FSY, Counselors attend training sessions required of all Summer Colleges staff as well as FSY-specific training.
• During FSY, Counselors attend mandatory weekly staff meetings with the FSY team and have a one-on-one meeting with Community Coordinators (CoCos). In addition, FSY counselors are encouraged to meet with the Director of FSY and/or Program Coordinator at any point during the program.
• Throughout the summer, FSY staff attend regularly held Summer Colleges staff meetings, led by the Head of Summer Colleges. If an end-of-summer staff event is held, all CoCos and Counselors are expected to attend.

Pre-FSY Activities

• Prior to the FSY program, Counselors may be asked to attend a program staff meeting, participate in a Bulldog Days breakfast event, and a pre-arrival Information Session online with admitted students/potential FSY participants.
• Counselors will create their profiles to be shared with students, families, and staff.
• In the weeks leading up to FSY, counselors will also be responsible for working in pairs to submit NYC trip and study break proposals for review and approval, as well as other pre-program training and planning activities.

Move-In/Move-Out

• All Counselors must be in residence during the FSY move-in and move-out periods.
• Counselors create door signs to welcome students and help to move students into their colleges as assigned during the designated move-in period. Counselors escort students to their rooms, helping them with their luggage and providing a friendly welcome to campus.  
• At the end of the summer, Counselors inspect student rooms and suites to ensure that garbage is removed and furniture is intact. 

Trips and Events

• Counselors attend, as well as provide assistance with the planning and execution of, all FSY trips off campus which typically include the Outdoor Education Center, team building activity, and a trip to New York City.
• Counselors assist with the alumni event and attend the FSY final dinner.

Resolving Issues

• Counselors should regularly check in with their students and address any questions or problems quickly and courteously.
• The Community Coordinators should be informed of any serious issues that have been addressed, and they will determine whether the HoSC or Director of FSY should be notified.

Expenses

• Must follow appropriate purchasing procedures including the submission of all itemized receipts within 24 hours of a purchase.
• All receipts must be accounted for and submitted prior to Counselors departing campus or they may become personally liable for such expenses.

Other Duties as Assigned

• May perform other duties as assigned. FSY program staff have the right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

To be effective in their work, Counselors should be familiar with the academic, dormitory, and dining hall regulations of Yale Summer Session. The Counselors pledge to uphold these regulations and ensure that FSY students comply with them as well. This obligation is particularly important in monitoring the protection of personal and university property, the residents’ right to safety and quiet, and the legal control of alcohol and other drugs. 

All FSY summer staff team members and students are expected to abide by the following:

FSY Community Expectations Statement

We are all members of the Yale community. Each one of us has the responsibility to uphold the values of our community by treating one another with respect, caring for our campus and city environment, and conducting ourselves with maturity and integrity. FSY Staff are expected to model this for all of the FSY and YSS students who are new to Yale’s campus.

Required Education and Experience

Any currently enrolled Yale undergraduate or graduate student in good academic standing or any Yale alumnus is eligible to apply. Additional qualities include strong communication skills, maturity, empathy, resourcefulness, integrity, good judgment, and energy, as well as a commitment to the intellectual and social values of residential college life. 

Past participants of FSY or self-identification as a first-generation, low-income (FGLI) student preferred. Previous counseling experience is also a plus.

Compensation

FSY Counselors are paid a stipend of $2,250. The stipend is paid weekly and is considered taxable income. Please note that the stipend may be contingent on other Yale funding received.  In the case that an FSY Counselor is unable to complete the responsibilities of this position and must depart before the position is contractually set to end, compensation will be pro-rated to the amount of time worked.

FSY Counselors are provided free room and board for the orientation period and the ten weeks of YSS (an approximate value of $8,150), plus a tuition reduction for the equivalent of one summer course credit (a value of $5,480). Counselors who choose to take advantage of their free course credit can take a course during Session A only. If an FSY Counselor decides not to enroll in a summer course, this tuition reduction cannot be converted into an additional stipend.

The Counselor position requires a significant commitment during summer. Counselors may undertake limited part-time employment and other activities (maximum 10-15 hours per week) only if these extra commitments do not conflict with their scheduled counselor responsibilities.

Additional Information

FSY Counselors must live in the FSY designated residential college during the entire time between:

• Move-in: Thursday, May 21, no later than 4:00pm
• Move-out: Sunday, August 2 by 11:00am

While the majority of the FSY Counselor position responsibilities will take place during the 5-week duration of the on-campus program, Counselors will have FSY responsibilities (both trainings and assigned tasks) during the weeks prior to the arrival of FSY students. Training sessions are mandatory where inability to make the training sessions will result in the forfeiture of the counselor position.

Please note that Yale student health insurance coverage ends July 31 for graduated students. This position does not provide extended health benefits beyond July 31.

General Conduct Statement

Yale Summer Session is an academic community dedicated to the advancement of learning and abides by the guidelines detailed by Yale College’s Undergraduate Regulations as follow: 1) All staff and students should be committed to protecting free expression and peaceful dissent and to preserving mutual respect and charitable relations among all members of the Summer Session community. 2) Physical restriction, coercion, or intimidation of any member of the YSS community is contrary to the basic principles of the University. 3) Violations of these principles may result in immediate and permanent separation from Yale Summer Session.

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