Graduate Assistant for Student Support, Outreach, and Assessment

Graduate Assistants are employed by the University to teach, conduct research, or assist with administrative duties in departments and non-academic units. Assignments are made to positions directly related to the student’s field of study or that provide the opportunity to develop transferable, professional skills.

About the Department

OARS collaborates with UNCG’s diverse community to ensure that all aspects of campus life are accessible. This includes the removal of barriers to access whenever possible and implementation support for reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. OARS provides the institution with resources, education, and direct services promoting equitable and inclusive access and inherent acknowledgment of disability as a part of diversity.

Responsibilities

• Student Support
  • Work with offices across campus and community resources to meet the needs of students with disabilities, including mental health concerns, learning disabilities, autism, etc.
  • Meet individually with students, actively listen to their concerns, and assist them in prioritizing and problem-solving.
  • Serve as a resource to students, faculty, staff, and others who may need assistance managing a wide range of questions and concerns.
  • Respond appropriately to confidential matters and refer to other support resources as needed.
  • Coach students on appropriate communication with faculty, staff, and other students.
  • Assist with answering questions from faculty, staff, families, students, and the community.
  • Provide outreach to students who have personal and/or academic concerns.
  • Serve with other OARS members in a rotation schedule to assist walk-in students.
  • Cross-train on assessing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.
  • Assist in facilitating accommodated testing.
• Marketing and Communications
  • Assist in the development and revision of OARS publications and manuals.
  • Maintain and further develop OARS’ social media presence.
  • Review and edit forms and webpage information.
• Outreach and Community Enhancement Initiatives
  • Plan, implement, and evaluate disabilities awareness and support programs.
  • Assist in coordinating outreach initiatives for faculty, staff, and students of the UNCG community.
  • Represent OARS at campus events such as the SOAR Expo, Rawkin’ Welcome Week, Homecoming, and other campus programs and events as needed.
  • Present on various disability-related topics, programs and services provided by OARS and other areas for classes, campus offices, and other groups upon request.
• Assessment
  • Assist the Assistant Director (AD) in creating, maintaining, and updating the departmental assessment plan.
  • Create and update surveys using Qualtrics, Microsoft and other tools to gather data.
  • Assist the AD in gathering data, interpreting results, reporting findings, and creating action plans to assess and enhance the effectiveness of OARS’ programs and services.

Schedule

The Graduate Assistant is responsible for working 20 hours per week. Although the hours are typically Monday through Friday during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., some earlier mornings, later evenings, and weekends may be required on a minimal basis during certain times of the year such as orientation, staff retreat, homecoming, or other special events and circumstances. The GA will have an assigned appointment for the period of August through May of the following year with priority to return for the following academic year based on adequate performance reviews. If the departmental budget permits, the Graduate Office Assistant may be offered the opportunity to work over the summer.

Requirements

• Maintain academic good standing at all times (3.0 GPA).
• Be enrolled full-time, which is generally a minimum of 9 credits.
• Make satisfactory progress toward your degree as defined by your academic program and the Graduate School.
• Meet the requirements to be eligible for employment in the U.S.

Skills

• Excellent time management.
• Excellent oral and written communication.
• Well-developed presentation skills.
• Strong computer and social media skills.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of people and build positive rapport with a variety of constituents.
• Ability to take initiative and meet deadlines.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Dependable with attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a team.
• Flexibility and sound judgment.
• Customer service experience and/or orientation is expected.

Work Environment

The philosophy of OARS is that graduate students deserve challenge, support, supervision, resources, professional development opportunities, and mentoring. Graduate students should enjoy their work in the fast-paced environment, feel that they are an active part of the Office, and gain a well-rounded professional experience in the field of disability services.