Administrative Assistant 1, Biological Sciences (NY HELPS)

About the role

The Administrative Assistant 1 provides comprehensive support to the Biological Sciences Department. This position manages daily office operations, coordinates course scheduling, and oversees budgets to support 12 full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty, four full-time lecturers, an Instructional Support Associate, 6–8 adjunct instructors, and 250+ students across 4 major programs.

Duties Description

• Manage general correspondence, interdepartmental administration communications, mail distribution, and office phones, directing inquiries from students, parents, and visitors.

• Create and schedule courses in coordination with Student Registration and Records Services, including creating specialized sections and assigning instructors to classes.

• Organize and secure campus space via the Event Management System for departmental events.

• Compile applicant files, communicate with candidates, coordinate interview schedules, and arrange on-campus itineraries for search committees.

• Aid in onboarding new full-time and adjunct faculty, including preparing job ads, managing the August Adjunct Group Ad, and submitting annual/semesterly appointment forms to the Dean.

• Input faculty-approved textbook orders via online system.

• Verify faculty, full-time-lecturer, and adjunct time records as authorized.

• Organize and secure department files, student records, and degree conferral checklists.

• Attend department meetings to record, transcribe, and distribute minutes.

• Submit work orders, key requests, and faculty/lab transportation requests.

• Coordinate and cooperate with the Departmental Instructional Support Associate on shared tasks.

• Monitor department budget via online processes. Order computers, phones, keys, nameplates, and special equipment as needed.

• Support faculty searches by arranging lodging, travel arrangements, and travel reimbursement.

• Utilize and reconcile office P-card consistent with purchasing guidelines to make purchases, prepare purchase orders, and process invoices.

• Process any departmental or faculty forms, including travel reimbursements and standard vouchers.

• Order and maintain sufficient stock of office supplies and forms.

• Utilize specialized databases (Banner/Argos, Room Reservation System) and Microsoft Office to input student overrides, assign advisors, compile annual reports, archive syllabi, and manage web page updates.

• Order award plates for Tri-Beta and Honors Convocation.

• Work with the Departmental Instructional Support Associate on tracking expenditures.

• Compile faculty class schedules/office hours each semester and distribute to the Dean and post in the department snapshot book.

• Assign and track student advisees to ensure equal workloads.

• Oversee copier operations, scan or photocopy course materials, and submit work orders and key requests.

• Submit Course Teacher Evaluations to students as needed.

• Request funds for professional development and travel for faculty from the Cortland College Foundation Office.

• Serve as a proxy to approve time records for faculty.

• Complete the student hiring process through the Applicant Tracking System.

• Review and approve time records via the Time and Attendance System (TAS) for student workers.

• Assign academic advisors to new students.

• Request or send student files for change of majors to/from other departments.

• Provide necessary Banner permissions for students during registration periods.

• Aid students and faculty during registration and drop/add with Banner overrides.

• Process student request forms such as course withdrawals, course exceptions, change of major, etc., as needed.

• Draft and send invitations and congratulatory letters to Honors Convocation and Tri-Beta recipients; design and print student award certificates.

• Request funds for professional development and travel for students from the Cortland College Foundation Office.

• Aid in distributing information via paper or electronic mailings to science majors throughout the academic year.

• Approve conference room requests in EMS and send confirmation emails.

• Prepare room use charts each semester and distribute to custodial staff.

Qualifications

• Experience with SUNY systems.

• Strong customer service background.

• Experience handling confidential information.

Pay

$40,391 (Trainee 1- NS equated to SG-8) $45,081 (Trainee 2- NS equated to SG-10) $47,695 (Full Performance level SG-11)

Schedule

Hours for this position are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.