Undergraduate Student Support

The Student Services team at UBC’s Department of Civil Engineering helps deliver a portfolio of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Civil Engineering. The team works closely with multiple stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, University partners, and alumni, to ensure the delivery of an exceptional student experience.

The Undergraduate Support role is primarily responsible for overseeing and proactively and independently carrying out administrative tasks to ensure the smooth operation of our undergraduate program and support our students. This role also provides senior administrative and secretarial assistance to the Associate Heads responsible for Undergraduate & Graduate programs, the Manager, Student Services, and faculty members in the department. This includes coverage of the Graduate Support role at times, requiring knowledge of UBC and departmental policies and procedures related to supporting graduate students.

Undergraduate Support provides coordination and support in the areas of exam scheduling, course & program evaluations, registration, curriculum, and classroom booking. They complete work of varied nature by exercising independent initiative and judgment, scheduling priorities, and coordinating, maintaining, and enforcing departmental policies and procedures. They provide information and advice to undergraduate and graduate students on course registration, program requirements, resources on campus, and student wellness.

Organizational Status

Reports directly to the Manager, Student Services.

Liaises with other UBC units (i.e. Enrolment Services, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Faculty of Applied Science Dean's Office, Engineering Academic Services, and external stakeholders.

Work Performed

Program Administration

• Responsible for facilitating the graduation adjudication process by coordinating with instructors to ensure grades for all fourth-year students are uploaded in a timely manner. Compiles all information needed for adjudication in the Adjudication Spreadsheet and works closely with Associate Head and Manager, Student Services to confirm which undergraduate students have met requirements for graduation each year.
• Coordinates the NSERC USRA/Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards; acting as a liaison to the Deans office, handling applications and verifying eligibility.
• Administers undergraduate awards, working closely with the Associate Head and Manager, Student Services submitting award nominations and recommendations on behalf of the department.
• Responsible for facilitating student course registration, including maintaining registration waitlists and, communicating with students regarding their course registration status.
• Restrict enrollment to upper level courses.
• Reviews and updates Degree Navigator report and other resources that allow undergraduate students to understand their degree requirements and progression through the program.
• Ensures student compliance with prerequisites and continuation requirements by tracking progress of students using Degree Navigator, identifying problems, and bringing cases of failure to meet requirements to faculty advisors for resolution.
• ·Responsible for managing student records for all undergraduate students (paper and electronic) in line with University policy.
• Assists with the ad-hoc room booking for lectures, tutorials, and midterm exams.
• Provides support for Civil Engineering student teams and their activities, including facilitating department funding of teams and clubs.
• Makes recommendations and contributes to the development of administrative processes and policies. Participates in strategic program development and unit projects, suggests new ideas for consideration and development and provides input into departmental policies.
• Documents processes & procedures, ensuring that the Undergraduate Support manual/notebook is thorough, accurate, and up to date
• Compiles reports utilizing statistics and other course and program data.

Student Advising & Engagement

• Responds to a variety of written, email, and oral inquiries of an interpretive nature
• Provides information and advice to undergraduate and graduate students on course registration, program requirements, resources on campus, and student wellness.
• Provides information and guidance to students regarding the UBC departments to be contacted for non-Civil Engineering program inquiries and Departmental and UBC policies and procedures relating to their programs.
• Directs curriculum-related inquiries to the appropriate Civil Engineering academic advisors and complex student advising to the Manager, Student Services.
• Supports the development of programming aimed at engaging Civil Engineering students with the department and enhancing their student experience.

Communications

• Acts as the primary point of contact for undergraduate students and regularly sends out key program information via email and other communication channels.
• Makes arrangements for examination invigilation and relays information to the Instructors and Teaching Assistants.
• Communicates and liaises with faculty, department staff, and UBC partners to achieve operational and administrative objectives.
• Responsible for taking and selecting photos from relevant events for use in communications and on social media.
• Performs administrative duties such as drafting correspondence, updating manuals, and ensuring that web sites are up-to-date. Supports communications staff in maintaining the department website, with a particular focus on pages relevant to undergraduate students.
• Designs and develops presentation for Engineering Open House and Imagine Day.

