| Date: |
Date: January 2012 |
| Reports to (Job Title): |
Reports to: Administrative Manager |
| Jobs Reporting (Job Titles): |
Jobs Reporting: None |
| Location: |
location: Waterloo campus |
Primary Purpose
Reporting to the Administrative Manager, the Administrative Coordinator – Graduate Studies is responsible for the administration of the departmental graduate studies office. The incumbent receives functional direction from the Associate Chair – Graduate Studies and performs a wide range of activities supporting all aspects of the graduate program, including, but not limited to, information and financial management, scholarship coordination and graduate student liaison.
Key Accountabilities:
Department/graduate student advising
- Advises graduate students on behalf of, and in conjunction with, the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies, particularly incoming students and prospective applicants, in an attempt to guide them through program choices, as well as through personal issues which need to be skillfully interpreted and filtered through University resources as required
- Interprets and provides an in-depth understanding of graduate policies and procedures as they relate to immigration, scholarship, and university and departmental policies pertaining to graduate studies and consults on procedural changes where necessary to better suit the needs of the department
- Advises and acts as resource on all matters discussed by the Graduate Operations Committee ensuring that pending items are researched carefully and addressed according to policy
- Ensures that graduate students adhere to deadlines, issues including, but not limited to, requests for extensions, course changes, thesis submissions, calendar changes, and convocation requirements
- Advises and monitors the admissions process administered by the Graduate Admissions Co-ordinator
Graduate teaching/research assistantship, scholarship and awards
- Manages all administrative aspects of the teaching assistant and graduate research studentship assignments in the department
- Monitors the funds available for graduate student support and each term's assignments for consistency with departmental policies
- Processes salary payments for TA's, RA’s and GRS's and ensures accuracy in conjunction with the Administrative Manager
- Provides input into the decision process of student nominations for department, faculty and university graduate scholarships and awards
- Prepares the necessary documents, monitoring the funds available and ensuring that awards/scholarships have been paid out correctly, in conjunction with the Administrative Manager
- Prepares financial letters for promissory notes for each graduate student each term
- Provides graduate program information to assist the Administrative Manager in preparing the preliminary departmental budget.
Graduate program maintenance, including but not limited to the following:
- Ensures graduate program information is up-to-date in the university calendar and on the Stats/Actsc website in conjunction with the Departmental Web Administrator and assists the University Graduate Office with updates as required
- Assists with graduate milestone completion (e.g. comprehensive exams, thesis defenses, etc.)
- Ensures that the Graduate Operations Committee duly processes graduate study applications as prepared by the Graduate Admissions Co-ordinator
- Assists the Undergraduate Advisor and Program Administrator with graduate course information for scheduling purposes.
Graduate scholarship application
- Publicizes pertinent information and deadlines for NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships, Internal Scholarship processes and Ontario Graduate Scholarships to both graduate and undergraduate students
- Collects official documents from on- and off-campus; organizes submitted applications; ensures that all deadlines are met
- Prepares various summaries for the Ranking Committee.
Administrative/secretarial support, including but not limited to the following:
- Manages graduate student space, key assignments and computer needs, in co-ordination with the Administrative Manager
- Co-ordinates details, attends and participates in decisions reached at Graduate Operations and Comprehensive Exam Committee meetings
- Completes documentation for items that require action, including, but not limited to, offers of admission, rejections and departmental awards
- Provides administrative support and file retention for the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies on graduate-related matters
- Organizes and takes part in graduate-orientation activities and sessions each term
- Supports students in acclimatizing to the department and UW environment
Position Requirements
Education:
High School Diploma
Education or training related to communication and communication strategies an asset.
Experience:
Extensive secretarial experience in an academic environment. Thorough knowledge of graduate policies and procedures preferred.
Technical:
| MS Word |
Excel |
PowerPoint |
Other |
| word: Proficiency |
excel: Proficiency |
powerpoint |
other:
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Quest and OnBase required. A willingness to learn new software as required. |
Nature and Scope
Interpersonal Skills:
Position requires communication with internal contacts to obtain, clarify and discuss information, and to receive instructions. Contact groups and individuals include, but are not limited to:
- Associate Chair of Graduate Studies
- All faculty, staff and graduate students in the Department
- Other Mathematics departments/school staff
- Mathematics Graduate Office
- Graduate Studies Office
- Finance Office
- Human Resources Office
- Office of Research
- Student Awards & Financial Aid Office
- International Student Office
- TRACE
- MFCF, IST
Position requires communication with a primary external group to obtain, clarify and discuss information, and to communicate graduate program acceptance:
Prospective graduate students
Level of Responsibility:
The job has specialized work with minimal supervision and provides guidance to others.
Decision-Making Authority:
Provide information and input to the Graduate Operations Committee and the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies in the decision-making process on academic matters related to graduate studies in the department. Some examples include:
- TA and RA assignments
- Scholarships and awards
- Graduate application acceptances and rejections
- Revisions to degree or course requirements
Make decisions (in consulation with the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies or the Administrative Manager) on non-academic matters related to graduate studies. Some examples include:
- Graduate student office space assignments
- Graduate student orientation activities
- Graduate student social events
Referral of students to appropriate resources (academic advisor, counselling, etc.)
Physical and Sensory Demands:
Working Environment:
Travel: None
Working hours: Regular working hours
Risks – physical and psychological:
Minimal risks. May experience exposure to somewhat disagreeable situations typical of a position that deals with a variety of students and faculty members
