Graduate Admissions Advisor, Sociology

Departmental Overview The Department of Sociology is recognized for its educational and research excellence, consistently ranking among the top programs in the United States. It is a large, dynamic and diverse academic department in the Social Sciences Division of the College of Letters and Science at the University of California, Berkeley, consisting of 30 tenure-track faculty, 16 career staff, 14 visiting instructors, 18 visiting scholars, and approximately 150 ASE appointments. The Department of Sociology has approximately 650 undergraduate majors and 100 doctoral degree students. The Department of Demography is widely regarded as among the best and most creative demography programs in the world, occupying a unique niche in the population studies landscape, with a strong focus on formal demography, population theory, and on the relationship between demographic dynamics and social, cultural, and economic dynamics. The Department has 4 tenure-track faculty, 4 emerti faculty, 4 career staff, and 2 visiting instructors, 1 visiting scholar, 5 postdocs. The Department administers a Demography Ph.D., a Sociology-Demography Ph.D., a Demography M.A. degree and an undergraduate minor, and hosts the Bay Area Colloquium in Population. Position Summary The Graduate Admissions Advisor performs a wide range of student services duties and responsibilities for an academic department, school, college or organization. This position provides assistance to the dean/chair, faculty, and students in academic advising, recruitment, admissions, financial aid, visa/immigration matters, the evaluation and awarding of fellowships and block grant funds, student orientation and events, career counseling, and related programs. Responsibilities Recruitment and Admissions - 45% Develops, implements, and improves programs for graduate student outreach, recruitment, admissions, and funding support for the Department of Sociology. Working with the Graduate Diversity Office, plans and implements outreach programs; advises all prospective applicants on necessary academic preparation. Manages all administrative and financial aspects of graduate admissions for approximately 400 applicants annually. Plans, evaluates, and manages events to enhance recruitment and yield, including Recruitment Weekend. Evaluates the effectiveness of recruitment programs and provides suggestions for effective and cost-saving alternatives. Writes all instructional materials and communications regarding admissions processes, including materials for print, web, and social media. Educates the public about admissions requirements, policies, and processes. Responds to individual inquiries from prospective students regarding academic preparation, financial support availability and eligibility criteria, housing, cost of living, career opportunities, use of the online application, and other information specific to sociology and graduate study at Berkeley. Manages and maintains application systems, including the departmental section of the online graduate application and review system (SLATE). Utilizing in-depth knowledge of the organization's admissions criteria, assesses the academic preparedness of applicants, and helps rank applicants for admissions. Advises program faculty and staff on the legitimacy of international degrees, GPA equivalency, and TOEFL standards necessary for academic success. Uses professional judgment when reviewing complex or unusual applications for admission, knowing when to elevate an issue and when to act independently. Advises the admissions committee on trends in annual tuition increases and the availability of funds. Maintains accurate records regarding award offers and acceptances. Creates and updates cohort budgets, enters awards for new students, and works with the Director of Student Services and the Graduate Advisor to provide reports regarding the fiscal health of the department's financial aid package. Collects and evaluates data on financial support packages of peer institutions. Provides evaluative reports on the success of admissions and recruitment tactics, and suggestions for improving success in areas such as diversity and specialization. Financial Aid - 15% In coordination with the Director of Student Services and Graduate Advisor, oversees the administration, evaluation, and awarding of student fellowships, grants, and other awards pertaining to the Department of Sociology for incoming cohorts. Creates and maintains complex spreadsheets to project and track the funding, including the departmental multi-year fellowships and award packages. Tracks and administers a complex mix of funding that utilizes the Graduate Division block grant, department restricted awards, department endowments, and external awards. Advises students concerning campus and extramural financial aid options, fellowship opportunities, and academic student employment as GSIs, GSRs, and/or readers. Assists in troubleshooting financial aid and student fund management problems, including issues with SIS/MYF and EFT. Keeps students, faculty, and staff informed of changes in the Graduate Division, the Registrar, and Financial Aid, as well as other relevant funding and financial aid policies. Curriculum Support and ASE Management - 15% ASE Hiring/Management Advises readers and instructors on job expectations and workload issues. Hires approximately 100 readers annually via the Campus Shared Services Smartsheet and acts as liaison with Campus Shared Services HR and payroll staff. Generates all appointment letters using Employee and Labor Relations ASE offer letter templates. In conjunction with the Director of Student Services and/or the Graduate Advisor, addresses any ASE performance issues that may arise