Graduate Environmental Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Working Title: Graduate Assistant - Substance Education Programs

State Role Title: Graduate Assistant

Position Type: Graduate Assistant

Position Status: Part-Time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt: Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Student Life and Involvement

Department: 300171 - Student Accountability & Restorative Prac

Pay Band: N/A

Pay Rate: Stipend

Specify Range or Amount: $10,301 

Is this a JMU only position? N/A

Is this a grant-funded position? N/A

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? N/A

Beginning Review Date: 07/08/2026

About JMU:

Situated in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.
JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.
JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The Graduate Assistant - Substance Education Programs is a graduate student in the Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices who reports to the Coordinator of Educational Programs and directly supervises one undergraduate student in the Student Case Administrator role. As a part of this role, the Graduate Assistant conducts one-on-one Individual Accountability Case Reviews for students who are alleged to have violated university policy, determines responsibility, and if applicable assigns outcomes. This Graduate Assistant also facilitates an educational program, Calling the Shots, that typically requires evening commitments 1-2 days per week. The individual in this role also participates in staff training, professional development opportunities, outreach opportunities, supporting our educational programs, and collaborates in the recruitment of volunteers.
Compensation for this position includes a stipend and tuition coverage.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Demonstrate a commitment to OSARP, its mission and its outcomes, as well as to the University, community, and Student Affairs values.
Participate as an active member of the administrative staff in OSARP, including attendance at weekly staff meetings & bi-semesterly All Staff meetings, participation in staff training and maintaining approximately 20 hours of work per week.
Hear cases for students alleged to have violated JMU policies; weigh evidence to determine if policy was violated and, if applicable, assign appropriate educational outcomes.
Actively participate in weekly meetings pertaining to hearing cases.
Help coordinate administrative processes for investigations and/or cases, as needed, in collaboration with full-time staff.
Share in responsibility with other Graduate Student staff to provide in-office coverage for these processes, which typically occur in the evening.
Coordinate and facilitate educational programming, occasionally in the evening, including substance education programs and other sanctioned program workshops as needed.
- Primary facilitator for the Calling the Shots educational workshop.
- Oversee the review of content submissions for virtual, asynchronous programs such as By the Numbers.
Assist in researching and improving Substance Education Programs including:
- Designing resources for educational programs and trainings.
- Researching best practices in substance education.
- Researching trends in substance use and related legal and social matters.
Train and supervise an undergraduate Student Case Administrator for the current year by conducting one-on-one meetings, on-going evaluation, and a formal evaluation each semester.
In conjunction with the Student Government Association and the Graduate Assistant for Personal Success Programs, recruit and select the undergraduate Student Case Administrator for Substance Education Programs for the upcoming year.
Assist with office assessment projects, as applicable.
Assess professional progress and receive feedback through weekly meetings with supervisor and semesterly meetings with the Director of OSARP.
Participate in the evaluation process, including the development of a learning contract and semesterly evaluations.
In conjunction with staff, help with OSARP outreach events as needed.
Provide quality customer service to students, parents, staff, faculty, police, and other constituents.
Maintain confidentiality and other legal requirements, including but not limited to:
- Responsible employee reporting to the Title IX Office (per JMU policy)
- Crime reporting as a Campus Security Authority (per the Clery Act)
- Maintenance of student educational records (per FERPA)
Complete additional tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

Maintain confidentiality as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regarding the non-disclosure of educational records; maintain confidentiality of other sensitive information.
Must meet eligibility requirements as outlined in the JMU Student Employee Handbook.

Additional Posting Information:

Required Application Materials:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter
3. Your response to the following supplemental questions: (this will be submitted as "Other Document 1" in the documents upload)
- Question 1: Please write 1-2 paragraphs explaining why you are interested in this position and how you
believe you would be a good fit for the role.
- Question 2: The Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices' mission statement is: We
facilitate student development and restoration through a fair process that holds students accountable to
community and university standards in order to support student and community success. In 1-2
paragraphs, describe which parts of this mission statement you feel are the most important and why.
*If you are not able to provide three references, please provide the references that you are able to
and fill in the other reference spaces with your information (your name, your email, etc.).

Conditions of Employment:  

Students may apply to a graduate assistantship prior to being accepted into a graduate program. However, to be eligible to receive an assistantship upon entry into a graduate program, the following criteria must be met:
The student must be conditionally or unconditionally accepted into a graduate program. Students who are provisionally accepted will not be eligible until they achieve conditional or unconditional acceptance into their program.
The students must have an official transcript on file indicating completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or agency
After receiving an assistantship, the student must maintain at least a 3.0 graduate GPA in order to retain or reapply for the assistantship.
These are minimum criteria. Graduate program coordinators have the right to impose additional criteria if they see fit.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.
We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.
Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are a student with a disability and need assistance please contact the Office of Disability Services at (540) 568-6705 or disability-svcs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the Office of Disability Services, located in the Student Success Center, Suite 1202 and they will be happy to assist you.