Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistant – Inside Higher Ed

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ Governance Administrative Assistant is responsible for supporting both governance functions and all undergraduate student service functions in the College. This position provides support to the Governance, Awards, and Orientation Coordinator by assisting with the coordination of faculty governance, curriculum management, and College awards for faculty and students. In addition, this position assists with a variety of front office services for students, faculty, and staff.

The person in this role is a key resource for the front office for complex questions relating to deadlines, policies, upcoming issues, and various other matters, and is often called upon to handle sensitive and sometimes volatile situations with diplomacy. This position is responsible for timely completion of forms requiring student record verification of sensitive information and providing customized letters as needed for students in the College.

In coordination with the student support coordinator, they update academic plans and liaise with the Registrar’s office for timely student records changes, as well as completion of data entry of records. The person in this role answers departmental emails, responds to phone messages, and covers phone, walk‑in, and email services in the front office, exercising independent judgment as to whether the issue can be resolved immediately or whether it should be a referral.

They collaborate with the student support coordinator, providing backup when needed, to ensure that the critical duties are always covered.

• 30% – Curriculum Workflow and Catalog

  Coordinates workflow throughout the academic year for a high volume of new programs, program changes, new courses, course changes, and course deactivations in the CIM and CAT systems under the guidance of the Governance, Awards, and Orientation Coordinator to ensure that all proposals are moved through the multi‑level review process in a timely manner. Maintains an inactive course list for the College, works with departments to de‑activate courses not offered regularly, and identifies related changes needed in program or course requirements.
  
  Reports de‑activation requests to the University Registrar, the Assistant Dean of CUAS, and the Director of COGA. Initiates catalog workflows each fall, distributes all appropriate pages for editing to each unit within the College (50+), and responds to department inquiries throughout the catalog review period. Follows up with departments to ensure completion of all catalog edits prior to the university deadline.
  
  Provides training and desk‑side coaching on CIM/CAT system for departmental users.

• 10% – Awards

  Assists with the administration of award competitions in the College, including faculty, staff, and student awards. Prepares and distributes award calls, responds to inquiries from students, faculty, and staff, receives applications, and reviews for eligibility. Prepares award notifications, maintains records of awardees, coordinates with the College’s Communications team to promote award competitions and award winners, and maintains relevant website content.

• 20% – Governance Committees

  Assists with the facilitation of the work of the College’s major curricular and academic policy committees, including CUSA, CGS, and CAC. Schedules meetings of the committee and subcommittees, prepares agendas and minutes, coordinates all meeting logistics, and maintains relevant website content.

• 30% – Front Office Reception:
  Phone, Email and Walk‑in

  Provides front office reception, assists students, faculty, staff, and others with high volume of detailed, complex questions, providing information about various procedures, policies, regulations, and petition processes and results. Possesses knowledge of College of Liberal Arts & Sciences policies and procedures, other KU school policies, and University policies and procedures. Familiar with state and federal regulations such as FERPA. Determines when it is appropriate to respond to the issue directly and when a…