Faculty Status Support Specialist

Position Title & Department:

 Faculty Status Support Specialist; Provost Office Posting #

4619

Department Description:

The University of San Diego, with its college and six schools, distinctive academic centers and institutes, proximity to Asia and Latin America, and commitment to Catholic traditions, offers students a unique educational experience. A USD education is characterized by academic rigor in its undergraduate and graduate programs offering transformative opportunities through student/faculty research, global experiences, community service learning and internships that develops the knowledge, values and skills needed to serve the global, civic and faith communities.

University Description:

The University of San Diego, a contemporary and engaged Roman Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Governed by an independent board of trustees since 1972, USD remains committed to a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Inspired by this centuries old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background. The future success of USD relies on the contributions of those who seek to foster the development of engaged global citizens and an earnest confrontation of humanity's urgent challenges.

Detailed Description:

The Faculty Status Support Specialist serves as the main liaison for managing faculty status matters. Proactively ensures proper tracking of all matters, streamlining processes as needed and independently resolves concerns that arise. Manages Appointment, Reappointment, Rank and Tenure (ARRT) and ARRT Faculty Appeals Duties. Provides administrative support to University Senate. Provides support for Fall Convocation. Works with the Associate Provost to organize and manage the annual New Faculty Orientation. Manages and coordinates all aspects of the University Professorship and sabbatical awards. Serves as author or editor of select Academic Affairs reports. Represents the Provost's Office professionally at meetings and events. Maintains strict confidentiality and uses tact/diplomacy on a regular basis.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Provost Office Support:

• Faculty research grants: Collects, tracks and records faculty research grant reports submitted to Provost's office by faculty.
• Updates faculty status, compensation, and position information in the HR system.
• Proactively prepares Critical Dates calendar for distribution to college/schools.
• Prepares phased retirement contracts and addendums and routes in DocuSign for signature then archives fully executed contracts. Manages phased retirement database.
• Maintains portions of the Provost website and assists when needed with additional websites.
• Trained in mass email for Senate and Provost announcements.
• Provides general office support such as covering phones, the front desk or helping provost team in someone's absence.
• Faculty Grievances: Requests names of elected panel members from deans and compiles list of members. Assists with committee selection and scheduling of meetings.
• Assists with other faculty matters and general office support as assigned.

Manages Appointment, Reappointment, Rank and Tenure (ARRT) and ARRT Faculty Appeals Processes:

• Proactively requests faculty ARRT materials from each unit for faculty under review for appointments, reappointment, tenure and/or promotion. Ensures that all areas submissions are complete and that all faculty up for review are accounted for and escalates requests as needed. 
• Liaises with the college and schools to ensure proper tracking and reconciling of individual faculty timelines and submissions. (Review periods: November and April for notification by December 15 and May 31)
• Oversees the compliance with AAUP guidelines and USD ARRT Policy.
• Provides initial review of  ARRT materials, to help identify and highlight special circumstances.
• Prepares memo from provost to president and prepares president's letters to faculty for signature, with the highest level of attention to detail to ensure accurate information is recorded.
• Receives signed ARRT letters from President's Office and distributes letters to faculty and deans prior to designated AAUP deadline dates.
• Ensures rank and tenure appointments are properly reflected in the HR management system and updated as necessary.
• Receives ARRT appeal(s) from faculty under review and performs the following functions:
  • Prepares appeal documents for review by provost and general counsel.
  • Conducts the selection of the ARRT Appeals Committee(s) from the ARRT Appeals Panel members and prepares letters of appointment to ARRT Appeals Committee.
  • When ARRT Appeals Committee(s) is finalized, schedules first meeting of committee and monitors to ensure committee continues to meet to fulfill the obligations of the appeal review.
  • Prepares ARRT appeal documents for ARRT Appeals Committee review and assists Committee for additional documentation and/or consultation with Provost and general counsel.
  • Prepares president's final letter to faculty appellant when committee has presented its recommendation.

Organizes and Manages the Annual New Faculty Orientation Sessions:

• Prepares New Faculty Orientation materials in collaboration with the Associate Provost. Obtains new full-time faculty names from Assistant VP of Academic Administration and contacts new faculty with New Faculty Orientation event information.
• Schedules planning and debriefing meetings with associate provost to discuss evaluation feedback and plan for upcoming orientation sessions.
• Organizes and manages the August orientation sessions and the on-going orientation sessions with associate provost and campus collaborators, scheduling spaces, catering, invitations, attending sessions
• Maintains and updates the New Faculty Orientation website.

