Assistant Dean, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Affairs

Posting Expiry

 

The Graduate School at The University of Connecticut (UConn) is seeking an Assistant Dean for Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Affairs. The Graduate School enrolls approximately 7,300 graduate students each year studying fields as diverse as art history, quantum physics, sociolinguistics, environmental economics, materials science, biology, history, early childhood education, and music. In fact, we expect nearly 2,900 new graduate students from 97 different countries to join us in fall 2017. Incoming graduate students make up more than 40 percent of all new students enrolling at UConn. For additional information about The Graduate School, visit http://www.grad.uconn.edu/.

UConn has been named the t op public university in New England for over a decade and is ranked among the top public universities in the nation. As the state’s flagship institution of higher learning, we are the school of choice for academically talented students, and our graduate programs enroll students from around the world. U.S. News & World Report ranks UConn among the top 20 national public research universities.  For additional information about the University, visit http://www.uconn.edu/.

The Graduate School seeks an experienced professional with broad experience in graduate student and postdoctoral affairs who has a demonstrated ability to lead in an academic setting and is willing to start immediately.  The individual in this 12-month management-exempt position will report directly to the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School and will deliver “best in class” ser vices to the UConn community. S/he will work with the Dean of The Graduate School to develop and implement programs to support and enhance the training of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Leading and coordinating all activities of the graduate student and postdoctoral affairs division within The Graduate School;
  • Developing and leading programs to help graduate students acquire the discipline-independent knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for success in graduate study;
  • Developing and leading programs, resources, and opportunities to prepare graduate students and postdoctoral scholars for successful academic and professional careers;
  • Building an engaged and inclusive community of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars;
  • Monitoring trends in student mental health concerns and responding to individual cases of student health concerns in partnership with the Center for Mental Health Services and Dean of Students Office;
  • Providing oversight of the graduate student conduct process and supporting programming efforts to uphold community standards and promote positive relationships throughout the graduate commu nity, in partnership with the Office of Community Standards and the University Ombuds;
  • Facilitating communication with campus partners to support graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, e.g., the Dean of Students Office, Office of Community Standards, the Center for Career Development, the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships, International Student & Scholar Services;
  • Facilitating communication with off-campus partners such as local government, transportation services, and housing developments to support graduate student life and student success both on and off-campus;
  • Facilitating communication with faculty about issues surrounding the lives and career preparation of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars; Facilitating communication with faculty regarding student or postdoctoral professional development, career preparation, or student issues regarding academic standing, conduct, health, or engagement;
  • Participating in decisions that affect the grades and academic standing of graduate students;
  • Monitoring the satisfactory progress of graduate students towards completion of degree requirements and evaluating ways to improve time-to-degree;
  • Writing grants to support recruitment, retention, and training of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars; and
  • Assisting the Dean of The Graduate School and performing other duties as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

  1. Either a doctoral degree in higher education or student affairs or an advanced degree in any discipline and 3-5 years of experience in student affairs in a higher education context, e.g., program development, academic advising, career and professional development;
  2. Excellent writing and communication skills;
  3. Evidence of ability to work independently, including the ability to design and implement programs, workshops, and similar events; and
  4. Evidence of ability to interpret and apply academic and behavioral standards in a higher education context.

Preferred Qualifications:  In addition to meeting all of the minimum qualifications, the most competitive candidates will also meet one or more of the following preferred qualifications:

  1. 5-10 years of experience in student affairs in the context of graduate and postdoctoral education, with responsibilities that grow in scope and complexity over time;
  2. Demonstrated experience leading and supervising professional staff, especially in a unionized academic setting;
  3. Evidence of ability to secure external funding to support programs that support recruitment, retention, and training of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars;
  4. Evidence of ability to create new programs designed to benefit graduate students and postdoctoral scholars across a wide range of disciplines;
  5. Evidence of ability to mediate conflicts involving any combination of graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, graduate programs, and academic departments; and
  6. Demonstrated experience in crisis management, handling individual cases of student health concerns.

Appointment Terms:
This is a full-time management-exempt position. The University offers a competitive salary, outstanding benefits including employee and dependent tuition waivers at UConn, and a highly desirable work environment. Salary will be commensurate with successful candidate’s background and experience.
For additional information regarding benefits:  http://www.hr.uconn.edu/docs/enrgde.pdf.

To Apply
Please apply online at www.jobs.uconn.edu, Staff Positions. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter (including a brief summary of experience and qualifications relevant to the position), curriculum vitae, a statement of views on graduate and postdoctoral education, and the names of and contact information for three individu als willing to serve as references. Please reference Search # 2018048. Screening will begin immediately and applications received by September 1, 2017 will be assured of consideration. Employment of the successful candidate will be contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check. (Search # 2018048)

This job posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on September 10, 2017.
All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.
 

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty, and staff.  The diversity of students, faculty, and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians, and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice.  More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural, and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.