Employee of the Quarter | Lisa Jones
As Interim Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct, Lisa Jones has to walk the line of assisting students while also monitoring conduct and having tough conversations with them – a difficult task, but one she does well.
The university’s latest Employee of the Quarter, Lisa, takes on a variety of student support duties in her role, some more fun than others, but all vital to the campus and student population. With consultations and meetings, pairing students with resources, helping resolve conflicts and overseeing the Student Conduct process when necessary, Lisa is integral in many areas.
“We do a lot of harm reduction training, often with Daniella, our education specialist,” explained Lisa. “There’s no shaming, but if we have to have an educational conversation, we focus on harm reduction and explain why we have our policies. The goal is to get them back on the path to success at UCCS.”
Lisa and her spouse enjoying the beach
“We are helping create a space for students to change their lives,” Lisa added. “So to be able to come up with a way for a student to continue on their degree path when they’ve had a conduct violation or they’re struggling with food insecurity, and to know that this degree is going to improve their quality of life, is awesome.”
“Lisa has been a driving force in reimagining how we approach student conduct, ensuring that Restorative Justice (RJ) is not just an afterthought but a foundational principle in our processes,” noted Alex Baker, Assistant Dean of Students and CARE Team and Student Support Director. “As part of the inaugural cohort to study RJ practices, Lisa demonstrated an unwavering commitment to integrating these principles into her day-to-day work. As a result of Lisa’s vision, RJ is no longer an add-on but an embedded approach that fosters accountability, healing and community building. Lisa’s dedication has set a new standard for how we support students and resolve conflicts.”
Lisa first joined UCCS in November 2018 as Assistant Dean of Students, then Associate Dean of Students before being appointed as Interim Dean of Students. Her career in higher education began in 2009 when she joined Coker College in South Carolina as part of their Student Activities program.
The Florida native originally wanted to be a P.E. teacher with her love for sports and being active, but after a torn ACL she took a class similar to the Student Affairs in Higher Education curriculum and it changed her path.
Lisa with her family when being named EOQ
“I took a stop in Kansas for five years in Leavenworth, Kansas, to work at a Catholic school and then continued my journey out west to Colorado,” Lisa shared. “I had felt I’d accomplished all I could there and was looking for something else when I saw the UCCS posting, and already had some friends in Monument and Littleton. I got married and had a kid here, so it’s been a lot of growing both personally and professionally in Colorado Springs.”
Not only did Lisa get married in the area, she met her husband through a UCCS colleague. Along with spending time with their toddler, they enjoy hiking and conquering fourteeners.
Since joining the Mountain Lion family, Lisa has proudly seen the Office of the Dean of Students grow and expand their student outreach.
“It’s been fun to watch the office grow, and a lot of that growth was Amanda Allee’s vision, such as starting basic needs,” she said. “But even the Basic Needs Program has continued to grow. To help try and meet the ever-increasing demand, we’ve been fortunate to add more folks to the student support functions of our office, to the student conduct function of our office, and even the CARE Team at large. It’s been amazing to see both our campus and office grow, and learn how we can serve and support our students more.”
Like so many of the dedicated staff on campus, Lisa isn’t comfortable with the attention and praise that she has earned and that being named EOQ brings, but is touched by the recognition.
“I thought we were having a meeting,” she said. “So, when I went into the room and saw my husband and our baby there, I knew something was up but I wasn’t exactly sure. My favorite holiday is Fourth of July, so it was a nice touch they had decorations for that and a video from my nieces and nephew in Florida saying congratulations.”
“This is not the type of recognition I like, but it is good to know I’m doing good work,” Lisa said with a laugh.