Working Title: Graduate Student Enrollment and Experience Specialist
Classification Title: SSP III
Posting Details
Priority Application Date: Tuesday, November 7th @ 11:55pm PST (Posting will remain open until filled)
Position Summary
Under the general guidance of the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, and the direct direction of the Director of Graduate Studies, the Graduate Student Enrollment and Engagement Specialist (GSEES) is responsible for coordination, planning, and integration of numerous variables that impact admissions, registration, enrollment, and graduate student services. This includes collaboration with many faculty, staff, and administrators (e.g., Academic Chairs, Graduate Coordinators, and Graduate Program Assistants) to bring together the information and resources needed to strategically plan and provide academic preparation resources, graduate application assistance, enrollment projections, and student support opportunities that meet student admissions, enrollment, and academic needs. In addition to offering workshops, planning events, and providing resources to actively support students' admissions and timely progress to degree, the GSEES performs a variety of complex and/ or sensitive professional student service work from preadmission to the university through graduate degree completion. This work includes analysis of needs, considerable advisement of policy and eligibility requirements and the use of planning, interviewing, and counseling techniques. Assignments require the application of a high degree of judgment, persuasiveness, imagination and professional skills and knowledge in graduate education, as well as a general understanding of the interrelationships and need for coordinated action to develop integrated solutions crossing organizational lines. When appropriate, the GSEES develops approaches for possible implementation that meet specific program needs.
The purpose of this work is to assist students in understanding the graduate admissions process, framing the graduate student lifecycle, making timely progress toward their degree objectives; to provide learning experiences that supplement those in the classroom; and to assist and encourage students to utilize effectively the knowledge, skills and abilities learned during their university careers.
The Graduate Student Enrollment and Engagement Specialist (GSEES) participates as a member of the Graduate Studies Enrollment Planning Team responsible for increasing graduate admissions yield rates, identifying opportunities to remove administrative barriers from the admissions and degree services processes, reduce delays in the culminating experience process, increase timely degree completion rates, reduce 5-year and 7-year cancellation rates, and provide an overall positive and engaging graduate student enrollment experience.
The GSEES is expected to take a leadership role in coordinating the collective work of the Graduate Studies Enrollment Planning Team. As a member of this team, the GSEES is responsible for implementing programs (e.g., Prospect+, Grad Hornet Success Program), collaborating with other student support programs (e.g., GPA, Career Center) and using related technologies and tools that support planning and decision-making and lead to a positive graduate student enrollment experience.
Work also includes analyzing enrollment data, employing strategies to increase admissions yields, reviewing policies, and making recommendations on procedures, assisting administrators with graduate enrollment management objectives, implementing student equity enrollment processes, and coordinating graduate admissions and enrollment projects. The incumbent will also assist with other Graduate Studies processes and critical projects.
The GSEES will participate in strategic planning, serve on the student enrollment team, convene and chair an annual "Grad Hornet Success Team" to plan for future semester enrollment and workshop scheduling; identify graduate students' needs; and lead project teams to promote graduate student engagement and success.
The Graduate Student Enrollment and Engagement Specialist (GSEES) works with the academic departments to collaborate with faculty to identify and develop academic plans that will help students persist through degree completion with a graduate degree. The GSEES runs graduate admissions and advising-related reports and analyzes data in conjunction with the Associate Dean and the Director of Graduate Studies, and designated graduate coordinators and faculty advisors to determine recruitment strategies, enrollment demand, and targeted intervention strategies to increase enrollment and student success metrics.
Additionally, the incumbent partners/supports graduate coordinators in advising graduate students on the university degree milestones, and creating opportunities for students in the University to efficiently plan for the culminating experience and decrease time to degree. The incumbent requires considerable administrative planning to develop creative solutions that integrate approaches across organizational lines. The GSEES is also responsible for recognizing specific graduate student needs and for collaborating with units across campus to develop opportunities to improve the graduate student experience and develop approaches for implementation for graduate student engagement and success.
FLSA: Exempt (Not eligible for overtime compensation)
Recruitment Type: Regular (Probationary)
Work Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm; Monday through Friday, occasional evening and weekend hours, as needed.
The Graduate Student Enrollment and Engagement unit at Sacramento State are designed to support the holistic and academic development of all students, including those from underserved and represented communities.
https://www.csus.edu/graduate-studies/
Knowledge and Abilities:
The following knowledge and abilities as well as those listed at the lower levels in the Student Services Professional series are required for appointment into this classification.
