Student Services Advisor (4576U), Gender and Women's Studies - #78018

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

Departmental Overview

The Department of Gender & Women's Studies offers interdisciplinary perspectives on the formation of gender and its intersections with other relations of power, such as sexuality, race, class, nationality, religion, and age.

The Department of African American Studies is an intellectual community committed to producing, refining and advancing knowledge of Black people in the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Africa. A key component of our mission is to interrogate the meanings and dimensions of slavery and colonialism, and their continuing political, social and cultural implications.

The Departments of Gender & Women's Studies and African American Studies are administratively clustered, along with the Department of Ethnic Studies, in the Division of Social Sciences. The Undergraduate Student Services Advisor serving AfAm and GWS is a combined position at .5 FTE for each unit.

Position Summary

The Undergraduate Student Services Advisor in Gender & Women's Studies and African American Studies involves a wide range of student services duties and responsibilities for two dynamic, URM serving academic departments in the social Sciences Division within the College of Letters & science. The incumbent serves two Department chairs and sits on two Curriculum planning committees, providing in-the-field expertise to the Chairs, faculty, and students in academic advising, recruitment, admissions, financial aid, VISA/immigration matters, fellowships and the use of departments award and discretionary funds. The incumbent coordinates orientation and events, provides career counseling, and information about related and affiliated programs to each unit.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 05/22/2025.

Responsibilities

Academic Advising and Student Support

• Applying professional student services and counseling concepts, provides the full range of student services, academic advising, and guidance to African American Studies and Gender & Women's Studies majors and minors, as well as the undergraduate student population served by extensive departmental curriculum offerings across both.
• Advises all undergraduate majors and minors in the African American Studies and Gender & Women's Studies departments, providing information about a complex set of curricula including (but not limited to) Africa and the African Diaspora studies, Gender & Women's Studies, and LGBTQ study areas.
• Establishes individualized advising plans, track student major/degree completion progress and maintain detailed and accurate student academic records.
• Assist students with identifying academic and career goals and establishing realistic plans to meet them.
• Continuously track and intervene as appropriate.
• Manage all aspects of the degree conferral process for undergraduate students, including managing and updating the Academic Progress Reports (APR), identifying honors notations, and overseeing that final theses are received.
• Provide solutions regarding a variety of complex student issues.
• Advise students and the departments on grade appeals, student academic petitions, and disability accommodations.
• Provide referrals for students in crisis, in need of DSP accommodations, or in need of other campus wellness resources.
• Responsible for maintaining a thorough and current knowledge base of campus policies and student support resources to advocate for students.
• Responsible for advising students and faculty on all academic student dishonesty cases.
• Serves as the primary knowledge holder of undergraduate policies on student conduct and academic integrity.
• Liaise directly with the student conduct office.
• Advise faculty on current policies and best practices to reduce and address academic dishonesty.
• Create individual academic improvement plans for students on or near academic probation.
• Develop workshops and events to enhance academic skills of department students.
• Establish relationships and serve as the point person between the departments of African American Studies and Gender & Women's Studies and other departments including Admissions, Registrar, CalCentral, Campus Solutions, Central Evaluation Unit, University Health Services, Disabled Students' Program, Career Center, Centers for Educational Equity and Excellence, International Office, Financial Aid, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Life Advising, Course Management System, COCI, and other campus advisors, etc.
• Keep informed of updates regarding these departments, their programs, services, and policies so accurate and timely information may be forwarded to faculty and students.
• Provide guidance and support, regarding complex student issues, to all faculty and the departmental grievance committees.
• Develop and maintain a body of online and print resources to support undergraduate student success including relevant policies and procedures, campus resources, departmental handbooks and forms, and updates on events.
• Assist in the writing of correspondence to all new students and manage communication with current students through production of a regular newsletter and/or electronic communication.
• With the Department of Ethnic Studies, provide advising and curriculum management for the Race & Law Minor (AfAm).
• Preside over the Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender & Sexuality (DEWGS).
• Serve as de facto GSAO for graduate students in the DE.
• Interface with Graduate Division in degree management.
• Provides advising to current and prospective students on policies, requirements, classes, academic resources, undergraduate research, mentoring, and tutoring.
• Recommend, track and monitor sources of funding, research new sources of funding.

