Graduate Assistantship Position

Position Description

Position Title: Graduate Assistant for Parent & Family Programming

Reports to: Allyson Rafanello (Assistant Vice President & Dean of Students) allyson.rafanello@uni.edu – 319-273-7153

General Terms of Employment:

• For the fall semester: 10 hours per week, beginning August 26, 2024 and ending December 20, 2024. Does not include the week of Thanksgiving Break.
• For the spring semester: 10 hours per week, beginning January 21, 2025 and ending May 16, 2025. Does not include the week of Spring Break. 

Compensation:

• Half time (10 hrs/week) assistantship stipend for 2023-2024 is per $3000.00 per semester. 
• Salary will be prorated on a weekly basis for a late start.
• Graduate Assistants may qualify for in-state tuition and fees.
• Graduate Assistants receive University holidays and do not work during Thanksgiving Break, Spring Break, or the interims between semesters. 
• Professional development opportunities are supported, but the degree of support is determined by the availability of funds. 
• For more information on the Graduate Assistantship System and procedures:  https://grad.uni.edu/funding.

Background Information:

The Office of the Dean of Students serves as a central hub for questions and concerns related to student support across campus. Dean of Students staff have responsibility for Student Care, the administration of the Student Conduct process, Student Accessibility Services and leading Parents & Families efforts across campus. This graduate assistant position will work directly with the leadership of Parent & Family efforts, including but not limited to: (1) Family Weekend, (2) Parent & Families communication, (3) social media development and execution for this population, (4) the development and execution of additional programming focused on increasing family awareness of supports for students to support student success and retention of students and (5) collaborative work with Division leadership on social media engagement.

Position Description: 

• Assist in facilitating Family Weekend, including serving on planning teams and providing on-site leadership through out the actual weekend.
• Engage with campus partners to gather information to create content for the web and social media that will provide information and resources to parents, family members, and supporters of students that will in turn support the success and retention of our students.
• Lead the development and execution of monthly communication to parents and family members.
• Assess the interests and needs of parents, family members, and students in additional opportunities for engagement with each other and the UNI campus community during times of the year other than Family Weekend.
• Works collaboratively with the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President on division wide social media engagement.

Qualifications:  

• Must be a full-time, degree-seeking student in a UNI residential graduate program, preference may be given to applicants in the Postsecondary Education and Communication programs.
• Must be enrolled in 9 qualifying graduate credits each semester of assistantship. 
• Maintain a UNI cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.00.  A newly admitted graduate student must have at least a 2.75 GPA for undergraduate or previous graduate work of at least 8 graded credit hours.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and organization skills.
• Demonstrated ability to be self-motivated and to conduct oneself in a highly professional and ethical manner.
• Preferred candidates will be comfortable using various forms of technology, updating websites and proficient with Microsoft Office Suites.

Deadline:

• Students applying for the Postsecondary Education: Student Affairs program, you are required to submit your personal statement: Resume, cover letter, and the Application for Graduate Assistantship to Dr. David Schmid (david.schmid@uni.edu).
• Students applying to other graduate programs (counseling, social work, or related field) should complete the application form for a Graduate Assistantship (found at https://grad.uni.edu/funding/application-graduate-assistantship), then email your completed application, your resume and cover letter to Allyson Rafanello (allyson.rafanello@uni.edu).

Anticipated position for 2024-2025

UNI actively seeks to enhance diversity and is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The University encourages applications from persons of color, women, individuals living with disabilities, and protected veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, creed, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal and/or state law.

Position Description 

Position Title: Graduate Assistant for Student Accessibility Services

Reports to:     Tiffany Dodd ( Assistant Dean of Students - Student Accessibility Services)
tiffany.dodd@uni.edu - 319-273-2332

General Terms of Employment:

• For the Fall semester 10 hours per week, beginning August 26, 2024 and ending December 20, 2024. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.
• For the Spring semester 10 hours per week, beginning January 21, 2025 and ending May 16, 2025. These dates might vary upon approval of the academic calendar.

Compensation:

• Graduate Assistantship stipend is $3,000.00 for half-time per semester and may be prorated depending on start date.
• Graduate Assistants and their spouses may qualify for in-state tuition.
• Graduate Assistants may receive University holidays and do not work during the interims between semesters.
• For more information regarding Graduate Assistantship procedures review https://grad.uni.edu/funding.

Background Information: 

The role of Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is to coordinate services and accommodations for students with disabilities. In doing so, we review disability documentation, meet with students to determine appropriate accommodations, and work with other areas on campus to implement the accommodations. 

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) views disabilities as a naturally occurring aspect of humanity’s diversity and as an integral part of the University community and the greater community at large.  SAS strives to work collaboratively with students, faculty, and staff to provide an equitable, accessible, and inclusive educational experience for all students.

Primary Responsibilities:

• This position will entail three primary components including working individually with students to provide skills-based education, provide solution-focused problem solving, support and develop executive functioning skills, provide campus and community resources and assist with the disbursement and training of assistive technology provided through Student Accessibility Services.
• This position will also support the Student Accessibility Services Testing Center as a reader/scribe for students with disabilities.  Readers and scribes verbally read tests aloud to students and/or type student responses to test questions as indicated in their accommodations letter.  This portion of the position is based on the needs of students but would fall within the 8:00am-4:30pm workday with the possible exception of midterms and finals week.
• This position will also assist in the implementation of alternative text for students which entails navigating specific online resources to obtain digital textbooks and placing them in the screenreader software, Kurzweil.  This portion of the position may also work to obtain braille materials, enlarged materials, or other alternative text.
• In addition to the three areas mentioned above, there may be other duties as assigned.  Specific information related to expectations for customer service, confidentiality, attitude, communication, and teamwork is provided through training and the onboarding process.

General Qualifications:

• Must be a full-time, degree-seeking student in a UNI's residential graduate program. 
• Be regularly admitted without provisions to degree status in a graduate degree program.  
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. First semester graduate students must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75.
• Have an official transcript on file in the Office of Admissions and be fully declared in their graduate major.
• Must meet UNI's HRS employment eligibility.

Application Process and Deadline:

To apply, submit the Assistantship application form. Attach: resume and a cover letter. Direct your application to Tiffany Dodd (tiffany.dodd@uni.edu).

 Anticipated position for 2024-2025

UNI is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The University encourages applications from persons of color, women, individuals living with disabilities, and protected veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, creed, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal and/or state law.