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The Department of Chemistry is one of the largest academic units on campus, with 45 faculty, 240 graduate students, 65 postdoctoral scholars, 65 staff, and annual grant and contract expenditures of ca. $23M. The Department administers an extensive undergraduate lecture and laboratory instructional program, with an annual teaching load of >70,000 student credit hours and conferral of the most undergraduate degrees in chemistry and biochemistry of any comparable department in the nation (~400 degrees awarded annually).
Position Purpose
Under general direction of the Administrator and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education in the Department of Chemistry, this position has primary responsibility for undergraduate advising services for the ca. 850 chemistry and biochemistry majors pursuing five degree tracks (chemistry: B.A., B.S., B.S.-ACS certified; biochemistry: B.A., B.S.). The position also provides academic counseling services to pre-majors and non-majors regarding chemistry or biochemistry courses needed to meet other major or graduation requirements. This position is responsible for the overall direction of undergraduate advising services, including maintaining records, reporting, and related projects, with supervisory responsibility for 1.0 FTE.
Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities
Student Services/Advising
Advise current and prospective undergraduate students in the Department of Chemistry on all aspects of educational and degree progress, reflecting an in-depth knowledge of specific courses and sequences, degree requirements, and University, College, and Department policies, procedures, and regulations.
Guide students through the process of choosing courses, applying for degrees, and satisfying other degree requirements. Ensure University deadlines are met and required paperwork is completed.
Counsel students regarding the most appropriate courses for career preparation and/or entrance to graduate programs, health or life science professional programs, and other educational/professional programs/goals.
Advise students in the interpretation of and fellowship, scholarship, award, and other opportunities.
Assist students in resolving issues regarding academic difficulties, career planning, and decision-making.
Serve as the primary contact for general public inquiries regarding academic programs in Chemistry.
Counsel prospective students on possible admission to relevant UW programs and academic planning prior to transfer to the UW from other colleges/universities.
Coordinate outreach efforts. Facilitate transfer and first-year student orientation with First Year Programs.
Administration
Maintain electronic and physical records (e.g., student files, databases) and track student academic progress. Ensure program adherence to the Federal Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA).
Maintain and document procedures and policies for the Department’s undergraduate programs. Evaluate and modify on an ongoing basis to update information and improve efficiency and effectiveness. Ensure that paper and electronic documents pertinent to undergraduate programs are kept up to date. Ensure compliance of applicable requirements and procedures (Department, College, University, State, Federal) related to the undergraduate program.
Prepare student advising resources such as degree requirements, honors program requirements, secondary education requirements, information for new majors, undergraduate research participation sheets, and instruction sheets describing the petition process for research outside of chemistry and biochemistry.
Oversee preparation and submission of course change and new course application materials and documents for new and/or revised program requirements. Assist faculty with assessing impact of curriculum changes on programs and course enrollments. Resolve curriculum issues with the Registrar and Curriculum Offices.
Oversee undergraduate scholarships and prizes awarded internally within the Department of Chemistry.
Liaise with relevant campus units (e.g., Undergraduate Advising, Diversity & Student Success; First Year Programs; Career & Internship Center; Minority Affairs & Diversity; Women in Science & Engineering) on matters regarding chemistry and biochemistry students and the chemistry curriculum.
Compile statistics and provide analysis for program and policy changes. Make recommendations for program development (e.g., anticipation of enrollment trends, course enrollments, student quality, course paths) and make recommendations to faculty. Prepare quarterly, annual, and ad hoc reports and coordinate the assembly and dissemination of materials and information related to the graduate program.
Oversee and coordinate the annual department graduation ceremony. Design, prepare, and proofread program, create department degree certificates, plan menu and setup catering, arrange speakers, and handle other arrangements and details in support of this event.
Oversee budgets and project accounting for graduation and other undergraduate advising expenses, including approving spending and monitoring budget. Maintain documentation as needed.
Work with Chemistry administrators and faculty on projects related to undergraduate students or programs.
Participate in ongoing professional development opportunities with other advisers.
Perform other duties as required.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Direct supervision of 1.0 FTE professional staff (Academic Counselor–Senior).
REQUIREMENTS
Master’s degree and at least four years of relevant professional advising/counseling experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Proven ability to handle confidential information with diplomacy and discretion.
Strong computer literacy and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
DESIRED:
Prior advising experience, preferably in chemistry or another scientific field and at the undergraduate level.
A degree and/or prior work experience in chemistry or a related field.
Master’s degree in counseling or a related field.
Self-motivation and the ability to use available resources to solve problems and answer questions with minimal supervision to best meet the goals of the Department.
Excellent time-management and organizational skills and the ability to independently manage work priorities across multiple complex projects, meeting stringent timelines.
Ability to perform tasks independently with precision, accuracy, and meticulous attention to detail in an intense work environment.
Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills to work with large, diverse groups, strong interpersonal skills, and awareness of ethical and political ramifications of decisions.
Ability and desire to provide excellent customer service.
Ability and desire to successfully interact with students, staff, and faculty, including non-native English speakers, using excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Proven ability to handle senior-level confidential information with a high degree of tact, judgment, discretion, and diplomacy, and awareness of ramifications of decisions.
Experience with UW systems (e.g., SDB, EARS, DARS) and relevant UW policies and procedures.
Experience with standard office software (e.g., Word, Excel, Access) and Adobe Contribute or similar website editing software. Experience with academic instruction courseware is helpful but not required.
Experience and comfort with scientific and/or academic terminology and concepts as necessary in an administrative capacity or setting.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Occasional work outside of typical business hours may be required to meet specific deadlines or to accommodate special events taking place outside of normal working hours.
Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.
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