Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistant

The Administrative Assistant reports to the Director of Administration and provides high level clerical, administrative, financial and organizational support for the Berick Center for Student Advising. In addition to performing general office responsibilities, the Administrative Assistant also serves as the lead admin for sending communications to students who petition the Committee for Academic Standing and the Committee for Academic Programs.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the administrative lead for the processing of approvals for student petitions and readmissions. Works with CSA advisers to collect, process and communicate requests and decisions. Main responsibilities include maintaining spreadsheets, following up to obtain all relevant information needed, and saving records to student information systems.
• Addresses general inquiries from students, alumni, parents, campus administrators and faculty on a wide array of University policies and procedures such as academic dishonesty, graduation clearance, degree application deadlines, programming events, course and degree requirements, and referring specific advising issues to the Deans.
• Maintains undergraduate student academic records, files, and confidential materials. Responsible for database maintenance, data entry, reporting, file maintenance, mailing, copying, answering inquiries via phone and email, and dealing with concerns from students and alumni by phone and in person.
• Maintains, updates, and distributes form letters pertaining to academic policies, grade review, withdrawals/readmissions, Committee on Academic Standing (CAS) petitions, Committee on Academic Programs (CAP) petitions, Incompletes, and other administrative matters.
• Provides administrative support consisting of generating letters, memorandums and other correspondence that deal with confidential information and requires discrete handling and tact. Other administrative support items include handling confidential phone calls and messages, scheduling student appointments on Dean's calendars, updating data in the Student Information System (SIS), and interacting with various University departments and offices, as well as with individuals outside the University.
• Handles heavy telephone and walk-in visitors including students, parents, and alumni traffic in office. Addresses general inquiries and provides guidance to students on issues related to University policies and procedures, refers specific advising issues to the appropriate advising dean or other staff within the CSA. Assists with creating and maintaining proper signage in student waiting areas and around the center.
• Assists in coordinating meetings, events, and projects on an as needed basis.
• Maintains inventory for all office pantry supplies, equipment, and all CSA and academic forms, applications, brochures, etc.. Serves as a liaison between Facilities, Mail Services, and Public Safety on various maintenance, upkeep and safety issues.
• Responsible for processing reimbursements, student payments, honoraria, purchase orders, invoices, and check requests, reconciling accounts, maintaining spreadsheets, resolving problems with vendors/accounts payable, and placing orders for office supplies and materials for programming events.
• Maintains relationships with local vendors and University offices including the Office of the Dean, Office of Academic Planning and Administration, University Dining and Residence Halls, Public Safety, Student Information Services, Special Events & Programs, Undergraduate Student Life, Budget and Operations, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and other departments.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma or the equivalent required.
• Minimum three years related experience required.
• Background in student affairs, academic administration, or previous experience in a dean's office desirable.
• Computer proficiency required including Excel, Word, and Google Suite. Ability to be creative and comfortable with computer databases.
• Good analytical and mathematical skill required; excellent written, organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills essential.
• Must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and possess patience, tact, and an ability to function effectively with a broad constituency.

Preferred Qualifications

• College degree strongly preferred.
• Experience with SIS and Salesforce preferable.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.