Program Management

• Programming/Events Plan and implement complex, high-visibility student events, such as commencement, Cal Day, Afro Theme Floor Class meetings, UNITY/LGBTQ Theme Floor Class Meetings, campus sponsored Welcome Week fairs, and other outreach opportunities.
• Routinely develop and manage events that build and enhance the undergraduate student community, such as student recruitment events, orientation for newly admitted students, DEIB-focused events, information about the major or academic strategies and enrichment programs or workshops.
• Participate in Golden Bear Orientation (GBO) and Golden Bear Advising (GBA) activities and presentations as well as specific orientations designed for transfer students.
• Develop recommendations for the improvement of existing programs and/or policies as well as initiate new programs and/or services to meet changing student needs.

Student Group Management

• Support and advise the following GWS and/or AfAm undergraduate student groups: the VeVe Clark Scholars (AfAm), Berkeley Connect, and DeCal Student facilitators.
• Serve as department liaison, providing resources and continuity between leadership transitions.

Honors Program

• In collaboration with the department Chairs (honors courses are taught by the cognizant Department Chairs in AfAm and GWS), manage the day-to-day oversight of the honors program including course planning and enrollment, application assessment, information sessions/workshops, and faculty support.

Career Advising

• Responsible for advising students on career resources and referring students to career advisors and relevant events.
• Assist students on identifying relevant career paths utilizing skills developed in the department's curriculum.
• Create and maintain documentary support for the Designated Emphasis in Gender, Women, and Sexuality, from application to certification.
• Serve as point person with Graduate Division; attend/stay abreast of information governed by Grad Div to stay up on current policies affecting graduate degrees.

Policy, Courses and Curricula Consultation

• Sit on Curriculum Committees in both AfAm and GWS and vote, as appropriate, in curricular considerations.
• Act as a resource for all decisions concerning major requirements, exceptions and practices relevant to the undergraduate program.
• Advise students on academic policies that govern their major in context of college-level constraints, and assist them in developing petitions to request exceptions to curriculum policy.
• Evaluate student petitions and make recommendations on exceptions to policy.
• Advise Chairs and department committees on the formulation of department policy by determining areas needing clarification and identifying solutions.
• Coordinate, review and advise department Chair and faculty committee on transferability and applicability of non-UC Berkeley courses and/or courses on campus within or outside of the department that may affect ongoing requirements.
• Work with students, faculty and departments on evaluating non-articulated courses primarily from four-year colleges and universities, including Education Abroad Program (EAP) coursework.
• Analyze the consequences of departmental/college academic policies and recommend new or changed policies.
• Advise community college junior transfers on use of articulated courses and how to determine which major and college requirements remain.
• Advise the cognizant department chairs on curriculum planning for undergraduate coursework.
• Serve as Primary Scheduler.
• Establish workflow with department instructors, in collaboration with the Curriculum Committee, and COCI to ensure changes in course delivery (or creation of new courses) is executed in a timely manner and where appropriate.
• Monitor course syllabi database to ensure significant changes in course delivery are appropriately reported to COCI and vetted.

Professional Development

• Attend campus wide undergraduate (and graduate, as appropriate) advising meetings, and tracks and reports back to the department about any changes related to undergraduate (and graduate) affairs.
• In consultation with supervisor, identifies and implements annual professional development goals.
• Examples might include special projects, or participating in professional associations, training programs, or campus committees.
• Workshops and seminars may focus on topics such as professional skills development, planning in higher education, and developing and maintaining expertise on various computer systems and computer software.

Required Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of advising and counseling techniques and demonstrated successful experience advising faculty, staff, and students on complex undergraduate student affairs policies.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collaborate with individuals and groups from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment that promotes collaboration and mutual respect among all members of the UC Berkeley community and its stakeholders.
• Must demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage with and understand individuals from varied academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Ability in problem identification and reasoning; ability to develop original ideas to solve problems, persuasion, leadership.
• In-depth knowledge of the field's post-degree employment opportunities and practices.
• Demonstrated organizational, analytical, planning, and project management skills.
• Knowledge of and/or can quickly common University-specific online systems, including Student Information System (SIS) and CalAnswers.
• Excellent computer skills in MS Office Suite (especially Word and Excel), Box, and/or can quickly learn campus Google tools (bMail, BCal, drive, forms).
• Ability to exercise consummate discretion regarding management of confidential student records and privileged information within the department.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

Salary & Benefits

This is a 100% full-time (40 hrs a week) exempt career position, which is paid monthly at an annual rate and is eligible for UC Benefits.

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $75,000.00 - $90,000.00.

How to Apply

• To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This is not a visa opportunity.
• This position is eligible for up to 25% remote work. Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs, and are subject to change.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Misconduct

SB 791 and AB 810 Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

UC Anti-Discrimination Policy

Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant, please see the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission poster.

The University of California's Affirmative action policy.

The University of California's Anti-Discrimination policy.