Academic Program Specialist, English Department

Towson University•Towson, MD

About The Position

The Academic Program Specialist in the English Department is responsible for a wide range of administrative and support functions critical to the smooth operation of the department's undergraduate and graduate programs. This role involves meticulous record-keeping, strategic schedule-building, and comprehensive student support. The specialist will coordinate course scheduling, manage enrollment data, and maintain a syllabus repository. They will also oversee student support services, including transfer orientation, and act as a primary point of contact for program inquiries. Additionally, the role requires administering program maintenance, managing departmental communication and marketing efforts, and maintaining faculty technology inventory. This position plays a key role in supporting academic advising and ensuring the department's programs run efficiently and effectively.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
One year experience in administrative staff work.
General knowledge of and skill in the practical application of generally accepted office practices and procedures.
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Ability to proofread and edit written documents.
Skill in various computer software packages, such as word processing, spreadsheets, database and presentation programs, Internet, email, and calendaring software.
Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to interact effectively with internal and external parties in a courteous and efficient manner.
Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and execute multiple and continuing assignments with general instructions.
Except for qualifications established by law, additional related experience and formal education in which one has gained the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for full performance of the work of the job class may be substituted for the education or experience requirement on a year-for-year basis with 30 college credits being equivalent to one year of experience.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in software systems in PeopleSoft, SSC, CLSS, and Modern Campus (web editing).
Experience in Website design and marketing skills.
Familiarity or experience working in an academic department and/or familiarity with English department curriculum.
Ability to work well with multiple constituencies (e.g university staff, faculty, and students).

Responsibilities

Coordinating with the department chairperson to develop, build, and revise the course schedule for four terms each year.
Running and evaluating enrollment reports for upcoming and past semesters.
Building a syllabus repository of all classes offered each semester.
Overseeing student support and transfer orientation, requiring mastery of department curricula and knowledge of college/university curricular requirements.
Responding to general program inquiries (phone, email, in-person).
Directing concerns about courses and faculty to appropriate channels.
Evaluating and helping students resolve graduation deficiencies.
Communicating with incoming transfer students and facilitating transfer orientation sessions in summer months and January.
Supporting departmental major advisors and graduate program director in advising issues.
Managing advisee loads for departmental advisors, updating as needed when students enter and leave programs.
Administering program maintenance and development, keeping ongoing records of students entering and leaving major and updating the chairperson regularly.
Facilitating collection and organization of program assessment materials.
Gathering data on enrollment trends and program issues and organizing for chairperson review.
Managing department communication and marketing.
Maintaining and editing website content according to updates and revisions from faculty.
Creating marketing materials for department events and distributing them physically and digitally.
Designing and ordering new promotional materials for recruitment and welcoming events.
Creating promotional and informational pamphlets advertising programs in the department.
Maintaining faculty technology inventory and facilitating updating as needed.