Graduation Specialist

Towson University•Towson, MD

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is responsible for managing the graduation process for students, ensuring a high level of customer service and accuracy. The role involves counseling students on degree progress, resolving issues preventing degree completion, and utilizing technology to manage applications, communication, and clearance processes. The Graduation Specialist will also collaborate with various departments and staff on diploma ordering, document preparation, and commencement-related activities. The position requires independent decision-making and recommendations for process improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
Two years of experience in administrative staff work
Elementary knowledge of reference and research methods and techniques used in collecting, compiling, and organizing data and information.
Elementary knowledge of basic methods and techniques used in organizing and conducting studies and analyses or programs, procedures, and organizations.
Elementary knowledge of basic analytical and statistical principles and techniques.
Skill in the use of office automation software and its application.
Skill in operating manual and automated office equipment.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
Ability to present ideas and information clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.
Ability to perform mathematical computations.
Ability to present statistical material in chart and graph form.
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

Experience working in higher education institutions
Proficiency in PeopleSoft
Proficiency in Perceptive Content
Proficiency in Parchment
Proficiency in Salesforce
Proficiency in Tassel

Responsibilities

Maintain a high level of customer service in all interactions with stakeholders through the graduation process.
Review and make judgments on complex issues for students and academic departments as related to Academic Requirements.
Counsel undergraduate students on their progress toward the degree.
Work with students, faculty, and staff individually to resolve issues preventing degree completion.
Manage the Graduation Office phone line and email inbox, responding to or redirecting all correspondence in a timely manner.
Utilize PeopleSoft for application, communication, clearance, and deficiency processes, including queries, batch transcripts, and academic requirements reports.
Review the deficiency report to clear and deny students for graduation, adjusting student records in PeopleSoft and processing course exceptions.
Generate mass emails to specific student groups regarding graduation using PeopleSoft queries.
Collaborate on the diploma ordering process, including replacement orders and large end-of-term orders.
Co-coordinate the preparation of notarized documents with other Registrar’s Office staff.
Co-manage the diploma hold process to ensure students with cleared financial holds receive their diplomas.
Collaborate with academic chairs and advisors to facilitate the graduation clearance process.
Provide support, advice, and information to academic departments.
Assist with the posting of student degrees, honors, education certification statements, and Honors College notations.
Facilitate the distribution of timely correspondence to students during critical semester times using mail merge.
Image, retrieve, and archive documents using Perceptive Content and the mail merge printer.
Maintain communication with the Commencement Office regarding updates to the graduation process.
Handle student and parent commencement-related questions.
Serve as a representative of the Registrar’s Office and lead commencement volunteers for ceremony day events.
Serve as backup to the Assistant Director for transmission of student data to the commencement registration website.
Handle special projects as assigned by the Associate Registrar and Assistant Director.
Assist with proofing the commencement program.
Make independent decisions and judgments in the Assistant Director's absence.
Make recommendations to the Assistant Director and Associate Registrar on graduation process improvement.