Provides administrative support to the University Senate:

• Serves as the liaison for the University Senate and works with the senate chair to schedule the annual meetings. Secures venues for those meetings that might be held in person.
• Attends University Senate meetings (14 meetings per academic year) and completes minutes in a short timeframe.
• Maintains membership spreadsheets for materials distribution and calendar invitations.
• Updates the University Senate web pages to include agenda, minutes, meeting materials, meeting dates/location, Senate membership, standing and ad hoc committee membership, etc.
• Sends calendar meeting invitations and Zoom links to all participants.
• Archives University Senate meeting materials.
• May assist with other occasional administrative tasks such as mass emails, special events, surveys, faculty-wide votes, reports, etc.

Manages Sabbatical Request Process:

• Coordinates collection of sabbatical requests from college/schools. Ensures that all areas submissions are complete and include budgetary requests.  Liaises with the college and schools to ensure proper tracking.
• Prepares and maintains list of requests with deans' recommendations and requested budget for review by provost and assistant vice president.
• Provides updated lists to various departments on campus.
• Prepares sabbatical letters for president's signature.
• Gathers reports from prior year sabbaticals for archiving.

Manages and coordinates all aspects of the University Professorship awards 5%

• Coordination and follow up with deans/ deans' assistants for annual nominations.
• Managing and tracking of the University Professorship Oversight Committee membership
• Scheduling annual committee meetings
• Collecting and distributing nomination materials to the University Professorship Oversight Committee
• Preparation of awards letters and memo for president's approval
• Mass email announcement of University Professors
• Assists with preparation and support of the annual Fall Convocation, including procurement and assembly of framed certificates and general support day of event.

Special Conditions of Employment:

Effective June 1, 2023, based on CDC guidance, the University strongly encourages all campus members to stay up to date with Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination recommendations.  For more regarding information USD's COVID-19 protocols, please visit sandiego.edu/onward.

Background check:  Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes. 

Job Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required. High school diploma and two additional years of experience may be substituted for degree requirement.
• Five or more years of executive-level office experience
• Computer literate in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Thorough knowledge of office administration.
• Good working knowledge of office machines: computer, printer, fax, scanner, copier.
• Fast, accurate typing.

Performance Expectations: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Sensitivity to personalities/needs/ attitudes of faculty, administrators, students, and off campus persons.
• Excellent organizational skills. Detail oriented.
• Excellent oral and written skills to communicate in an effective and appropriate manner.
• Considerable knowledge of office procedures and methods.
• Demonstrated problem solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to manage multiply projects with changing priorities.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to work cooperatively with co-workers, supervisors, faculty, students, and other constituencies.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality; handle confidential information with tact and discretion.
• Knowledge of Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
• Knowledge of University policies, procedures, functions, reporting structures for both academic and non-academic
• Knowledge of how Provost's Office relates to each academic and non-academic University office.
• Resolve problems and exercise independent judgment when making decisions.
• Ability to use empathetic listening skills and to calm upset individuals.
• Excellent public relations skills.
• Knowledge of legal action related to immigration, contracts, and employment issues.

Posting Salary:

$29.00 - $35.00 per hour; Excellent Benefits

The University of San Diego offers a very competitive benefits package including; medical, dental, vision, a retirement contribution given to you by the University, and access to on-campus Fitness Centers.  Please visit the benefits section of our website to view all of the perks and benefits that USD has to offer.  USD: Human Resources: Benefits

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position.  Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including departmental budget.

Special Application Instructions:

Resume and Cover Letter Required

Click Apply Now to complete our online application. In addition, please upload a cover letterand resume to your application profile for the hiring managers' review.  If you have any questions or difficulties please contact the Employment Services Team at 619-260-6806, or email us at jobs@sandiego.edu

Additional Details:

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Closing date: June 13, 2023

Note: External job postings will be up for at least five days. After that time, applications will be reviewed by the hiring manager/committee throughout the posting period. A candidate may be selected at any time which could then close this posting on a date earlier than listed.

The University of San Diego is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the campus community.

The University of San Diego is a smoking and tobacco-free campus. For more information, visit www.sandiego.edu/smokefree.