during the semester and resolves intricate student-employee issues/grievances, such as workload and leave. Oversees all reader work time reporting in CalTime/TRS, serving as staff expert, troubleshooting issues as they arise. DeCal Support Collaborates closely with the Curriculum Planner on the management of an extensive suite of DeCal courses. Updates the departmental website, elaborates on detailed requirements for constituents, and communicates with student facilitators and faculty. Establishes deadlines, reviews DeCal proposals, and submits to the Department Chair for approval. Graduate Student Placement - 10% Manages all graduate student placement services. Coordinates with each year's new Faculty Placement Chair to schedule and plan the Department's placement-related activities. Advises students on job search processes and graduate placement services. Counsels graduate students seeking faculty positions in higher education and non-academic industry positions. Recruits graduate students to assist with the Job Market Practice Talks (JMPT) program. Prepares reports on the current status and history of graduate student recruitment. Researches, collects, and verifies data related to available positions and trends in higher education. Acts as a liaison between Interfolio and graduate students who are on the job market. Provide information on how to sign up for Interfolio Dossier Deliver membership. Tracks memberships and coordinates membership payments to Interfolio. Maintains the Job Market section of the department's website and checks graduate students' profiles to make sure profiles are up to date. Events and Conferences - 10% Plans and implements complex, high-visibility Sociology events, such as the Graduate Admissions Diversity Fair, Admissions Committee Meetings, Visiting Weekend, and New Student Orientation, and assists with Commencement and Graduate Commencement Receptions. Plans, designs, and provides workshops for prospective or current students, providing information about the program, the campus, funding, academic strategies, and enrichment programs. Professional Development - 5% May supervise student workers and/or delegate to professional staff colleagues. In consultation with the Director of Student Services, identifies and implements annual professional development goals. Examples might include special projects, or participation in professional associations, special task forces, training programs or classes, or campus committees. Workshops and seminars may focus on topics such as professional skills development, planning and assessment in higher education, and the development and maintenance of expertise in various computer systems and software. Active member of the Sociology and Demography Advising Team, participating in scheduled meetings and devising team goals. Required Qualifications Working knowledge of advising and counseling techniques. Ability to interpret and convey policies and procedures to prospective, matriculated, and graduated students, faculty, staff, and the public. Ability to keep track of and communicate about multiple programs. Exceptional interpersonal skills, including demonstrated experience in multicultural competencies, and the ability to work collaboratively with other individuals or in teams; highly developed oral and written communication skills. Ability to correctly identify problems and to develop and implement original ideas for solving them. Possesses good judgment and can assess and handle non-routine situations while minimizing disruption to the general workflow. Thorough knowledge and experience working with a diverse student population. Understanding of and commitment to strategies to increase student diversity. Exceptional computer skills, including strong knowledge of Google Workspace, Microsoft Excel, Word, Drupal, FileMaker Pro, and database technology. Excellent comfort and proficiency with new technology and the ability to teach others to use it. Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy at all times. Organized and service-oriented, with the ability to remain courteous at all times, and to serve diverse populations with care and sensitivity. Skills in project management. Able to work independently and effectively to manage multiple important priorities. Ability to exercise consummate discretion regarding management of confidential student records and privileged information within the department. General working knowledge of career trajectory and placement strategy for graduate students in sociology. Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures pertaining to graduate study and professional education; thorough knowledge of university policies, procedures, processes, and requirements. Knowledge of University-specific computer application programs, such as SIS/Campus Solutions, MYF, CalCentral, SLATE, and GLOW, and knowledge of University and departmental principles and procedures involved in risk assessment and evaluating risks as to likelihood and consequences, or comparable institutional knowledge. Bachelor's degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience/training. Preferred Qualifications Working knowledge of academic advising experience at the graduate level. Thorough and comprehensive knowledge of academic programs, including curricula, admissions requirements, and financial aid programs at competing institutions. Master's degree in Student Affairs, Counseling, or related Social Science field and/or equivalent experience/training. Salary The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $64,260.00 - $75,000.00. This is an exempt, monthly-paid position. This is a part-time (30 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits. #J-18808-Ljbffr University of California, Berkeley