Collaboration with Graduate Support Staff

• Prepares appointment package for teaching assistants and markers.
• Determines teaching assistant requirements for exam invigilation duties, assigns them to courses, and ensures sufficient coverage.
• Provides coverage for critical graduate program administration tasks when colleagues in this role are away for extended periods due to vacation or illness. This includes course registration and student advising related to UBC and departmental policies and degree progression, supporting the Associate Head & Graduate Advisor, and facilitating Teaching Assistant appointments.
• Responsible for supporting the graduate program admissions process, including corresponding with prospective students, receiving and maintaining graduate application files, and preparing graduate application files for review by faculty.
• Performs other tasks related to graduate student support under the direction of the Manager, Student Services.

Event Coordination

Recruitment Events

Arranges and oversees coordination for the Department’s presence at key recruitment events such as the APSC Open House and First Year Program Fair. Works closely with the Associate Head to coordinate the following:

• Communicates with the Dean's Office to coordinate and organize: lab tours, luncheons, t-shirts and volunteers.
• Collaborates with the Manager, Communications to create recruitment materials including brochures, posters, and postcards
• Works closely with the Civil Club President to coordinate the club volunteers
• Organizes faculty schedule for assigned lab tour timeslots
• Organizes and purchases all giveaways (i.e. swag)
• Arrange for faculty and student volunteers to be available for the duration of the program fair.
• Coordinates setup and takedown of Civils’ booth.
• If necessary, prepare materials, such as program information, etc.

Vancouver Summer Program

Works with the Vancouver Summer Program (VSP) staff to coordinate the Civil Engineering department’s VSP offering

• Coordinates orientation, social events, and tours
• Provides administrative support to involved Civil faculty
• Manages the Civil booth for a mini-grad fair event
• Assists with VSP student arrivals

CIVL Undergraduate Orientation (Imagine Day)

• Works under the direction of the Manager, Student Services, with input from the Department Head and Associate Head, to prepare the agenda, logistical and other materials for the Department’s Imagine Day orientation session.
• Supports the Associate Head in planning the agenda, planning of events, managing of registration, and planning and organization of the scavenger hunt (i.e. Team selection, scavenger hunt questions, etc.). Arrange for team prizes after the day's event.

Graduation Reception

• Works closely with Manager, Student Services to organize a graduation reception for graduate and undergraduate students each May.

General Administration

• Provides senior secretarial support to the Associate Heads and Manager, Student Services, identifying and communicating high priority requests.
• Coordinates meeting times, sends invitations to faculty and staff, creates agendas, prepares meeting materials, takes minutes, and documents critical decisions. Presents information at meetings.
• Assists department staff with CEAB accreditation preparation, as needed, and supports the Department's graduate attributes & program improvement process.
• Oversees the updating of UBC Academic Calendar pages relevant to the Department of Civil Engineering
• Provides support to faculty for uploading of grades on the FSC, or assignments, lecture notes, and class announcements on the Canvas platform.
• May participate on the HSE Committee as a CUPE representative.
• Performs other duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The position requires a thorough knowledge of office procedures and regulations, software, and technology and the ability to work independently and with good judgment. The impact of poor organization or poor decision-making would be a serious matter. Errors could result in the dissemination of incorrect information. Incorrect decisions, including lack of prioritizing, may adversely affect the Department's image and delay the processing of associated work.

Supervision Received
The position reports to the Manager, Student Services. Works independently under broad supervision. Work is performed by broadly established procedures and practices requiring initiative to plan and complete recurring assignments independently. Incumbent handles most undergraduate matters independently, referring problems to appropriate faculty advisors. Receives direction from Associate Heads and faculty members on special requests and projects.

Supervision Given

Occasional supervision of project-based work learn students.

- Coordinates and schedules day-to-day work.

- Monitors performance and provides feedback to the manager.

- Provides input and makes recommendations for recruitment and selection of work learn students.

- Trains new work learn students on work procedures.

- Resolves personnel issues.

Minimum Qualifications
High School graduation, plus a two year post-secondary diploma, plus four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Training in-office procedures at an intermediate level. Experience in providing administrative assistance to senior executives.

• Intermediate computer experience required e.g. Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, UBC-SISC Student Information Service Center, UBC-FSC, Faculty Service Center, Outlook, Internet.
• Ability to exercise tact and discretion when dealing with confidential information.
• Ability to deal with a diversity of people in a calm, courteous, and effective manner.
• Ability to listen actively and attentively, and obtain clarification as required
• Ability to analyze problems, identify key information and issues, take initiative, exercise good judgment, and effectively resolve problems.
• Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail.