Academic Department Assistant

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT

SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN

The School of Art & Design at UW-Stout seeks a full-time, dynamic team member to provide administrative support to its two thriving academic departments, including the departments of Art & Art History and Design. The department assistant works closely with school director and department chairs, as well as college leadership on faculty support, class scheduling, and general office coordination in alignment with the university mission and the pursuit of student success.

Official UW Title: Department Assistant AD085

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum / Required

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience supporting a climate (work environment) that embraces equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Highly Desired

• Experience in a higher education environment.
• 3 years or more of demonstrated office experience.
• Bachelor’s Degree

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills
• Basic computing skills, including familiarity with desktop and standard business software programs (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, database), video conferencing, and the Internet.
• Adaptability to function in a dynamic environment of changing procedures, policies, and software
• Ability to delegate and prioritize work.
• Excellent judgment including sensitivity to personal and confidential information.
• Good work habits, such as attendance, punctuality, accountability, thoroughness and resourcefulness.
• Capability to work independently and as part of a team environment and on collaborative efforts.
• Ability and desire to work with students, faculty, and administrators.

RESPONSIBILITIES

80% Department Assistant to both the Department of Design and the Department of Art and Art History

1. Manage overall office operation for two departments: The Department of Art & Art History and the Department of Design.

• Maintain personnel records for faculty and staff, including upholding secure and confidential information on student evaluations, peer evaluations, performance objectives and performance evaluations.
• Maintain department syllabi and curriculum records for all courses.
• Maintain official copies of department governance documents
• Schedules and administer student evaluations of instructional staff and provides summary reports to chair and evaluated instructor.
• Monitor and maintain enrollment records, SCH, CHR and workload reports for the dean’s office, director, and department chairs.
• Distribute messages and notifications to the department via email or as directed by the department chairs.
• Assist with preparation and entering of course schedules; work to review class sizes and classroom availability for the Chairs during registration seasons.
• Maintain class schedules and develop office hours under the direction of the department chairs.
• Assist in scheduling meetings for department, faculty, and committees
• Maintain current committee lists, by-laws, and governance records for the two departments
• Record faculty absences. Post canceled-class notices. Provide absence information to chairs for accurate faculty leave reporting.
• Work with the chairs to ensure timely flow of personnel, hiring, and related documents.
• Coordinate curriculum documents (courses and programs) and process through department, college, and university as appropriate.
• Produce and coordinate all written and electronic documentation required by both department chairs, including all correspondence, letters, memos, forms, reports, course proposals and proposals.
• Coordinate two different department meetings each month: schedule meeting dates, prepare agendas, compile, and organize supporting materials, and distribute agendas. Take accurate minutes of meetings and disseminate. Follow up on agenda items that require further action.
• Route department-level forms and requests as needed, ensuring proper signatures are obtained and deadlines are observed.

• Alert chairpersons to personnel, facilities, and student problems.
• Read and review correspondence and incoming postal mail. Bring high priority items to the attention of chairpersons. Update distribution and mailing lists, and mailboxes as needed.
• Maintain calendars and appointments for the chairpersons. Provide appropriate supporting materials for the appointments and meetings.
• Initiates and answers telephone calls with on campus departments and outside agencies, supplies information in relation to the two departments and uses judgement in referring calls.
• Prepare new faculty contracts in consultation of the department chairs. Initiate background checks and obtain all information necessary for ES Contracts.
• Prepare academic staff contracts in consultation with department chairs. Initiate background checks and obtain all information necessary for ES Contracts.
• Completes paperwork for new faculty and instructional academic staff hires.
• Develop and maintain operational department files in the office for efficient retrieval. Archive files according to campus record retention standards.
• Anticipate office needs and order supplies, services, or equipment accordingly.
• Maintain department Outlook and Teams distribution lists.
• Provide department committee list to Dean’s Office. Provide both department senators and both current department by-laws to Faculty Senate.
• Work with Registration to create daily schedule emails.

• Serve as representative on campus or college committees as requested
  

2. Assist in recruiting/hiring of new faculty
   • Coordinate and maintain department level paperwork and records of the hiring process. Provide and update information for new faculty orientation done by chairs.
   • Attend Affirmative Action training and other informational meetings as required to execute duties as the Talent Acquisition Coordinator position for hiring processes.
   • Upload all supporting documents into TAM (Talent Acquisition Management) online portal for permanent record and public review including, advertising notices, screening tools, screening matrix, letters, memos, interview schedules, financial records, and written approvals for all stages of the hiring process.
     
3. All other duties as assigned by the department chairs

10% Shared Responsibilities between School and two Departments

1. Serve as one of the initial points of contact for guests and callers contacting the School of Art & Design or either of the two departments. Interact positively with both internal and external customers projecting a positive, supportive, and inviting image of the office.
2. Provides administrative assistance and makes decisions without direct supervision and with assigned authority, including extensive liaison between associate dean/school director, chairs, program directors, faculty/staff, students and on/off campus departments and individuals.
3. Comply with recognized environmental health and safety practices.
4. Participate in professional development activities to keep skills up to date.
5. Maintains knowledge of various software programs used within the departments and learns new software programs as required by University, College, or Department policy.
6. Attend appropriate clerical/software workshops for professional development.
7. Stay regularly updated on university and college policies.
8. Provide assistance to faculty and administrators for emergency situations and safety concerns within the School of Art and Design.

10% Supervise Student Clerical Help

1. Interview, hire, and determine pay rates for office assistants.
2. Supervise and delegate duties to office assistants: typing of letters, memos, distributing incoming postal mail; answering telephones; interfacing with faculty and the public; Xeroxing; and walking errands to other campus departments.
3. Monitor timesheets and processes payroll for student clerical employees.

DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
The School of Art & Design is comprised of two departments (Art & Art History and Design) and has approximately 85 faculty/staff and 1,200 students, making it the largest public higher education art and design entity in the upper Midwest. There are nine different programs, including Game Design and Development, Graphic & Interactive Design, Animation and Digital Media, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Studio Art, Video Production, Arts Administration and Entrepreneurship, and a graduate-level program in Design. For more information, please visit: http://www.uwstout.edu/artdes/

An innovative leader within the University of Wisconsin System, the University of Wisconsin-Stout offers an unparalleled career-focused education that integrates applied learning, theory and research and real-world experiences to prepare our students for the future. At UW-Stout, our students think and do from day one, and we’re proud to produce lifelong learners, ethical leaders and responsible citizens who succeed in a global society.

University of Wisconsin-Stout is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, a community an hour east of Minneapolis-St. Paul. A pillar of Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley and recognized as one of the best small towns in America, Menomonie provides an idyllic combination of natural beauty, outdoor recreation, boutiques and arts and culture with access to a metropolitan area. For more information about the UW-Stout community and region visit: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/our-community

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Applications received by end of day February 24, 2023 are ensured full consideration. Applications submitted after February 24th may be reviewed at the discretion of the search committee.

To apply, click on the APPLY button or go to: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/careers-jobs

Required application materials:

1. Cover letter (* See below)
2. Curriculum vitae or resume
3. Names and contact information for a minimum of three (3) professional references

*Please use your cover letter to speak to each of the Minimum/Required Qualifications for this position as listed above. For each required qualification, describe your relevant experience, using specific examples from your work history to illustrate how your experience satisfies the requirement.

Applicants must complete all required fields and attach all required documents prior to submitting the online application.

Note: Once you have attached your materials and submitted your application you will not be able to go into the system and change them.

Before starting the online application process, we recommend you preview the frequently asked questions (FAQs) available at: https://kb.uwss.wisconsin.edu/21900.

It is the policy of UW-Stout to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance, or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact us using the information below. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodation for a qualified individual's disability.

For questions regarding this position or recruitment, please contact:

Search Chair: Dave Beck

Email: beckdav@uwstout.edu

If you need assistance with the online application process or if you submitted your application prior to uploading all of the required application materials, please contact:

Search Coordinator: Alexandra Bates

Phone: 715-232-2438

Email: batesa@uwstout.edu

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For information about the UW-Stout community and region visit: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/our-community.

Facts and data about the university: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/meet-our-leadership/institutional-accreditation/fact-book

Minimum starting salary of $18/hour, commensurate with qualifications, experience, and available budget. The UW System provides an excellent benefits package including participation in the Wisconsin State retirement plan, demonstrating our commitment to the diverse needs of our employees.

• Benefit Details: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/quickguideus.pdf
• Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator | Employee Benefits (wisconsin.edu)

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, UW-Stout welcomes applications from individuals from diverse groups; veterans, individuals with disabilities and from historically excluded populations. UW-Stout provides equal opportunity to all persons and is committed to inclusive excellence. At UW-Stout we value our differences and welcome diverse perspectives as we continually commit to developing an inclusive and equitable environment for all employees and students.

Employment is contingent upon the final candidate’s completing a criminal background check, reference checks and an essential job function test, as applicable. and being cleared to work by the Human Resources Office.

Must be authorized to work in the United States. Sponsorship is not available for this position. A successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term. If you have questions regarding this, please contact our Human Resources office, Phone: 715.232.2149.

In response to a public records request, the University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in their online application, except that the identity of the successful final candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

UW-Stout is committed to providing safety and security of all members of our community in accordance with the Clery Act. For campus safety information and crime statistics visit: https://www.uwstout.edu/life-stout/police-and-parking/clery-information

Job Family: Staff