Thorough knowledge of the principles of individual and group behavior. General knowledge of the principles, practices and trends of the Student Services field as well as general knowledge of the policies, procedures and practices of the program area to which assigned; general knowledge of individual counseling techniques; general knowledge, or the ability to rapidly acquire such knowledge, of the organizational procedures and activities of the specific campus to which the position is assigned. Working knowledge of student services programs outside the program to which immediately assigned.
Ability to analyze complex situations accurately and adopt effective courses of action; advise students individually and in groups on complex student-related matters; determine appropriate courses of action and proper techniques to utilize while engaged with individuals in personal interactions of an argumentative or sensitive nature; interpret and evaluate descriptions and explanations of problems brought forward by individuals or student organizations, analyze and define the problem, draw valid conclusions and project consequences of various alternative courses of action; carry out a variety of professionally complex assignments without detailed instructions; and establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with a variety of individuals.
Experience:
Possession of these knowledge and abilities is typically demonstrated through the equivalent of three years of progressively responsible professional student services work experience. One year in the program area to which assigned may be preferred but is not required.
A master’s degree in Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or a directly related field may be substituted for one year of experience. A doctorate degree and the appropriate internship or clinical training in counseling or guidance may be substituted for the three years of experience for positions with a major responsibility for professional career or personal counseling.
Education:
Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in a related field, including or supplemented by upper division or graduate course work in counseling techniques, interviewing, and conflict resolution where such are job-related.
1. University student services experience (e.g., advising, admissions, student programming or development)
2. Experience working with students from various ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds
3. Ability to independently prioritize, plan, and organize work in a fast-paced environment
4. Exceptional interpersonal skills; including understanding the roles and responsibilities of others, gauging relationships accordingly, developing effective and harmonious working relationships in a diverse community, and maintaining composure and professionalism in stressful and often challenging situations.
5. Excellent verbal and written communication skills utilizing multiple modalities and a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a diverse environment
6. Exceptional time management, project management, and organizational skills.
7. Ability to provide direct programs and/or services to a diverse student population
8. Ability to compile, prepare, write, and review reports
9. Ability to design and generate tracking and monitoring tools
10. Strong program assessment skills with the ability to plan and organize the development of outcomes and execute the process to measure outcomes
11. Proficiency using standard office software packages (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite)
12. Familiarity working with school-based record/data systems/software (example: PeopleSoft)
13. Ability to understand, interpret, analyze, and apply complex rules, regulations, and procedures
14. Ability to understand and analyze the nature of problems presented by constituents, present solutions, and project the consequences of alternative courses of action
15. Ability to independently carry out complex assignments without detailed instructions
16. Experience preparing and delivering presentations for small and large groups consisting of students, staff, faculty, and/or administrators.
17. Experience providing effective and in-depth advising to a widely diverse population in a public setting, for a wide range of situations and circumstances; individually as well as in small and large group settings.
18. Demonstrated ability to serve in a leadership role.
19. Experience providing lead work direction to plan, coordinate, and initiate actions necessary to implement administrative or group decisions or recommendations.
20. Demonstrated ability to act independently and effectively to resolve student issues and/or concerns.
21. Experience analyzing and defining complex organizational, policy or procedural problems.
22. Experience collecting and evaluating data, drawing valid conclusions, and predicting consequences of various alternative courses of action.
23. Demonstrated ability to independently plan, coordinate and implement solutions, effectively prioritize workload, provide timely and thorough follow-up, and meet priority deadlines.
24. Knowledge of cyclical student service areas’ process milestones; such as admissions, enrollment and graduate degree services timelines, financial aid deadlines, student financial services due dates, graduate advising peak periods, and curriculum cycles and deadlines.
25. Commitment to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive work environment with diverse colleagues and constituents including faculty, students, staff, and members of the community.
26. Occasional travel may be required
27. Experience working with students considered to be “at promise”
28. Master's degree in Educational Leadership, College Student Personnel, Educational Counseling, or related field
29. Experience with or a general understanding of program coordination
30. Experience using a Customer Resource Management (CRM) system or possessing a general understanding of the CRM concepts
31. Experience using a Common Management System or Student Information System (such as PeopleSoft/ Oracle) and Imaging and/or Document Management Systems (such as OnBase).
32. Advanced experiences in Microsoft Excel.
33. Experience working with students returning to an educational setting or engaged in study at the graduate level
34. Knowledge of Graduate Education in the California State University system
35. Understanding of Sacramento State program and degree requirements.
36. Ability to accommodate a flexible work schedule that may include occasional evening or weekend work hours
Documents Needed to Apply
Resume, cover letter, and diversity statement.
Diversity Statement Prompt:
At Sacramento State, we strive to embrace each other’s strengths and differences and work collaboratively upon principles of cultural humility and respect for all to create an atmosphere in which a sense of belonging within our community can flourish.
We are committed to fostering in all of our members a sense of inclusiveness by providing equal access to educational opportunities and a welcoming environment. We are looking for applicants who can help us enhance our community of inclusion and belonging which includes respect for others and an openness to differing perspectives and identities.
Provide a diversity statement. In your statement, please incorporate your response to the following questions: How have you incorporated equity, diversity, and/or inclusion into your current or a previous position, and how do you envision diversity and inclusion playing a role in this position? (Please explain your answer in a minimum of at least one paragraph.)
Failure to upload required documentation may result in disqualification.
About Sacramento State
Sacramento State is located in the heart of California’s capital city, five miles from State Capitol. The lush, 300-acre campus is situated along the American River, close to numerous bike trails and other recreational areas. Sacramento, also known as the “Farm-to-Fork Capital,” is one of the most ethnically diverse and livable cities in the country, with a population of half of a million. Sacramento State is a Hispanic and AANAPISI serving institution with about 31,000 students coming not only from the Greater Sacramento Region, but also from across the state, country, and world. Our 1,800 faculty and 1,500 staff are committed to meeting our mission:
“As California’s capital university, we transform lives by preparing students to lead, serve, and succeed. Sacramento State will be a welcoming, caring, and inclusive leader in education, innovation, and engagement.” As the regional hub of higher education, Sacramento State is dedicated to learning and student success; teaching, research, scholarship and creative activity; justice, diversity, equity and inclusion; resource development and sustainability; dedicated community engagement, and wellness and safety.
As evidenced by the values embedded in our Hornet Honor Code, Sacramento State is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all faculty, staff, students, and guests are welcome and valued. Our commitment is more than simply ensuring that our campus is free from bias and discrimination, but is one devoted to celebrating many diverse identities, life experiences, and perspectives that enrich our community, teaching and learning.
To learn more about why you should join the Hornet Family, please visit the Why Sac State? page.
Equal Employment Opportunity
California State University, Sacramento is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. Sacramento State hires only those individuals who are lawfully authorized to accept employment in the United States.
It is the policy of California State University, Sacramento to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. If you need a disability related reasonable accommodation as part of the application and/or interviewing process, visit https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/human-resources/benefits/reasonable-accomodation.html.
The University is committed to creating an education and working environment free from discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. For more information on mandatory training for new employees, visit https://www.csus.edu/administration-business-affairs/human-resources/learning-development/csu-learn.html.
Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act and Campus Fire Safety Right-To-know Act Notification:
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the current Annual Security Report (ASR) is available for viewing at https://www.csus.edu/clery.
The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and sexual assault prevention information, and drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery Act crimes for Sacramento State for the last three (3) calendar years. Paper copies are available upon request at the Police Service Center located in the University Union.
Background Check Disclaimer
A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with California State University, Sacramento. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current California State University, Sacramento employees who apply for the position.
COVID19 Vaccination Policy
Effective May 2023, per the CSU COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, it is strongly recommended that all California State University, Sacramento employees who are accessing office and campus facilities follow COVID-19 vaccine recommendations adopted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) applicable to their age, medical condition, and other relevant indications.
Out of State Employment
Per CSU-wide policy (HR2021-04), all faculty who will begin initial employment (or return from a 12-month break in service) on or after January 1, 2022 are required to perform their work from within the State of California. Faculty hired prior to January 1, 2022 must be available to perform work in the State of California if their assignment is in-person.
Eligibility Verification
Candidate will be required to provide official transcripts of their highest degree earned and must furnish proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. California State University, Sacramento is a sponsoring agency ( ie. H-1-B Visa).
Note to Applicants:
Possession of the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview unless required by collective bargaining agreement.