Graduate Program Coordinator and Advisor

Overview:
**Term: 18.5 months**

The Graduate Program Coordinator and Advisor enhances the quality of the graduate student experience, and is a key contributor to student success, responsible for the smooth and efficient operation of the graduate programs in a manner consistent with the unit’s goals and objectives. The scope of the position encompasses operational leadership and program management, admissions, graduate academic counselling and advising, degree progression and completion, graduate calendar changes, scholarships and funding, student communications, and serves as the primary point of contact for prospective and current graduate students during their studies. This position reports to the Administrative Manager/Officer and is also accountable to the Associate Chair/Director for Graduate Studies.

**Responsibilities**:
Graduate program administration including, but not limited to:

- Provide strategic counsel and direction to the Associate Chair/Director Grad to ensure full operation of the graduate programs in compliance with UW policies and procedures
- Provide consistent and accurate academic advice on UW policies and procedures related to graduate studies to students, faculty, and staff
- Active member of the Graduate Studies Committee as a consultant and resource, provide strong leadership and knowledgeable guidance for agenda items, optimize the effective delivery of the graduate programs, and facilitate the implementation of new programs and processes compliant with UW policies and procedures. Monitor motions through all levels of approvals. Gather background information as needed to support decision-making and graduate program initiatives
- Responsible for ensuring the UW Graduate Calendar reflects accurate information on programs, plans and courses, coordinating changes with the Associate Chair/Director Grad, Faculty of Environment office and other academic units as needed
- Advise on content for unit graduate web pages, including all unit level graduate forms, ensuring they are regularly reviewed and updated
- Provide strategic input to unit executive for course offerings, course scheduling considerations, enrolment projections, enrolment anomalies, and any other statistical reporting and general advice as needed for senior unit administrators and relevant committees
- Coordinate with the Administrative Manager/Officer all requests for adjunct appointments, cross appointments, and ADDS status for graduate student supervision and committees
- Supporting the Administrative Manager/Officer and Chair/Director with documentation and logístical support required for the Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP) and site visits. Where a program is recognized and governed by professional accreditation requirements, sourcing and providing additional records, and participation in related meetings
- Serve as graduate program representative as needed on special projects and committees

Recruitment and admissions including, but not limited to:

- Responsible for preparing Offer of Admission/Acceptance Letters for accepted applicants, ensuring correct interpretation and adherence to graduate regulations indicating financial commitments from the department/school and submission of the recommendation to the Graduate Studies Office
- Represents the unit at graduate recruitment initiatives and events and provides feedback on marketing materials
- Responsible for preparing the unit’s graduate orientation and providing incoming students with information to prepare for their programs

Academic records management and student advising including, but not limited to:

- Responsible for ongoing development and evaluation of appropriate procedures for managing admissions, enrollment, program/plan changes, grade submissions, milestone completions, graduate student annual reports, degree completion approvals, and other processes related to graduate students and program activities, including coordinating PhD comprehensive/qualifying exams and masters thesis defences
- Advise graduate students regarding course selection, exam regulations, academic deadlines, program status, deadlines and/or thesis submission and defenses
- Primary contact advising students in crisis, providing direction to resources in a confidential manner
- May require immediate action to connect students with resources or practical assistance. Maintains in-depth knowledge of university and community supports available to students for crisis management, well-being support, financial support, or other needs
- Maintain accurate academic records: initiating, collecting, and submitting time extension petitions and student progress reports, assisting with enrollment (permission numbers), verifying convocation eligibility, monitoring completion of degree requirements, and ensuring students are registered each term by government count date
- Monitors the submission of all student grades including grade revisions and keeps the Associate
- Chairs/Direc