Branston Garfield Harris
Houston,TX
Summary
Dynamic leader with a proven track record excelling in student success, advocacy and behavioral management. Spearheaded innovative student support programs, enhancing student retention and engagement. Skilled in academic, behavioral, and engagement intervention and training facilitation, achieving significant improvements in student retention, conduct processes and student experience.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Dean of Students
University of Houston- Downtown
Houston, USA
11.2020 - Current
- Chief Student Conduct officer managing the university's system of adjudication for student conduct and academic misconduct violations, including undergraduate, graduate, and study abroad student populations, through the student conduct process
- Manages and allocates assigned operational budget, including salaries, advertising/marketing, programming activities, office operation expenditures, reallocation, expense reports, purchase orders, and disbursement requests
- Chairs the university's Behavioral Intervention Team and serves as a Student Affairs representative on various campus-wide committees as appointed and assigned by the Assistant Vice President/Dean of Students
- Oversees the contracts and facilitates Counseling Services and Health Services for students
- Manages the Center for Student Advocacy and Community, which provides programming, services, community building, and resources for first-generation, first-time in college, low-income, pregnant & parenting, and foster students
- Facilitates student complaint process, which includes submission of complaints, referral to appropriate university personnel to address, and tracking resolutions in accordance with SACSCOC guidelines
- Serves as the university liaison to triage policy and crisis management concerns to the Police Department, Emergency Management, Office of General Counsel, VP of SSSL, Dean of Students, Basic Needs Center, Health Services & Counseling Services, as necessary
- Serves as lead facilitator for new/transfer student orientation, Welcome Week, Homecoming, and graduation events such as the UHD Ring Ceremony
- Collaborates with faculty, staff, and administration to address and advocate for student concerns and needs
- Manages student and campus-wide referral services to resources, policies, and procedures to address students' personal or academic concerns
- Oversees the creation and coordination of the university's Student Handbook
- Certifies student disciplinary verification requests sent from local, state, and federal agencies in accordance with FERPA regulations
- Provides educational outreach programs and presentations to the on-campus and off-campus partners regarding the student code of conduct policy, behavioral support resources and process, and other services offered through Student Affairs and the university overall
- Oversees departmental strategic plan, assessment measures, learning outcomes, and mission/vision for each functional area of responsibility
Assistant Director for Community Standards
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Galveston, USA
10.2018 - 11.2020
- Managed the university's adjudication system for student conduct and academic misconduct violations for 2500 students, including undergraduate, graduate, and study abroad student populations
- Managed and allocated an assigned operational budget of $110,000, including salaries, advertising/marketing, programming activities, office operation expenditures, reallocation, expense reports, purchase orders, and disbursement requests
- Improved student conduct facilitation by supervising the preparation of all notifications and documentation, scheduling conduct information sessions and conduct conferences, notifying all participants, and reviewing all physical and documentary evidence submitted to appropriate legal and law enforcement entities and informal administrative and student conduct panel boards
- Enhanced educational outreach programs to the University campus and surrounding community regarding conflict resolution, the student conduct code and conduct process, and other services that the Office of Community Standards provides and serves as a resource to faculty, staff, and students who seek to resolve conflicts formally or informally
- Developed departmental strategic plan, learning outcomes, and mission/vision for each area of responsibility
- Centralized annual review of the Code of Conduct and student conduct processes, recommends appropriate revisions, and provides statistical reports and summaries for various departments and agencies regarding caseloads, types of conduct cases, and outcomes, including all policies and procedures for adjudicating student conduct cases
- Updated training for University Conduct Hearing Officers, Student Conduct Panel Boards, and Galveston Aggie Honor Code Panel Boards
- Developed and fostered collaborative relationships with campus partners to support student conduct processes and procedures to ensure progressive and effective prevention initiatives
- Customized presentations for faculty, staff, and students regarding the Student Conduct Code and violations thereof, reporting sexual misconduct, managing disruptive students, and strategies for avoiding academic misconduct
Housing Coordinator
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Galveston, USA
06.2014 - 10.2020
- Managed and oversaw three residence hall facilities, including 550 + student residents; facilitated move-in/move-out procedures, facilities management and maintenance, and student rooming assignments; conducted adjudication and resident hall billing
- Managed and allocated assigned operational budget of $60,000 to include salaries, advertising/marketing, programming activities, office operation expenditures, reallocation, expense reports, purchase orders, and disbursement requests
- Provided professional expertise and supervisory skills for hiring, training, evaluating, developing, and supervising ten student staff employees and five desk workers
- Facilitated the implementation of Residential Curriculum programming services and experiential opportunities through four learning outcomes: academic excellence, global citizenship, career preparation, and self-development
- Served as hearing officer for residence halls adjudicating disciplinary/conduct cases in the restorative justice model; provided conflict resolution, roommate mediation, and crisis intervention support
- Coordinated conduct training and campus procedures for departmental and co-curricular departmental administrating hearing officers for improved compliance, uniformity, and consistent due process for student conduct hearings
- Facilitated and managed departmental website in design, content, assessment, and function
- Managed departmental surveillance systems/software and coordinated adjudication for conduct, training within the department, and software updates for professional and student employees
Graduate Assistant
University of Houston
Houston, USA
08.2012 - 05.2014
- Manage an allocated budget of $30,000+ for marketing and programming expenditures
- Planned and facilitated a commuter assistant program for first-year commuter students and supervised two Head Commuter Assistants and 25 Commuter Assistants to plan and facilitate commuter assistant programming for first-year commuter students
- Co-creator of co-curricular programming and services in support of commuter student success, development, and retention
- Oversaw Commuter Assistants' training on incorporating commuter student learning objectives, utilization of MAP-Works, assessment, and evaluation methodology for implementation in all programs, activities, and services
- Created and implemented Commuter Awareness Kickoff to connect commuter students to on and off-campus resources, programs, and services
- Facilitated the implementation of MAP-Works to improve student success and retention by identifying at-risk students and establishing proactive interventions to support their success
- Manage content, structure, design, and operation of social media communication and the commuter student services website to increase the connection between commuter students and commuter student services
- Facilitate various small focus group sessions and conduct assessment surveys and evaluation reports to gauge commuter students' interests and needs
Education
Doctor of Education - Educational Administration - Higher Education
Texas Southern University
Houston, TX12.2025
Master of Education - Higher Education - Administration & Supervision
University of Houston
Houston, TX05.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Music, Business Administration
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX05.2010
Skills
- Student support
- Academic intervention
- Behavioral management
- Student development
- Student advocacy
- Student retention
- Student engagement
- Training facilitation
Affiliations
- National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), member
- American College Personnel Association (ACPA), member
- Associations for Student Conduct Administrators (ASCA), member
- Texas Association of College & University Student Personnel Administrators (TACUSPA), member
- National Behavioral Intervention Team Association (NABITA), member
- Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA), member
- Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated (AΦΑ), member
Compliance reporting
- Create, administer, and present departmental assessment data.
- Facilitate the reporting of student conduct reports.
- Facilitate annual review and revision of academic and non-academic university policy.
- Develop and disseminate internal and external statistical reports.
Student success/retention
- Aided in institutional initiatives to streamline student engagement opportunities.
- Designed targeted initiatives such as mentorship programs, academic coaching, and first-year experience workshops to support student engagement and academic achievement.
- Streamlined processes for connecting students to campus resources, including tutoring, counseling, and financial aid support, ensuring equitable access for all students.
- Utilized retention and performance data to identify at-risk students and implemented early alert systems and intervention strategies to support their success.
- Partnered with community organizations and alumni networks to provide career readiness workshops and networking opportunities that motivate students to stay engaged and complete their degrees.
- Regularly evaluated existing programs and services, implementing evidence-based improvements that contributed to higher retention rates and better student outcomes.
- Program Manager for Blue Coats and UHD iRadio.
- Presenter for Academic Coaching & Success Workshops.
Training/certifications/awards
- Intercultural Development Inventory - Qualified Administrator, IDI, LLC, Dallas, TX, 02/20
- Advanced Violence Risk Assessment, National Behavior Intervention Team Association, 12/19
- Civil Rights Investigation Training, Office of General Counsel and System Ethics & Compliance, 07/19
- President's Meritorious Service Award: Team Award, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 04/18
- Leadership Practices Inventory - Leadership Development, TAMUG, Galveston, TX, 03/18
- Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) Investigators Training, 02/17
Committee membership/campus service
- Behavior Intervention Team (BIT), Chair
- Institutional Compliance Committee, Member
- Retention & Graduation Standing Committee, Member
- African American Male Success Initiative Committee, Member
- City of Houston Mayor Internship, Member
- Academic Dismissal Committee, Member
- 50th Anniversary Planning, Member
- Covid-19 Return to Campus Task Force, Member
Operations/programming/policy development
- Facilitated inaugural Gator Remembrance programming.
- Co-Facilitated campus-wide Black History Month & Juneteenth initiatives.
- Developed and implemented campus protocol and policy for deceased students.
- Revamped institutional policy on Student Organizations and Student Code of Conduct.
Presentations
- The Journey to Excellence: A Celebration of Black Ingenuity, Resilience and Excellence, 2022, Brazosport College, Living Legends & Rising Stars, FTF & Virtual
- Covid-19, Elections, Systemic Racism, and Due Process: Lessons Learned, 2021, USHS SAES 2021 Leadership Conference, Virtual
- Initiative through Collaboration: The Pathways from Entry Level to Mid-Level Manager Within a Small School Setting, 2017, Texas Association of University College & Student Personnel Administrators 2017 Conference, Richardson, TX
- Title IX: It's On Us, 2015, Community Leader Orientation 2018 Training Session, Galveston, TX
- A Home of Their Own: Building a Commuter Student Services, 2014, American College Personnel Association 2014 Conference, Indianapolis, IN
- The Truth about Hazing: Myth Busters, Resources, & the Law, 2012, University of Houston, Student Organization Advisors Risk Management Training, Houston, TX
Timeline
Assistant Dean of Students
University of Houston- Downtown
11.2020 - Current
Assistant Director for Community Standards
Texas A&M University at Galveston
10.2018 - 11.2020
Housing Coordinator
Texas A&M University at Galveston
06.2014 - 10.2020
Graduate Assistant
University of Houston
08.2012 - 05.2014
Doctor of Education - Educational Administration - Higher Education
Texas Southern University
Master of Education - Higher Education - Administration & Supervision
University of Houston
Bachelor of Arts - Music, Business Administration
Texas State University
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