Department Assistant - Art and Design

Department Assistant - Art and Design

The Department of Art and Design in the College of Arts and Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater seeks a Department Assistant (AD085).

This Department Assistant will coordinate the Art and Design Department office and facilities; provide administrative and program support to the chair and faculty of the Department in the administrative, instructional, and professional activities of the department; assist students. Work hours are Monday through Friday, 7:45a.m. 4:30 p.m.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Serve as Office Manager for the Department of Art and Design
• Assist department faculty/staff, students, and visitors
• Potential to hire, train, schedule and evaluate student employees
• Help to welcome and support new faculty, staff, and adjunct staff
• Monitor faculty office hours to effectively transfer telephone calls and relay messages
• Oversee maintenance of department records, including confidential faculty personnel files, applications for positions, student records, etc.
• Order office supplies when needed or requested
• Ensure all internal contact lists are up-to-date
• Surplus unusable items and do work orders as needed for all office spaces in the department
• Provide general information concerning Department programs and classes to students and prospective students
• Correspond to emails and maintain the department email account
• Attend training seminars on an ongoing basis to become more knowledgeable of University procedures
• Coordinate faculty/instructors to submit their syllabi each semester
• Maintain office appearance to keep organized and clean
• Support chair and faculty/staff by properly using and submitting standard university forms
• Sorting department and faculty/staff mail and placing mail into individual mailboxes, assisting faculty/staff with postage and mailings, and related support
• Perform programmatic tasks requiring considerable initiative, judgement, and discretion
• Assist students needing help registering for a class. Assistance includes, but is not limited to, helping with: late add/late drop requests, major minor forms, grade change, removing holds, and giving students permission to enroll in a class authorized by advisors
• Collaborate with other departments so that the Art and Design Department participates in mutually supportive and mutually beneficial activities
• Execute problem-solving practices to allow for seamless department operations on an ongoing basis
• Provide related tasks as needed and as directed by Department Chair

Provide Administrative Support to the Department Chair and Faculty/Staff

• Help coordinate schedule for department committee meetings and share meeting invitations via MS Outlook calendar invitations
• Screen calls, visitors, and requests for the department
• Compile information for use in departmental reports
• Research and assist in preparation for specific projects before deadlines
• Draft correspondences, minutes, memos, notices, announcements, and any other needed communication on behalf of the Department Chair and send to the department faculty/staff
• Coordinate postings of public announcements
• Keep a list of faculty/adjunct staff and their teaching loads and qualifications
• Help coordinate all department events, functions, and activities, including attend department meetings and record minutes as advised by department chair
• Coordinate postings of announcements, agendas, and minutes for department meetings as well as postings related to the Dept.'s program Milestones, Academic Advising, and/or in support of other processes and initiatives
• Coordinate room reservations for department faculty/staff meetings
• Communicate with Department Chair to meet deadlines
• Coordinate requests and management for special course fees
• Support the hiring process for staff, faculty, and adjunct instructors. Oversee related travel arrangements, including flights, lodging, and transportation
• Coordinate the assignment of students to advisors. Monitor the student advisor list to make sure it's adequate
• Assist search and screen committees with room scheduling, itinerary, and help with candidates' TERs. Follow the UW System policies
• Provide support for special events, camps, conferences, and classes
• Complete change of status requests for faculty/instructors
• Request class climate evaluations for faculty/instructors. Serve as the contact person to ensure online course evaluations are distributed correctly for faculty/staff Receive and save online evaluation results in the Department T Drive
• Complete hire contracts for adjuncts, instructors, and split-appointment staff
• Use UW-Whitewater resources to support job functions
• Complete other tasks to support faculty, staff, and students and as directed by Department Chair
• Semester/term Schedule of Classes coordination with College and Registrar in WINS

Management of the Departmental Budget and Related Financial Records

• Maintain and reconcile the department's budget including services and supplies, and wages within applicable online interfaces
• Prepare budget summaries, project remaining expenses and make cost projections based on researching past budgets/costs for department
• Prepare and maintain documentation on an ongoing basis for all purchases during fiscal year
• Monitor usage of supplies needed
• Check invoices and chargeback statements to make sure they appear within applicable online interfaces
• Follow all regulations using visa procurement cards
• Monitor funds going in the correct org accounts
• Maintain knowledge of and follow all campus policies to best benefit the department
• Process reimbursement of expenses, work orders, and transfers of expenses

Department: Art and Design

Compensation: Well-qualified candidates can expect a starting hourly rate of $20/hr.

UW System employees receive an excellent benefit package. To learn more about the UW System's comprehensive benefit package, review the UW System Employee Benefits Brochure.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma
• 1 year of administrative assistant or related experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc)
• Proficiency in quickly learning and properly utilizing current and/or new software/online interfaces respective to University, College and/or Dept. implementations and/or transitions

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Willingness and ability to be an active participant in the following applicable safety rules and regulations including necessary training, drills, etc.
• Ability to manage workday situations bringing about considerable multitasking needs in serving students, staff, faculty, visitors, etc.
• Ability to interact respectfully with people from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic background
• Clear, effective, and respectful communication skills across written (email, etc.), voiced (phone, videoconference) and in-person modalities

How to Apply:

Applications received by June 3, 2026 are ensured full consideration. The most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.

Only complete application packages will be considered. This includes online submission of the following documents:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Name and contact information for three professional references

Contact Information:

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Becky Smith

Administrative Assistant II

View phone number on click.appcast.io

View email address on click.appcast.io

If you have questions regarding this recruitment or if you are unable to complete the application online due to a disability or system problem, please contact us at View phone number on click.appcast.io or View email address on click.appcast.io.

Campus Information:

UW-Whitewater is a thriving public university located in southeastern Wisconsin. It leads the way in providing world-class, affordable higher education programs to more students than neighboring regional comprehensives in the University of Wisconsin System. A collaborative team of 1,300 faculty and staff are devoted to the success of the university's 11,500 students at its