Graduate Student Advisor (4576U) - 42623 About Berkeley
At the University of California, Berkeley, we are committed to creating a community that fosters equity of experience and opportunity, and ensures that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome and included. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.
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 .
Departmental Overview
The Department of History is rated one of the top academic programs nationally and globally. As one of the largest teaching departments in the College of Letters and Science, enrolling over 8000 students in 150 courses each year, our courses serve campus and department graduation requirements across the University. The department is comprised of 50 tenure-track faculty, 30 emeriti, and 11 career staff. Annual hires include 15-20 visiting instructors, 25-30 visiting scholars, approximately 230 academic student employee appointments, and 10-15 casual employees. With approximately 100 graduate students, 250 undergraduate majors, and 100 minors, students in our program are able to select from a broad range of fields of study. The History department is committed to supporting a large and diverse population of students. Over the past 5 years, the department has seen a significant increase in graduate and undergraduate students of color.
The Graduate Advisor administers several aspects of the department's graduate program with a high level of independence and autonomy. This position is responsible for advising/counseling a cohort of graduate students and provides administrative and policy analysis on a range of issues relevant to the PhD program. This position is also responsible for managing the resources related to the assignment of Academic Student Employee (ASE) positions that support our undergraduate curriculum. Working collaboratively with the departmental advising team, this role supports the Director of Student Services, the faculty Director of Graduate Affairs and the Department Chair on administration of graduate student services, interpretation/implementation of university and department policies, and formulation of department policy by advising on areas needing clarification and identifying solutions.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: September 27, 2022
Responsibilities
Academic Advising and Student Support
Responsible for all graduate student advice, across 17 regional/thematic areas of History. Advises the Vice Chair for Graduate Affairs and the Graduate Affairs Committee on current student issues, changes to campus graduate policy, and best practices for supporting graduate students. Maintains detailed and accurate student academic records. Tracks student degree completion progress. Maintains updates and accurate advisement records on campus tools (BOA, Cal Student Central, and APR). Manages all graduate milestone support and coordination. This includes language exams, qualifying exams, third semester exams, research applications, and process for dissertation completion/filing. Manages all aspects of the degree completion process for graduate students. Responsible for managing and maintaining graduate spaces including the lounge, dissertation, writing room, GSI offices, and library. Manages the distribution and return of keys, the management of digital locks, and liaises with campus police/ facilities for external door access and facilities issues. Hires, trains, and supervises Graduate Space Coordinator. Advises the Director of Student Services, Vice chair for Curriculum, and department chair on curriculum planning for graduate coursework. Advises student group, History Graduate Association.
Graduate Funding and Financial Aid
Oversees the processing, evaluation, and awarding of student fellowships, grants, scholarships, and other awards based on a six-year student funding package. Assigns funding allocation from a diverse set of funding sources including over 45 departmental funds, graduate division funding, and external funding. Works directly with the Director of Student Services and Department Manager to analyze best use of graduate funds and make recommendations to the department. Works closely with the Director of Student Services to determine use of departmental funding. Recommends resolution of extremely sensitive, complex financial aid issues. Maintains accurate and up to date spending projections of graduate funding. Helps forecast and predict graduate funding needs for admission cycles. Educates graduate students on available fellowships and external funds to support unfunded aspects of their graduate education. Oversees processes for equitable recruitment and assignment of Academic Student Employment (ASE) opportunities in the department. Works closely with the History HR coordinator to submit relevant hiring data in a timely manner. Responsible for drafting GSI contracts, while tracking GSI eligibility and UAW-UC union contract changes. Assures ASE stipends are accurately inputted into a graduate student's funding plan.
Graduate Policy Subject Matter Expert
Advises chairs and other faculty on the formulation of program/department policy by anticipating and advising them on areas needing clarification and identifying solutions. Analyzes the consequences of organization's academic policies and recommends new or changed policies. Responsible for advising students and faculty on all academic student dishonesty cases. Serves as the primary knowledge holder of graduate policies on student conduct and academic integrity. Liaises directly with the student conduct office. Advises faculty on current policies and best practices to reduce and address academic dishonesty. Directs the process of establishing clear criteria for identifying graduate students for relevant prizes, leading roles such as head GSI, student representative roles, etc. Alerts and advises faculty on sensitive ASE hiring situations or students at risk of maintaining adequate progression through the program, suggesting intervention options. Publishes and revises graduate student handbook, independently incorporating updates which reflect compliance with changing laws and regulations. Maintains a body of online resources to support graduate student success including relevant policies, campus resources, departmental forms, and updates on events.
Programming/Events
Plan and implement complex, high-visibility student events, such as student orientations and student events, such as student orientations and commencement. Routinely develop and manage events that build and enhance the graduate student community, such as orientation for newly admitted students and cohort-specific orientations that provide updates about the phases of the program (such as in the second year when students first hold ASE positions for department courses), DEIB-focused events, information about the doctoral program or academic strategies and enrichment programs, forums, or workshops. Develop recommendations for the improvement of existing programs and/or policies as well as initiate new programs and/or services to meet changing student needs. Attends department graduate student events, as required.
Career Advisement
Responsible for advising students on career resources and referring students to career advisors and relevant events. Utilizing an in-depth knowledge of the field, assists students on identifying relevant career paths utilizing skills developed in the department's curriculum.
Professional Development
Attend campus wide graduate advising meetings, and tracks and reports back to the department about any changes related to graduate affairs. In consultation with supervisor, identifies and implements annual professional development goals. Examples might include special projects, or participating in professional associations, training programs, or campus committees. Workshops and seminars may focus on topics such as professional skills development, planning in higher education, and developing and maintaining expertise on various computer systems and computer software.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training. Advanced knowledge of advising and counseling techniques and demonstrated successful experience advising faculty, staff, and students on complex graduate student affairs policies. Exceptional interpersonal skills, including demonstrated experience in multicultural competencies and working in teams; highly developed oral and written communication skills. Ability in problem identification, reasoning, and ability to develop original ideas to solve problems and influence change. Thorough knowledge and experience working with a diverse student population and commitment to strategies to support student diversity. In-depth knowledge of post-degree employment opportunities and practices. Demonstrated organizational, analytical, planning, and project management skills. Knowledge of and/or ability to learn common University-specific online systems including Student Information System (SIS) and CalAnswers. Excellent computer skills in MS Office Suite (especially Word and Excel), Box, and campus Google tools (bMail, BCal, drive, forms). Ability to exercise consummate discretion regarding management of confidential student records and privileged information within the department. 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 judgment and decision-making, identifying measures of system performance and the actions to improve performance.
Preferred Qualifications
In-depth knowledge of post-degree employment opportunities and practices, with preference for knowledge background of the field of History or related field.
Salary & Benefits
This is a 100% full-time (40 hrs a week) exempt career position, which is paid monthly and eligible for full UC Benefits. Annual salary is commensurate with experience within the range of $62,300.00 - $90,700.00.
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html