Faculty/Staff Daily Digest

The Learning Community office is seeking a Graduate Assistant to work on the EcoHouse leadership team, an environmentally-focused Learning Community that engages first- and second-year undergraduate students. Individuals in an environmental program of study, or with relevant experience, will be prioritized in consideration. Please view job description and application instructions below.

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2019-20 Learning Community Graduate Assistant Job Description

The Office of First Year Programs and Learning Communities (FYP&LC) supports Graduate Assistant positions to provide undergraduate enrichment/administrative support for interdisciplinary Learning Communities. LC Graduate Assistants serve under the direction of a Faculty Director and in collaboration with First Year Programs & Learning Communities as part of a support team ensuring each student gets the most out of their experience.

Learning Communities are a proven pedagogy that can provide intentionality and integration amongst undergraduate students’ curricular, co-curricular and residential experiences. They become a foundation for a creative and holistic approach to education. They help first-year students in their transition to college and encourage all students to become engaged on campus; they enable students to have regular one-on-one or small group interaction with faculty, advisors, staff, and peer mentors; they emphasize undergraduate research and experiential learning and they develop intentionality and interdisciplinary habits of mind that encourage students to become life-long learners. Each Learning Community has unique attributes and traditions that develop based on its theme.

Essential Duties:

1. Plan, implement, manage and evaluate Learning Community events, activities, and field trips, including all related procedures, budgeting, scheduling, marketing, and recruitment, including developing ways to introduce and engage students in using the Learning Community Innovation Zone (LCIZ) makerspace; assuming greater responsibility until LC students become proficient in programming and organizational skills
2. May instruct, co-instruct, or support credit bearing FYE (first year experience, UNIV 1810), service-learning (UNIV 1840), and/or sophomore seminars (typically UNIV 3820); assist in the development of curriculum; plan and implement class activities; supervise group projects, and assess student learning
3. Required to hold office hours weekly throughout the Fall and Spring semesters within the Learning Community’s Residence Hall; advise and mentor every student member utilizing individual and group strategies
4. Provide advisement to Learning Community student groups/committees; set individual and group performance standards; manage work-flow; evaluate individual and group performance, and provide regular oversight and feedback
5. Assist in the development of Learning Community marketing and public relations efforts; ensure that all print and electronic materials are professional in appearance, current and accurate; organize and deliver individual and group presentations; write articles for university and/or program newsletters, blogs, websites, etc.
6. Act as a liaison between the Learning Community, key students, faculty, and staff stakeholders from across the university; send periodic updates, coordinate meetings as needed, and give public presentations as needed
7. Connect students with relevant faculty, programs, and events occurring across campus, encouraging engagement and student professional and personal development
8. Communicate regularly with LC Faculty Director and staff in the Office of First Year Program and Learning Communities
9. Required to attend bi-annual LC Team Planning meetings, other required meetings, as well as key LC events throughout the year; and to ensure that individual Learning Community activities do not conflict with LC-wide activities
10. Prepare a report on responsibilities completed in position at the end of each semester and prepare, or contribute to, the Learning Community Annual Report submitted to FYP&LC at end of the academic year
11. Complete other duties as assigned

Commitment: 10 or 20 hours per week, depending on position; schedule will vary based on availability and programmatic needs. Weekend and evening hours are required in order to lead or attend related courses, events and activities.

Qualifications: Strong written and verbal communication skills; strong leadership, organization and programming skills; demonstrated commitment to creativity and innovation; demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office programs; must be reliable and a self-starter with a strong work ethic; and must be actively enrolled in an appropriate graduate program at UConn. LC Graduate Assistantships are 1-year appointments with no guarantee of re-appointment the following year. Dates of appointment follow university guidelines for graduate assistant positions and require work beyond the end of each semester. It is important to plan accordingly to fulfill this obligation.

Preferred Qualifications: 1+ years experience supervising college students; experience with event coordination and event management; related professional experience; enrollment in a related UConn PhD program; teaching experience

Application Process: Interested candidates should send a letter of interest; resume/CV; and names and contact information for three professional references to: Melissa Foreman, Director, Learning Community Program, Office of First Year Programs and Learning Communities at Melissa.Foreman@uconn.edu. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled with a goal of filling it by the end of June 2019.

The University of Connecticut is an EEO/AA employer.

For more information, contact: Melissa Foreman at melissa.foreman@uconn.edu