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POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Department of Communication Studies is seeking a Graduate Program Professional to provide primary support for the operations, advising, and admissions of the doctoral program in Communication Studies. This position is expected to advise and make sound recommendations to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), Department Chair, and Administrator on curriculum management, graduate program student services, and operations management, while also appropriately consulting with and advising graduate students on employment/student experience. Communication Studies comprises 12 faculty, 15 instructional P&A staff, 4 office staff, 3 Casual employees, 2 student workers, and 22 graduate students in the Ph.D. program.ย
This is an in-person position with some hybrid flexibility. The current expectation is to work in the office four days per week, though this is subject to change based on the needs of the department. Work hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.
APPOINTMENT DETAILS: This is a 100%-time, 12-month, Civil Service continuous position. This position reports to the Administrator.ย
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES - The employer reserves the right to change or assign other duties to this position.
Curriculum Management 35%
- In collaboration with Administrator, Department Chair, and DGS, develop the department curriculum annually, to include creation of records in the university system (CCS), partnering with faculty and instructional staff to ensure logistical details are accurately managed, and assisting the DGS and department Chair in managing/balancing course enrollments.
- Oversee graduate assistant appointments, including verifying funding sources and complying with program and employment policies.
- Oversee undergraduate student appointments, including recruitment and assignment tasks.
- Prepare and submit course and degree revisions or new offerings.
- Analyze the curricular needs of other university units that require communication courses for their degree programs and maintain the communication curriculum to ensure accessibility.
- In collaboration with the Administrator and DGS, establish and maintain the schedule of funding allocations to satisfy support obligations for graduate students and support the departments curriculum needs for graduate assistants and instructors using all available funds.
Graduate Program and Student Services Operations Management 35%
- In collaboration with the DGS and administration plan and implement annual operations, including summer operations and events.
- In collaboration with the DGS and the Communication Studies Graduate Student Association, design, develop and implement innovative student services initiatives.
- Oversee graduate advising/student services content, including, but not limited to, maintaining website content for the department, and gathering material for social media outlets, electronic newsletter publications, etc.
- Gather and analyze data, create reports, and maintain a database for the internal and external requestors dealing with graduate student profiles, sources of support, job placement, etc.
- Maintain graduate student academic degree progress database, ensuring accuracy and completion.
- In collaboration with the DGS and the Awards Committee, coordinate annual award process including gathering appropriate data, facilitating award events, and submitting award payments into university systems.
- In collaboration with the PhD Exam Committee, facilitate and administer the written preliminary exams each year, and assist with preliminary and final oral exams as needed.
- Make recommendations to the DGS and faculty advisors to ensure that graduate students attain timely ABD status, develop and maintain a robust system for monitoring progress in this regard.ย
- Establish, implement, assess, and improve best practices in recruiting graduate students. Oversee the processing and evaluation of all PhD program applications.
- Partner with the Graduate School admissions office to annually update the admissions applications, process admissions decisions and determine international student degree equivalencies and application qualifications.
- Coordinate the annual recruitment process, including arranging applicant visits, events, meetings with faculty appropriate to their research areas, etc.
- Serve as main contact to UMN undergraduate students who plan to apply for the graduate program, providing academic advising on PhD program prerequisites.
- Create and maintain channels for communicating policies to students and other interested parties and share them accordingly.
Academic Advising 20%
- Advise current and prospective students on the graduate student experience.
- Coordinate annual progress reviews of the schools graduate students.
- Advise students through the process of maintaining academic degree progress through the Graduate Planning and Audit System and resolve registration issues.
- Advise students to increase participation in department opportunities for real-world experience such as consulting, educational program development, pipeline development), and career networking opportunities.
- Advise students in unique circumstances, for example, regarding academic or health accommodation and leaves of absence.ย
- Provide enrollment and employment verification letters for current students.
- Advise graduate students regarding their options for financial support and changes in their support packages.ย
- Partner with the DGS in reviewing and responding to student grievances. ย
Policy Development & Implementation 10%
- In collaboration with the DGS, Department Chair, and Administrator as part of the leadership team, develop policies that address the departments undergraduate and graduate academic priorities and goals.
- Interpret college and university academic and other policies for Communication Studies faculty and staff.
- Maintain the Graduate Student Handbook, including updating and developing policies and procedures when needed.
- Provide continuous efforts in maintaining department policies and procedures, streamlining, enhancing, and improving effectiveness and efficiency.