Department: |
Department of Civil Engineering |
Effective Date: |
November, 2011 |
Grade: |
USG 6
35 hr/wk
|
Reports to: |
Chair, Assoc. Chair, U/G and Admi Assistant, Civil and Env Engineering |
General Accountability
The Administrative Co-ordinator, Undergraduate Studies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is accountable to the Chair, the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, and the Administrative Assistant, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Nature and Scope
Under the academic direction of the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, the incumbent serves as the Undergraduate Advisor for the undergraduate students in Civil Engineering and is responsible for the interpretation and advisement of University and Faculty academic policies and procedures as they relate to current students. The incumbent is responsible for academic counselling, and development and implementation of academic services for the Civil Engineering Undergraduate Program as well as the scheduling of the undergraduate timetable. This position requires a high degree of knowledge of academic progression rules and graduation requirements for the Civil Engineering program, as well as an understanding of the co-op system.
The Administrative Co-ordinator, Undergraduate Studies, co-ordinates and advises on all aspects of the administration of the Undergraduate Program in Civil Engineering and is expected to be familiar with policies and procedures pertaining to the Undergraduate Program in order to act as a resource person to the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, faculty, staff and students. The incumbent ensures that pertinent information is transmitted to appropriate individuals or groups as required. An important role for this position is to provide continuity of undergraduate procedures and expert support for new Associate Chairs, Undergraduate Studies, and for the departmental Examinations and Promotions Officer.
The incumbent liaises regularly with the Registrar’s Office, the Scheduling Office, the Faculty of Engineering Undergraduate Office, the Dean of Engineering Office, Counselling Services, office of Persons with Disabilities, the Bookstore and Co-operative Education and Career Services, in addition to other academic departments. Connections with the newly opened Student Success Office will need to be established.
Dealing with all undergraduate questions and problem-solving and is one of the main challenges of this position. In addition, the Administrative Co-ordinator, Undergraduate Studies, works closely with the faculty members in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Undergraduate Secretary, Environmental and Geological Engineering.
Statistical Data
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering currently has 41 faculty, 9 technical staff, 7 administrative staff, 15 research staff, 700 undergraduates plus 5-10 UAE undergraduate students and 230 graduate students of which approximately 90 are teaching assistants per annum.
Specific Accountabilities
- First point of contact with the Department for undergraduate students in the Civil Engineering program. Interactions take place by individual appointments, by telephone and by email. Provide knowledgeable and accurate academic advice to students pertaining to course selections, and program decisions. Recommend further help (Student Counselling Services and/or the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies) when required.
- Provide advisory support to the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, and the Examinations and Promotions Officer.
- Advise faculty and Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, regarding departmental, faculty and UW policies and procedures relative to the CEE undergraduate programs.
- Maintain updated student files and accurate and up-to-date files pertaining to undergraduate matters using the on-line registration program (QUEST). Check student grade reports each term to ensure that promotion decision is correct. Update student files accordingly. Collect “Intent to Graduate” forms and verify information is accurate.
- Monitor, evaluate and communicate academic standings to ensure that each student has met all academic requirements (courses, work terms, WatPD courses, courses for options) to satisfy degree requirements. This task requires extensive knowledge of all departmental rules and guidelines especially those pertaining to course equivalents and all program options. Prepare paperwork for “course equivalent” approval by the Associate Chair for students returning from Exchange Programs.
- Check weekly error reports to ensure students are properly registered and act as liaison between the student and the Registrar’s Office when problems are detected.
- Post information on Undergraduate information bulletin boards pertaining to scholarships, new courses, class and exam schedules, TA lists, seminars, campus activities, etc.
- Scheduling Officer for all undergraduate courses in the Civil program. Consult with faculty to resolve any timetable and facilities issues. Continually monitor scheduling through the registration process to flag any obvious or potential problems. Provide the Engineering Scheduling Committee with large classroom requirements prior to their meeting with the Registrar to pre-slot those rooms in advance of the computerized room scheduling process. Responsible for booking classrooms (both Registrar and CEE rooms), and ensuring that required audio-visual equipment is available.
- Handle all matters relating to class enrolment and drop/adds. Copy emails and override forms each term for department records.
- Ensure that instructors are provided with the resources required for undergraduate teaching including the ordering of textbooks, scheduling of mid-term and final examinations and assembling of class photos. Order all course textbooks (undergraduate and graduate) and act as the liaison with the University Bookstore and publishers. Request desk copies of textbooks from publishing companies. Dispense and retrieve TA copies of course textbooks each term.
- Liaise with class representatives to keep students informed of undergraduate matters including the preparation and distribution of class professor schedules.
- Responsible for disseminating undergraduate scholarship and award information to the students and liaising with the Student Awards Office. Acts as Department Coordinator for NSERC USRA awards.
- Work closely with the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, and the Department Chair in the assignment, preparation of contract letters and payment forms for all TA/CA’s.
- Responsible for maintaining work report records.
- Responsible for ensuring that all grades are collected, recorded and submitted on-line. Inform instructors of additional students attending final examinations (i.e. students writing supplemental exams) and ensure submission of supplemental grade rosters/grade revisions including term standing adjustments and reduction of failure counts if student passes the examination.
- Consult with Undergraduate Associate Chair regarding advance admissions to confirm exemptions from required courses and contact newly admitted students regarding further term course planning to accommodate exemptions, work term reports, admissions, WatPD courses and Co-op program details.
- Maintain the Student Blocks Online (SBO) database, updates and arranges course information accordingly for internal transfers, students who are on exchange, students who have changed the sequence of their program and/or those who are in customized course blocks due to returning from international exchanges, students repeating a failed term and students who are advanced admits.
Working Conditions
Much of the time is spent sitting in a comfortable position responding to undergraduate and faculty issues with frequent opportunity to move about. The job is varied and includes responding to telephone inquiries, written documents, email inquiries and copying materials. The office situation is relaxed, however, at times stressful at the beginning and end of terms or when deadlines occur.