Position Details

　　Position Information

　　Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 24202

　　For questions regarding this position, please contact:

　　Diane Debinski at (406) 994-2949 or [email protected].

　　Classification Title Program Coord II

　　Working Title Student Academic Coordinator

　　Brief Position Overview

　　The Academic Coordinator manages graduate and undergraduate student programs in the department and provides critical support to faculty in their mission to provide outstanding educational opportunities to all students at Montana State University.

　　Position Number 4M1956

　　Department Ecology

　　Division College of Letters & Science

　　Appointment Type Classified

　　Contract Term Fiscal Year

　　Semester

　　If other, specify From date

　　If other, specify End date

　　FLSA Non-Exempt

　　Union Affiliation FOCUS-MFPE

　　FTE 1.0

　　Benefits Eligible Eligible

　　Salary Starting $23.05 per hour, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

　　Contract Type Classified Salary

　　If other, please specify

　　Recruitment Type Open

　　Position Details

　　General Statement

　　The MSU Ecology Department provides undergraduate and graduate education and research that advances ecological knowledge and the scientific evaluation of fish, wildlife, and plant populations and communities, and the ecosystems and landscapes that support them. Our educational and scientific contributions reach beyond the borders of Montana and include significant participation in basic and applied ecology in regional, national, and international arenas.

　　The Academic Coordinator provides a high level of administrative support, customer service, and technical support to students, faculty, and staff, including operating as part of the face of the department as one of the first contacts in the office and support during prospective student visits and at student orientation events.

　　Montana State University values diverse perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building an inclusive and culturally diverse campus environment. The College of Letters & Science ( CLS ) at Montana State University encourages individuals interested in advancing the University’s Strategic Plan diversity, equity, and inclusion goals to apply. Links to the University Strategic Plan (https://www.montana.edu/strategicplan/) ; Office of Diversity and Inclusion (https://www.montana.edu/diversity/) ; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color ( BIPOC ) Plan (https://www.montana.edu/diversity/bipoc/index.html) ; CLS Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (https://www.montana.edu/lettersandscience/deia/) ; and CLS newsletter, Diversity Matters are all embedded here for reference. CLS is committed to developing a diverse faculty, staff, and student body and to modeling an inclusive campus community which values the expression of differences in ways that promote excellence in research, teaching, and service/outreach engagement, and institutional success. In keeping with this commitment, the College encourages applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We recruit, employ, train, and promote regardless of race, gender, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, color, national origin, disability, age, veterans status, and other underrepresented groups. MSU also recognizes the importance of work-life integration and strives to be responsive to the needs of dual career couples (https://www.montana.edu/hr/recruitment-hiring-onboarding/dual_career/dualcareer.html) .

　　Duties and Responsibilities

　　Graduate Program Coordinator:

　　Responsible for coordinating the graduate student program and for managing and implementing associated departmental and university policies and procedures in conjunction with the Graduate School, Registrar’s Office, and the Office of International Programs.

　　Oversees and processes MS and PhD application materials in CollegeNet.

　　Responds to general graduate program inquiries.

　　Aids current students with registration, understanding policies and procedures, and the graduation process, including scheduling rooms for defenses, and updating departmental student handbook.

　　Manages binding process for graduate theses and dissertations.

　　Assists students with requests for addition of external graduate committee members.

　　Manages record keeping and filing forms with the Grad School.

　　Undergraduate Program Coordinator:

　　In conjunction with CLS Advising Services, advises students on course registration and graduation requirements.

　　Acts as exceptions coordinator for course waivers and certifying officer for graduation applications in DegreeWorks.

　　Registers students in restricted-entry courses and keeps records of internship/independent study course work.

　　Helps students understand and follow academic policies, rules, and requirements.

　　Encourages students, especially first-year, transfer, and non-traditional students, to seek out advising in our department; assigns faculty advisors to each student in department.

　　Coordinates advising activities and events with the CLS Advising Office.

　　Helps make students aware of campus-wide advising and other academic support services.

　　Meets with prospective students (and parents) visiting campus interested in one of our degree options for on-on-one visits as well as group events such as MSU Fridays.

　　Acts as the primary point of contact with the MSU student service units including the Office of the Registrar, Office of Admissions, Student Employment Services, and Student Support Services.

　　Additional responsibilities include but are not limited to:

　　Submits catalog revisions.

　　Assists faculty with CIM process of new course creation.

　　Updates course schedule each semester.

　　Organizes and submits all textbook requisitions each semester.

　　Organizes and maintains paper and electronic student files for undergraduate and graduate students.

　　Researches and prepares data on academic issues, such as course offerings, enrollment, and course loads to provide supporting documentation to manage curricula.

　　Organizes Equipment Fee Allocation Committee ( EFAC ) and Computer Fee Allocation Committee ( CFAC ) requests.

　　Assists in managing Teaching Assistant nominations/assignments.

　　Assists faculty, business manager, and department head in day-to-day operations of the office as needed.

　　Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

　　Progressively responsible administrative work experience with an emphasis on office administration, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

　　Demonstrated excellence in customer service and working with a diverse group of constituents.

　　Demonstrated competence organizing and prioritizing multiple work assignments, meeting deadlines, and exercising adaptability to changing priorities while maintaining a positive, effective, and professional attitude.

　　Demonstrated competence maintaining records with a high degree of accuracy and close attention to detail.

　　Demonstrated advance skill using personal computers and various software such as word processing, spreadsheets, relational databases, email and internet (please list equipment and software used).

　　Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

　　Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

　　Demonstrated experience working in an academic environment.

　　Experience working in a student services position.

　　The Successful Candidate Will

　　Have excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to articulate detailed information and policies both verbally and in writing to a wide variety of constituents,

　　Manage sensitive and confidential situations and records appropriately.

　　Establish and maintain productive and positive working relations with co-workers, faculty, students, supervisors, and the public in a team-oriented environment.

　　Work independently with minimal supervision and as part of a team.

　　Be self-motivated to assess and accomplish tasks that need to be done.

　　Accomplish many dissimilar tasks in a highly demanding environment while maintaining a pleasant demeanor.

　　Possess the ability and skill to interpret, implement and communicate new policies and procedures.

　　Have an appreciation for diverse constituencies, including the broader public.

　　Represent the Ecology Department and MSU in a professional and courteous manner.

　　Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

　　This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

　　Physical Demands

　　There are no physical demands beyond that of a normal office environment and the 3rd floor office location is in a building without elevators.

　　To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

　　This position has supervisory duties? No

　　Posting Detail Information

　　Number of Vacancies 1

　　Desired Start Date Upon completion of a successful search.

　　Position End Date (if temporary)

　　Open Date

　　Close Date

　　Applications will be:

　　Screening of applications will begin on January 19, 2024; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

　　Special Instructions

　　Diversity Statement

　　Montana State University values diverse perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building an inclusive and culturally diverse campus environment. MSU recognizes the importance of work-life integration and strives to be responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

　　In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

　　MSU’s Non-Discrimination Policy and Discrimination Grievance Procedures can be located on the MSU Website: https://www.montana.edu/hr/recruitment/dualcareer.html