Administrative Assistant to the Academic Deans

Administrative Assistant to the Academic Deans

Category: Staff Subscribe: Department: College Deans Locations: Framingham, MA Posted: Apr 29, 2025 Closes: Open Until Filled Type: Full-time Non-Exempt Position ID: 187765
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About Framingham State University:

Framingham State University was founded in 1839 for a singular purpose - meeting a public need to promote the public good. At our founding as the nation's first public normal school, that need was for comprehensively educated public school teachers who would, in turn, promote an educated citizenry. FSU continues to offer exceptional teacher education programs, and while we are proud of our roots as a teachers' college, we have grown far beyond them. Public need continues to evolve, and FSU right along with it. Our students and alumni are making waves in the fashion industry, designing nutrition plans for professional athletes, writing for major media and news organizations, working for Fortune 500 companies right here in Framingham, and so much more. FSU is a proudly public and truly transformative institution offering accessible, affordable educational opportunities that integrate an academically challenging liberal arts education with workforce preparation programs in a highly personalized teaching environment. Our programs have expanded, but our purpose and commitment to public education for the public good remain steadfast.

FSU currently enrolls about 3,000 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate and professional students, offers 60 undergraduate and graduate programs in the arts and humanities, behavioral and social sciences, and professional fields, and enrolls 48% BIPOC students and 54% first-generation college students in our undergraduate programs. We are deeply committed to inclusive excellence and strive to promote a culture of equity and antiracism. This commitment has earned FSU seven Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Awards from INSIGHT Into Diversity and led to our recognition in the 2024 Great Colleges to Work For program. We encourage applications from those who share our commitment to promoting a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive community.

FSU is ideally situated between Boston and Worcester on land originally stewarded by the Nipmuc people for thousands of years. FSU and the surrounding area are steeped in history, achievement, and innovation and provide access to urban hotspots, verdant landscapes, natural and cultural amenities, and diverse communities.

Our founding motto, LIVE TO THE TRUTH, was said at the end of each class by beloved first principal, Cyrus Peirce, who sought to discover and teach "truth in theory and principle truth in spirit and motive truth in manner and form truth intellectual and truth moral." Early leaders found this motto "speaks of sincerity of spirit of intensity of effort, of resolution to succeed, of joy in achievement." LIVE TO THE TRUTH aptly reflects our past and our pledge for the future as it continues to guide our institution in practice and endeavor. If you share in this quest for truth and a commitment to living it fully, make the next chapter of your career the best chapter at Framingham State University.

Learn more about our career opportunities at .


Job Description:

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

Officially classified as Administrative Assistant II, this position reports to the Dean of Arts & Humanities and the Dean of Education and Social & Behavioral Sciences. Responsibilities include complex administrative duties requiring a significant degree of attention to detail, decision-making, confidentiality, skill, reasoning, ability, understanding, independent judgment, and general knowledge of all departments of the colleges. Has supervisory responsibilities and a customer service orientation. Must be able to interrelate diplomatically and equitably with a diverse group of students, faculty, administrators, and staff.

Please review the full Administrative Assistant Classification Specifications .

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Dean of Arts & Humanities, Dean of Education and Social & Behavioral Sciences

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Student employees

EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Regular Responsibilities

• Serve as the administrative assistant to the Dean of Arts & Humanities and the Dean of Education and Social & Behavioral Sciences.
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality associated with the sensitive nature of the duties and responsibilities of the deans. Has significant access and exposure to confidential information concerning labor relations matters, management's position on personnel matters, and advance knowledge of employer's collective bargaining proposals.
• Manage calendar for the deans. Schedule meetings on behalf of the dean and take meeting requests from department chairs, faculty, staff, and others; reserve appropriate rooms for meetings as needed.
• Process the deans' correspondence pertinent to the operation of the Colleges.
• Manage the deans' budgets by completing requisitions, transfers, and monitoring work study accounts.
• Administer requisition process for purchases and travel encumbrances and reimbursements for the deans. Order supplies and work with 10+ departments and centers that require purchasing with a credit card (P-card) for purchases not made via the procurement system.
• Maintain databases for hiring, credentialing, and personnel actions for full-time faculty and create reports from these data for Academic Affairs, Human Resources, the Registrar's Office, and other offices as needed.
• Assist with faculty candidate interviews: travel/accommodations for candidate, lunch reservations, and schedule interview with dean; reimbursements for candidate's expenses.
• Enter time and time off requests in payroll system for Academic Department Chairs.
• Manage College Teams sites.
• Enter faculty credentials in Banner from CVs and official transcripts.
• Assist with onboarding new employees in the Colleges and ensuring systems are updated appropriately.
• Answer inquiries regarding academic policies and procedures and other matters from students, faculty, staff, and outside individuals; refer to other offices and/or departments as appropriate.
• Provide administrative support for faculty fellows and other college leadership as needed.
• Manage social media and web content for the Colleges, serving as editor and writer.
• Update and edit the Faculty Handbook and Faculty Hiring Guide annually in collaboration with the College Deans and Provost.
• Assign, supervise, review, and evaluate the work of student employees and support staff (as assigned).
• Demonstrate sensitivity, kindness, and diplomacy in interactions with others.
• Safeguard personally identifiable information in a secure and confidential manner.
• Manage academic honesty and student disruptive behavior violation processes.
• Set up and maintain databases of various constituencies for outreach, including regional partners, local employers, schools, current students, alumni and/or others.
• Facilitate college advisory board communications, meetings, materials, and outreach.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant software
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Compose effective correspondence.
• Work independently to perform duties and direct inquiries.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Cyclical Responsibilities

• Manage student evaluation process.
• Assist with Academic Standing and readmission notification processes.
• Serve as custodian of academic personnel action materials (reappointments, tenure, promotion, and post-tenure review); prepare faculty list of Post-Tenure Review eligible faculty for notification; stay abreast of deadlines and alert faculty of Dean's recommendation for faculty signature.
• Assist the College Deans with major annual events, including Commencement, alumni events, faculty and student events, academic open house events, and admissions events, among others.
• Coordinate annual student Awards & Recognition events; solicit names from faculty; prepare and send invitations; prepare programs, perform welcome/registration duties.
• Organize annual retreat for academic chairs - reserve retreat center, organize materials provided by deans, and order necessary supplies and food.
• Accountable for ensuring that equal opportunity, equity, and inclusion are integrally tied to all actions and decisions in areas of responsibility.

Requirements:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Applicants must have at least (A) three years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in office management, office administration, business administration or business management, the major duties of which included one or more of the following functions: purchasing, personnel management, budgeting, accounting, records management, work simplification, grants management, contract administration or program management, or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. An Associate's or higher degree with a major in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required experience.

II. An Associate's or higher degree with a major other than in business administration . click apply for full job details