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The University of California, Berkeley, is one of the world’s leading institutions of higher education, distinguished by its combination of internationally recognized academic and research excellence; the transformative opportunity it provides to a large and diverse student body; its public mission and commitment to equity and social justice; and its roots in the California experience, animated by such values as innovation, questioning the status quo, and respect for the environment and nature. Since its founding in 1868, Berkeley has fueled a perpetual renaissance, generating unparalleled intellectual, economic and social value in California, the United States and the world.
We are looking for equity-minded applicants who represent the full diversity of California and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at Berkeley, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice that requires broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students and community partners. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Berkeley, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, our Principles of Community, and our Strategic Plan.
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Departmental Overview
Land Acknowledgement:
We acknowledge that UC Berkeley is located on the territory of xucyun, the ancestral and unceded land of the Chocenyo speaking Ohlone people, the successors of the sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County. This land was and continues to be of great importance to the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and other familial descendants of the Verona Band.
The Department of Plant & Microbial Biology is committed to the University of California’s mission of dedicated research and to providing a superior education in plant biology, microbiology, and related life sciences.
Position Summary
The Rausser College of Natural Resources (RCNR) is seeking a Graduate Student Affairs Officer to support our top-ranked graduate programs. We are looking for a dynamic, thoughtful, adaptable individual with top-notch advising skills, excellent financial and policy comprehension and who enjoys an academic and research working environment.
The incumbent will be an advocate for RCNR throughout campus, and will help envision, build and support graduate student advising in the department in campus’s administrative structure.
Under the direction of the Department of Plant and Microbial (PMB) Department Manager, the position will spend 50% of their time as a Graduate Student Affairs Officer (GSAO) in PMB, working in tandem with the current GSAO on all matters for grad advising as outlined in the responsibilities below. The remaining 50% of the position will work in collaboration with the portfolio of GSAO responsibilities across the college's other four departments: Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology, Agricultural & Resource Economics, Energy & Resources Group, and Environmental Science, Policy & Management.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: 07/09/2024.
Responsibilities
ASE/GSR HIRING, SUPPORT AND ANALYSIS
- As the subject matter expert, works in partnership with college GSAOs in support of Academic Student Employee processing - May also lead the process in shared departments. The process includes: recruiting, hiring, and making assignments for Fall, Spring, and Summer.
- Provides direction and guidance on a wide range of ASE/GSR matters.
- Advises ASEs and instructors on job and workload expectations, appointment eligibility, and fee remission benefits.
- Works with the departmental committees to develop and oversee processes for equitable assignments.
- Maintains current knowledge of Graduate Division, BEST Region, and UAW-related employment and appointment policies.
- Stays up to date on current contract policies, including fee remission benefits.
- Oversees appointments exceptions process; submits exception requests to the Graduate Division. Ensures Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) compliance with first time requirements, including language requirement.
- In conjunction with departmental committee(s) and/or faculty supervisors, addresses any ASE/GSR performance issues that may arise and resolves intricate student employee issues/grievances such as union workload and leave issues; escalates cases to the Department Chair as necessary.
- Manages GSI evaluation process and regularly reviews GSI evaluations to identify potential problems; outreach to students who may need additional support.
- Coordinates and makes recommendations for Outstanding GSI Award nomination.
FUNDING/FINANCIAL AID
- Recommends resolutions of extremely sensitive, specialized, and complex financial aid issues; and administers departmental block grant and restricted funds.
- Advises department's management on available funds for entering students based upon special funding from all sources; makes recommendations regarding resource allocation.
- Maintains current knowledge of Graduate Division, departmental, and graduate group requirements, policies, and procedures relative to graduate student funding, including the administration of student financial awards, scholarships, fellowships, and block grants.
- Tracks all sources of available graduate student funding and investigates new sources of funding.
- Completes and processes official documents necessary for the initiation, continuation, and administration of all financial awards.
- Maintains complex spreadsheets to track student funding commitments and payments, including summer funding.
- Works with Financial Analyst and BEST Region staff to reconcile expenses and ensure that graduate student funding is administered accurately.
- Advises students on financial aid options on campus and extramural fellowship opportunities; crafts clear communications to convey funding information to students.
- Works with the Fellowships Office and the Berkeley International Office (BIO) to resolve funding issues for domestic and international students.
- Manages all current and new departmental and college funding applications, including for summer grants, travel grants, and fellowships.
- Manages gift reporting to College Relations and University Development and Alumni Relations. Provides pertinent information to College Relations for stewardship needs.
ACADEMIC ADVISING
- Ensures Plant & Microbial Biology (PMB) student handbook is up to date.
- Interprets and applies advanced student services concepts; using professional judgment and expertise, provides the most complex student services to the department's leadership, faculty, and students (both new and continuing).
- Provides extensive advising and guidance on complicated student and program- related issues which do not fall within clearly defined guidelines.
- Identifies and refers for resolution intricate student issues/grievances such as alleged discrimination, complex grade disputes, student conduct issues, and student's personal crises.
- Reviews students' progress and identifies students with progression problems, and recommends interventions.
- Recommends petition exceptions that affect the requirements of multiple departments.
- Advises students and faculty on department/college/university policies and procedures, including requirements for fellowships/scholarships.
- Includes advising international students and the extra complexities that affect immigrant and non- immigrant students; liaises with the Berkeley International Office (BIO) to maintain current knowledge of visa and immigration policies and procedures; interprets UC and government regulatory requirements.
- Works with BIO to maintain employment compliance for international students off- campus employment opportunities.
RECRUITMENT AND ADMISSIONS
- Coordinates and tracks graduate admissions process.
- Advises and supports Admissions committees. Advises prospective applicants on necessary academic preparation and appropriateness of program(s) as they pertain to the prospective applicant's goals.
- Reviews domestic and international transcripts, evaluates eligibility, and ensures application completeness via the online application system.
- Plans and organizes student recruitment visits to campus in early spring and orientation for new students in August annually.
- May travel to participate in recruiting events.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
- Within an academic department/college, provides and makes recommendations for the improvement of department/college policies.
- Evaluates the effectiveness of the student services function and makes changes to the program to provide better service to students, faculty, and organizational leadership.
- Recognizes issues that have impact/implications and advises accordingly.
- Advises chair/dean on the formulation of department/college policy on areas needing clarification and identifying solutions; analyzes the consequences of organization's academic policies and recommends new or changed policies; recommends solutions to organization's problems without precedent.
- Represents the student services unit to the campus community and relevant external constituencies.
CURRICULUM PLANNING & SUPPORT
- Evaluates course support needs and proposes staffing solutions to faculty leadership.
- Manages graduate course scheduling and assists with curriculum planning in collaboration with the chair, faculty, and other departments as necessary, to ensure students' progress through course sequences, avoiding conflicts, and ensuring compliance with campus-wide policies.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
- Performs other duties as assigned.
- May supervise work-study student(s) as required.
- May collaborate across the GSAO team to develop consistent and efficient practices that are utilized college-wide.
- Point person for the exchange of information regarding housing priority for RCNR students in the new Albany graduate student housing complex.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Attends workshops/seminars and/or complex training/courses to keep up to date on national student advising issues, trends, and best practices as well as university policies and procedures.
- Participates on student services committees and/or department/college/university committees that develop impactful and relevant policies/procedures.
Required Qualifications
- Advanced knowledge of advising and counseling techniques.
- In-depth knowledge of and/or ability to learn policy and implementation of Academic Student Employees (ASE) labor contracts
- In-depth knowledge of and/or ability to learn student programmatic and functional affairs on departmental, campus and university-wide levels.
- In-depth knowledge of and/or ability to learn campus and university graduate student affairs policies and procedures, including all financial award matters.
- Knowledge of and/or ability to learn common University-specific computer application programs.
- Knowledge of and/or ability to learn University and departmental principles and procedures involved in risk assessment and evaluating risks as to likelihood and consequences.
- Skills in monitoring/assessing people, processes or services, to make improvements.
- Skills in project management, social perceptiveness to be aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Ability to work with diverse populations.
- Ability in problem identification, reasoning, and attention to detail.
- Demonstrated ability to develop original ideas to solve problems, persuasion, leadership.
- Can develop and implement original ideas and correctly identify and effectively solve problems.
- Able to effectively manage multiple important priorities.
- Possesses good judgment and can assess and handle non-routine situations.
- Possesses political acumen and excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups across all levels.
- Able to work independently.
- Advanced verbal and written communication skills; Organized and service-oriented.
- Advanced knowledge of complex visa and immigration policies, procedures and regulatory requirements for international students and scholars.
- Ability to work Monday - Friday from 8:00am - 5:00pm and occasional weekend or evening shifts for special events.
- Computer skills; Microsoft Office, Google Suite.
- Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
Salary & Benefits
This is a 100% full-time (40 hrs a week) exempt career position, which is paid monthly and eligible for UC Benefits.
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.
Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.
The budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $70,100.00 - $97,400.00. The full salary range for this classification is $70,100.00 - $124,700.00.
How to Apply
- To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.
Other Information
- This is not a visa opportunity.
Conviction History Background
This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant, please see the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission poster.
The University of California's Affirmative action policy.
The University of California's Anti-Discrimination policy.
