University Writing Center Graduate Assistantships - Outreach Specialist & Collaborative Writing Specialist

Working Title: University Writing Center Graduate Assistantships - Outreach Specialist & Collaborative Writing Specialist

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Graduate Assistant

Position Status: Part-Time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt: Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Student Academic Success

Department: 100546 - Learning Centers

Pay Rate: Other

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? N/A

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? N/A

Beginning Review Date: March 24 2025

About JMU:

Located in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

General Information:

The University Writing Center (UWC), one of the Learning Centers programs, is an academic support resource that assists JMU students, faculty, and staff on their writing through appointment-based consultations, course workshops, and online resources. The bulk of our work is the writing consultations that are conducted either online or in person in the Learning Centers space on the first floor of the Student Success Center that employ a collaborative peer education model.
Graduate Assistants work up to 20 hours per week with the following being the expected breakdown: 10 weekly hours of writing consultation, 5 weekly hours of center administration/work on a self-directed project and 5 weekly hours allotted for meetings and email correspondence.

Duties and Responsibilities:

UWC Graduate Assistants will work directly with JMU students, faculty, and staff as peer educators on the consulting schedule, and they will, together with the UWC faculty, comprise the Leadership Team that oversees the center's daily operations and strategic planning. Graduate Assistants will decide upon specific projects with their UWC faculty supervisors; Their additional associated responsibilities might include conducting and/or presenting research for the UWC, mentoring undergraduate consultants, and facilitating workshops in classrooms.

The UWC is searching for two graduate assistants with the following specific roles (Please specify in your cover letter which position best aligns with your goals and experience!):

The "Graduate Assistant - Outreach Specialist" will work on initiatives to promote and support the teaching of writing across campus. This Graduate Assistant may help conduct and oversee introductory presentations of writing center services in courses, develop and lead discipline-specific course workshops in areas of their interest, and/or assist in the promotion of outreach efforts, such as through social media.

The "Graduate Assistant -- Collaborative Writing Specialist" will work on initiatives to develop communities of support for writers and support collaborative writing projects. This Graduate Assistant may develop training or resources for collaborative research writing projects, organize or facilitate writing groups, and/or develop resources or events related to community building.

Both roles will work closely with UWC faculty to define projects and responsibilities and will have other additional opportunities.

Qualifications:

The UWC is interested in a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds. Candidates should:

- Have interest and/or experience in tutoring, teaching, and/or mentorship.

- Have interest in working with a collaborative, innovative, and enthusiastic team.

- Have outstanding interpersonal, communication, and writing skills.

- Be responsible, proactive, and have excellent problem solving and task management skills.

- Have interest and/or experience with writing conventions in their discipline and across the curriculum

Additional Posting Information:

Applications will begin to be reviewed on March 24th. Positions will remain open until filled and applications submitted after the 24th may still be considered pending applicant pool. Interviews will be conducted in late March-Early April.

Conditions of Employment:

Students may apply to a graduate assistantship prior to being accepted into a graduate program. However, to be eligible to receive an assistantship upon entry into a graduate program, the following criteria must be met:

The student must be conditionally or unconditionally accepted into a graduate program. Students who are provisionally accepted will not be eligible until they achieve conditional or unconditional acceptance into their program.

The students must have an official transcript on file indicating completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or agency

After receiving an assistantship, the student must maintain at least a 3.0 graduate GPA in order to retain or reapply for the assistantship.

These are minimum criteria. Graduate program coordinators have the right to impose additional criteria if they see fit.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are a student with a disability and need assistance please contact the Office of Disability Services at (540) 568-6705 or disability-svcs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the Office of Disability Services, located in the Student Success Center, Suite 1202 and they will be happy to assist you.