Academic Advisement Assistant, Student and Academic Services

Position Summary

The University at Buffalo, Office of the Graduate School, seeks a responsible professional to serve as Academic Advisement Assistant for Student and Academic Services ( SAS ). This position provides key support to the Assistant Director in managing the daily operations of SAS . A successful candidate will exhibit strong written and oral communication skills as well as a keen eye for detail, and highly developed organizational skills. This position reports to the Assistant Director Student & Academic Services.

Key areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

• Student Advisement - Assist students (phone calls, email, virtual and in-person appointments) in their academic planning, registration and in comprehending their degree requirements and/or student status with the university. Apply and interpret rules, regulations and procedures of the University and of the Graduate School.
• Incoming PhD ATCs - Manage incoming Application to Candidacy documents – including the SAS database ( HUB ). Perform perfunctory review to determine whether all required info has been submitted. Contact department / student if anything is missing or if problems are immediately apparent (e.g. Graduate Faculty membership, short credits, missing transfer petition, low GPA, or missing RCR proof).
• Graduate Student Petitions - Review and process incoming petitions for change of conferral date and master’s transfer credits.
• Certification of Full-Time Student Status - Review and approve routine student requests for Certification of Full-Time student status in compliance with Graduate School policies.
• Academic Advising Reports – Assist with providing guidance to departmental graduate program coordinators in satisfying student degree requirements and completing milestones, and an understanding of degree application/ AAR degree audit procedures.
• Degree Conferral – Tri-annually, during the degree conferral periods, review student files to ensure that all required forms are received. Provide accurate advice to students regarding outstanding items needed for degree conferral. Update anticipated degree conferral dates in the University’s student information system, HUB .
• Review of Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Submissions – Review electronic submissions of theses and dissertations to ensure formatting guidelines and basic requirements are met. Follow up with students in a timely manner when revisions are necessary. Responsible for review and approval of embargo requests for submitted thesis or dissertation.
• Workshops - Assist the OSS Director and Assistant Director in the creation of workshop presentation materials, and over time deliver routine presentations to the graduate advising community, the SAS constituency under the direction of the Assistant Director.

The Graduate School is a collaborative division of university support services and programs that shape and enhance the educational experience for all UB graduate students, from non-degree seekers to seasoned PhD candidates. Our unit upholds the University at Buffalo’s commitment to academic excellence through exceptional service to our graduate students with and through the network of faculty and staff who support them. Under the leadership of the Dean, the Graduate School empowers students to avail themselves of the full array of research, education, engagement and cultural offerings that inspire deeper levels of intellectual discovery and further academic pursuit.

Working at UB comes with benefits that exceed salary alone. There are personal rewards including comprehensive health and retirement plan options. We also focus on creating and sustaining a healthy mix of work, personal and academic pursuit – all in an effort to support your work-life effectiveness. Visit our benefits website to learn about our benefit package: http://www.buffalo.edu/administrative-services/for-faculty-staff/benefits/state/uup.html .

University at Buffalo is an affirmative action equal opportunity employer and, in keeping with our commitment, welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree is required with 1 or more years of responsible work experience in a higher education setting with competencies in the following areas:

• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with diverse populations particularly staff, faculty, and graduate students.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite specifically: Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Must be exceedingly well organized, detail-oriented, flexible, and possess a strong sense of accountability and be self-motivated.
• Must be able to work independently and exhibit good judgment, as well as monitor and oversee any student employees (1-2 generally).

Preferred Qualifications

• Some experience working with MS Access software.
• Higher education experience in areas pertaining to degree auditing, and student records maintenance.
• Some understanding of UB, the Graduate School, and the graduate division policies and processes, as they pertain to student services at the graduate and professional levels.
• Experience with PeopleSoft Campus Solutions and /or UB’s HUB system.

For more information, click the "How to Apply" button.