Senior Graduate Academic Affairs Coordinator

Department: Academic Affairs

Classification: Education Support Spec 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience;salary range is between $62K - $66K

Criminal Background Check: Yes

Part of the Office of the Provost, under the Academic Affairs Division, the Graduate Division elevates Mason graduate education by augmenting the work of the academic units by increasing theimpact of graduate students and programs, fostering a collaborative culture of academic excellence, and contributing to the research productivity and the workforce development appropriate to an R1institution.

The Senior Graduate Academic Affairs Coordinator provides high-level support to the Graduate Division and its key constituent groups by managing graduate academic policies and procedures,coordinating student exception and appeal processes, and contributing to the development and enhancement of graduate academic workflows. This position reports to Senior Director of Graduate Academic Affairs and Initiatives.

• Lead the review and processing of graduate student requests forexceptions to academic and admissions policies, as well as academic appeals, ensuring alignment with institutional policies and guidelines;
• For complex exception cases, manage the full exception topolicy process: review initial submissions using internal systems,identify and request additional documentation, conduct critical analysis based on policy criteria, and draft a comprehensivesummary with recommendations for supervisory review and discussion.
  
  Prepare and deliver oral briefings, draft final decisions, andensure timely communication with student, faculty, and staff, and maintain proper records of management;
• Manage the graduate student appeals process involving facultyreview committees: conduct thorough review of student submissions,prepare and distribute materials, brief committee members on keyissues, facilitate communication between stakeholders, and ensure timely resolution and notification of outcomes to students and stakeholders;
• Serve as the primary resource for inquiries related to academicexceptions and appeals, ensuring timely, accurate responses;
• Oversee internal record management processes so they are carried out in compliance with accreditation and university procedures and lead any needed enhancements;
• Manage graduate student leave of absence requests, including review of submissions, follow-up for additional documentation,eligibility evaluation based on academic policy, engagement with students and stakeholders as needed, and communication of outcomesusing established workflows;
• Maintain strict confidentiality of all student records and sensitive information in accordance with university policy;and
• Utilize available data to support the supervisor in assessingimplementation of new policies and procedures, and in identifying trends and gaps in policy exception requests.

• Contribute to the development of new and enhanced graduate student academic and admissions policies through review, issue identification, and assist in gathering input from stakeholders;
• Collaborate with graduate partners to ensure creation,implementation, and communication of procedures and processes that enhance the graduate student experience and assist in ensuringunits’ compliance with existing graduate university, academic, andadmission policies through analysis of available data and university engagement; and
• Work with the Graduate Division Operations team to identify and provide information relating to requirements, updates, and maintenance needs that ensure accurate graduate academic and admissions policy and procedures information is presented onrelevant webpages.

• Assist with the development and implementation of relevant policies and procedures and the management of communication withall graduate policies and procedures;
• Contribute towards presentations and training related to graduate education of new faculty and staff through written andverbal communication;
• Serve as a primary liaison for academic units and administration on the use of systems related to graduate academic and admissions policies and procedures; and
• Chair college/school graduate academic affairs working group.