Political Science and Criminal Justice: Department Assistant (80%)

University of Wisconsin Stout • Eau Claire, WI

12d

About The Position

POSITION : A full-time university staff position is available in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice beginning January 26, 2026. The working title for this assignment is Department Assistant with an official title of Department Assistant I. This is an expected-to-continue assignment which requires a six-month probationary period. The expected hourly hiring salary will be based on qualifications and experience. The Program Assistant provides administrative assistance to the Department Chair, working independently on administrative assignments, examining and balancing the departmental budget, assisting with faculty recruitment, assigning advisees to department faculty, supervising one student assistant during the academic year, developing and implementing procedures to insure efficient operation of the department office, providing secretarial services for faculty, and serving as the initial contact person for students and the public. DUTIES : A. Administrative and Office Support Activities (40%) A1. Have access to mainframe computer: a) give clearance for class size overloads; b) give clearance for special permission enrollments; c) indicate variable credit information; d) change class size data; e) provide faculty with up-to-the-minute class enrollment/roster printouts when requested; f) modify students’ majors/minors, adviser assignment, degree pursued, catalog year, etc. A2. Prepare the semester class schedule online. Verify and edit semester class schedules from projected offerings sheet generated by this office. Assign classrooms for semester courses; add, cancel and change classes as deemed necessary by Department Chair. Provide recommendations on scheduling conflicts. Coordinate with the Scheduling Office any special requests for room usage. A3. Maintain accurate records of all curricular changes affecting department faculty, course offerings, and course descriptions throughout the academic year which result in completion of annual University Catalog copy/changes. A draft of copy/changes is circulated among department faculty for proofreading and to ensure copy is correct before submitting to Associate Dean. A4. Keep Department Chair apprised of course update schedule and the department’s progress in meeting its goal of submitting those completed, accurate forms to the College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee in a timely manner. A5. Initiate and process faculty requests for textbooks through Textbook Services and Duplicating Services. Maintain an accurate, up-to-date record of textbook usage. Attend meetings with University Bookstore personnel to keep abreast of current procedures and changes in ordering policies. Process faculty desk copy requests. A6. Chronicle awarding of annual Karl Andresen Scholarship Award: A7. In the event of a faculty vacancy, do complete follow-through of hiring process, B. OFFICE MANAGEMENT (30%) B1. Information coordinator for all incoming calls and walk-ins; independently identify problems and answer questions using personal judgment and both historic and current knowledge of department; transfer calls to appropriate faculty/offices. B2. Open, prioritize, and distribute departmental mail. Distribute packages to faculty. Distribute intra-office communications to faculty. B3. Send and receive email messages through Microsoft Outlook. B4. Route incoming requests for interviews from media (TV, newspapers, radio) to faculty with the appropriate expertise. B5. Maintain current, easily accessible department files. B6. Compile and distribute faculty class/office hour schedules every semester. B7. Prepare schedule cards for faculty office doors. B8. Coordinate classroom usage for faculty meetings or study sessions through the Classroom Schedule Coordinator in Registration Services. B9. Prepare and process purchase requisitions to Central Stores and outside vendors. B10. Manage the use of mainframe bridge system. Teach select student assistants the proper use of system. Attend workshops to keep updated on new and existing uses of computer and software programs. B11. Order all supplies and permanent property for department. Record receipt of materials and process necessary reports to keep Business Office informed of status of purchases. Determine what supplies can be ordered when budget is low. B12. Contact Facilities Management staff for necessary repairs and process work requests. B13. Send letter and appropriate fact sheets to prospective high school students interested in majoring in political science, legal studies, world politics, pre-law, political science education, or criminal justice. B14. Orient new faculty and academic staff to departmental procedures. B15. Assemble student evaluation packets each semester for faculty members. Type written comments submitted for non-tenured faculty members. Distribute evaluation results to respective faculty members, Department Chair, and Chair of the Department Personnel Committee. B16. Process all independent/directed studies and internship forms. Enter permissions/overloads/number of credits online. B17. Maintain a record of projected course offerings which is made available to faculty and used to advise students with regard to planning future enrollment. B18. Initiate and maintain fact sheets on the different political science disciplines. B19. Attend informational registration meetings to keep abreast of changes in registration procedures. B20. Inform classes when faculty are absent and advise Department Chair. C. BUDGET (20%) C1. Make budget decisions and project future budget needs. Project expenditures and assist in formulation of requests for permanent property, capital purchases, and supplies. Examine and balance department’s budget and generate transfers within budget categories. C2. Periodically discuss with Department Chair any budget category shortfalls or concerns. C3. Advise Department Chair on large dollar purchases to be made by department. C4. Generate transfers to other on-campus departments to help defray costs of speakers, workshops, etc. C5. Manage the department charge card system. Make decisions regarding use of the charge card and when it is appropriate. Record credit card purchases on log sheets; supply receipts; forward log sheets to Purchasing Office. C6. Review allocation remaining in student assistant budget account and project future hours needed for student help. D. STUDENT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES (10%) D1. Screen applications for departmental student assistant positions, make recommendations, and, subsequently, hire students. Supervise student assistants, maintain an even work flow, and provide advice for difficult problems of a clerical nature. Maintain records and verify student time sheets. D2. File on-line eligibility forms and determine if student has tax forms and I-9 forms filed in Student Payroll Office. Work with Financial Aids and Student Payroll during employment of student. D3. File non-hourly student employment eligibility forms for differential tuition grant projects. Determine if student has tax forms and I-9 forms filed in Student Payroll Office. D4. Determine pay rate for student assistants based upon their job description. D5. Coordinate student mentors’ office hours and schedule classroom usage through the Classroom Schedule Coordinator in Registration Services for exam study sessions.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates projects and program components including, scheduling and logistics, unit workflow, and identifies areas for process improvements
• Identifies, troubleshoots, and resolves problems regarding technical systems and programs related to department operations
• Monitors the department, unit or program budget and expenses, and may assist in the development of program budget and projections
• May provide operational guidance and training on day-to-day activities of student workers and program staff
• Serves as a primary point of contact for the department
• Develops, implements, and maintains methods and organizational systems directed at the maintenance of electronic/physical records related to department operations according to established policies and procedures

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees