Coordinator, Graduate Academic Affairs

George Mason University
The Office of Graduate Academic Affairs
Coordinator, Graduate Academic Affairs

The George Mason University Office of Graduate Academic Affairs, within the Volgenau School of Engineering (VSE), seeks a motivated critical thinker with outstanding judgment to work collaboratively with both the administrative offices and departments within VSE. The desired candidate should have a professional demeanor and the ability to communicate effectively, with all levels of faculty, staff, and students, through multiple communication mediums to include in-person interaction, as well as through mediums of email and telephone. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

About the Position:

This position requires an individual who is able to work independently, as well as collaboratively in a team environment. The position requires a highly nuanced understanding of individual and specific student needs, as well as a big picture understanding of the University and Schools’ mission. The Coordinator of Graduate Academic Affairs is engaged in the full breadth of academic affairs. The Coordinator reports directly to the Senior Director of Graduate Academic Affairs.

Responsibilities:

Student Success and Retention:

• Report, monitor, design and implement strategies to manage student populations in an effort to assist them in being successful;
• Assist VSE departments in devising and implementing increasingly better ways of monitoring their student populations;
• Create and cultivate an inclusive and positive community of graduate students;
• Be proactive with current student outreach by providing clear communication and diligent follow-up;
• Maintain transparency of accessible Volgenau-specific policies;
• Provide timely guidance to students, VSE program directors, and departmental administrators via email, phone, or face-to-face/Zoom communication;
• Direct administrative oversight of the students in the Information Technology (INFT) PhD program;
• Implement adverse academic actions;
• Ensure smooth degree conferral;
• Contribute to University degree celebrations.
  

Results Measurement/Data:

• Perform accurate research on topics of both strategic and tactical importance which may involve collecting, analyzing and reporting on data gathered across the Volgenau School, George Mason University, and/or other organizations through various means including, but not limited to, generating data, internet searches, phone calls, written correspondence and surveys;
• Create, update, and maintain Excel spreadsheets, charts, and PowerPoint presentations using collected data;
• Monitor and assess learning outcomes for the INFT PhD program.
  
  
  

Catalog/Curriculum:

• Manage the University catalog process for all VSE graduate-level curriculum changes;
• Track curriculum submissions;
• Assist departmental representatives with the curriculum submission process;
• Review and update Volgenau-specific narrative portions of the University catalog.
  

Admissions:

• Contribute to ideas and planned recruitment projects developed by Volgenau Graduate Admissions;
• Recruitment of undergraduate students, graduate non-degree students, and prospective students interested in the multidisciplinary PhD program in Information Technology (INFT).
• Other duties as assigned.
  

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree;
• Minimum of five years of relevant experience in a higher education student services setting with evidence of increasing responsibility;
• Experience with analyzing, synthesizing, and applying data and policies and procedures;
• Functional knowledge of FERPA;
• Ability to work with a diverse population;
• Ability to work independently and demonstrate initiative;
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills;
• Excellent computer skills and the aptitude to learn new software;
• Have outstanding personal judgment and personal integrity.
  
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in higher education;
• Minimum of two years working in graduate academic affairs;
• Direct experience with program oversight/administration; experience working with International Student populations; and experience with MicroStrategy, Salesforce/Target X, Courseleaf, and Banner.
  
  
  

Mason Engineering: The Future of Engineering is Here

The Volgenau School of Engineering at George Mason University is a fast-growing force for innovation in research and education. The school boasts more than 8,600 students in 37 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, including several first-in-the-nation offerings. Of the 250 full-time faculty who comprise the School, 90 are tenured, 50 are tenure-track, 85 are instructional faculty, and 25 are research faculty. As part of a nationally ranked research university, its research teams expended more than $60 million in sponsored research awards last year and has projects with over $400 million in current and anticipated awards. Located in the heart of Northern Virginia’s technology corridor, Mason Engineering stands out for its research in many leading areas including artificial intelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurity engineering, biomedical imaging and devices, community-based healthcare, autonomous systems, 5G communications, systems architectures, computational biomedicine, advanced materials and manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, and more. The School encourages multidisciplinary research and provides faculty with opportunities to work with other disciplines.

George Mason University is the largest public research university in Virginia, with an enrollment of over 38,000 students studying in over 200 degree programs. Mason is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. It was classified as an R1 research institution in 2016 by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutes of Higher Education. Mason is located in the City of Fairfax in Northern Virginia at the doorstep of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, with unmatched geographical access to a number of federal agencies and national laboratories. Northern Virginia is also home to one of the largest concentrations of high-tech firms in the nation, providing excellent opportunities for interaction with industry. Fairfax is consistently rated as being among the best places to live in the country and has an outstanding local public-school system.

In conjunction with Amazon’s decision to establish a second headquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degree programs in computing, and George Mason University has committed to accelerate its plans to grow its capacity in computing and high-tech fields. Among the exciting initiatives being undertaken by the university are the launch of the Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDEA), a university think tank and incubator to serve the digital economy, and the expansion of its Arlington Campus with a planned 400,000 square foot Digital InnovAtion Building. These initiatives reflect hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment by Mason that will rapidly elevate Mason’s already leading national position in computing and related areas. We also expect multiple joint faculty positions funded by Virginia’s Tech Talent Investment Program.

For full consideration, applicants must apply for position number FA22DZ at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; a cover letter, resume, a statement of what diversity and inclusion means to you (to attach as ‘Other Doc’), and a list of three professional references with contact information. The review of applications will begin January 19, 2021 and continue until the position is filled.