Graduate Assistant Positions

This position will support the development and management of the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program. The SI program employs SI Leaders who facilitate weekly review sessions using active learning strategies to create a collaborative learning environment for students in “historically difficult courses” — courses in subjects with a high rate of D or F grades and withdrawals. Students voluntarily participate in SI sessions to improve their understanding of the course material and improve their grades.

The Graduate Assistant (GA) will aid the Academic Services Administrator for SI (Katelyn Lusher, lusherkj@ucmail.uc.edu) with the development, management, and long-term planning of the SI program.

Training and Education: This position will undergo training in campus systems, policies, and procedures required to understand the Learning Commons. This will take place largely during the first several weeks of the position and include the following topics:

· Campus and Classroom Scheduling policies (25Live)

· Internal data management tools and reports (TracCloud and point system)

· Current scheduling practices (TallyCal, Microsoft Forms, MS Excel, Microsoft Power Automate)

· Learning Commons student staff training (Canvas, MS PowerPoint)

· Other required University trainings as assigned

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

· Coordination: Oversee scheduling and completion of staff observations, including creating and implementing assessment rubrics, and training staff on applying rubrics and providing feedback.

· Training: Assist with training of Supplemental Instruction Leaders (SILs) and Coordinators, identify areas where additional/modified training is beneficial, and develop training materials.

· Supervision: Assist with supervision of SILs and Coordinators, including overseeing new staff onboarding tasks, assisting with employee professional development, performing observations, tracking coordinator responsibilities, and leading coaching conversations.

· Hiring: Assist with recruiting and hiring efforts, including interviews.

· Community building: Assist with projects designed to foster community in the SI program, such as student recognition, workshops, and events.

· Administrative support: Assist with administrative tasks, including staff task tracking, timekeeping, weekly communications, Canvas updates, organization of SI session content library, program improvement projects and initiatives, and other tasks as necessary.

· General office support: GAs can schedule in-person hours during all Learning Commons open times (Monday-Thursday 8:00am-8:00pm, Friday 8:00am-5:00pm). GAs may be asked to assist with additional office responsibilities such as opening, closing, and on-call shifts, focus group facilitation, and Learning Commons presentations as necessary.

· Collaborate with and provide supervisor with work updates in regular meetings.

· Other duties as assigned or based on identified interests of successful candidate.

Responsibilities of this position would fill approximately 10 hours/week, subject to variations during busy periods of the semesters and semester/holiday breaks.

Requirements and/or preferences for applicant qualifications: Please note that all candidates for Graduate Assistant positions must be in good standing with their degree programs (e.g., 3.0+ GPA and making adequate progress to degree) and meet the eligibility criteria published by the Graduate School.

Required qualifications include:

· Ability to work independently according to given guidelines

· Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team

· Strong interpersonal communication

· Reliable schedule

· Proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Zoom, and MS Teams

· Willingness to learn new technical skills

Preferred qualifications include:

· Background in biology, chemistry, physics, medical sciences, or political science field

· Understanding of active learning and high impact practices in education

· Understanding of academic support programs

· Interest and awareness of issues in higher education, including retention and degree completion, student development theory, and campus engagement

· Past experience working in the Learning Commons or other student support services

Apply here: Supplemental Instruction GA application

This position will support the development and management of the Content Review program. The Content Review program provides students taking introductory science courses with weekly student-facilitated collaborative review sessions covering content on-pace with the course. 

This role involves a multifaceted approach to supporting the Content Review Program. This encompasses assisting in the training of Content Review staff, direct supervision of Content Creator Coordinators (including planning and hosting weekly meetings, checking their timecards and lesson plans, etc.), participation in recruitment and hiring processes, comprehensive administrative support such as task tracking and scheduling, coordination of staff observations and assessments, assistance with data analysis and reporting, general office support during operational hours, and the flexibility to undertake additional duties as required.  

Responsibilities:

  • Training: Assist with training of Content Review Leaders and Coordinators, identify areas where additional training is beneficial, and develop training materials.

  • Supervision: Assist with supervision of student staff, including directly meeting with and training a subset of staff known as Coordinators. Supervision tasks may include onboarding tasks, handling disciplinary issues, assisting with employee professional development, performing observations, and leading coaching conversations. 

  • Content Review Leaders lead weekly sessions—small groups of 16–23 students enrolled in the same courses—to develop and facilitate weekly content review sessions. These sessions focus on key course concepts and building strong study skills through interactive strategies like worksheets, outlines, and games.   

  • Recruitment: Assist with recruiting and hiring efforts, including interviews, recruitment communications, recruitment presentations, and creating marketing materials

  • Administrative support: Assist with administrative tasks, including staff task tracking, timekeeping, weekly communications, Canvas updates, organization of review session content library, creating course and session schedules for student staff based on student staff availability and needs of campus partners, and other tasks as necessary.

  • Coordination: Oversee scheduling and completion of staff observations, including creating and implementing assessment rubrics, and training staff on applying rubrics and providing feedback

  • Assessment: Assist with data input, cleaning, analysis, assessment and reporting of program outcomes. 

  • General office support: GAs can schedule hours during all Learning Commons open times (Monday-Thursday 8:00am-8:00pm, Friday 8:00am-5:00pm). GAs may be asked to assist with additional office responsibilities such as opening, closing, and on-call shifts, focus group facilitation, and Learning Commons presentations as necessary. 

  • Other duties as assigned.

 

Training and Education: The position holder will undergo training in the areas of curriculum development and STEM pedagogy. This may include learning the mission and implementation of corequisite science support programming at the University of Cincinnati.

Requirements and/or preferences for applicant qualifications: Please note that all candidates for Graduate Assistant positions must be in good standing with their degree programs (e.g., 3.0+ GPA and making adequate progress to degree) and meet the eligibility criteria published by the Graduate School, Graduate Assistants need to be full-time students in both fall and spring semesters

Required skills and experiences:

  • Experience with or passion for mentoring students to develop their academic, facilitation, activity design, and/or professional skills

  • Ability to work independently according to given guidelines 

  • Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team

  • Strong interpersonal communication

  • Reliable schedule

  • Proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), Zoom, and MS Teams  

Preferred skills and experiences:

  • Background/Education in biology, chemistry, medicine, or a related STEM field 

  • Understanding of and/or experience with activity design and curriculum development

  • Understanding of active learning and high impact practices in education 

  • Understanding of and/or experience with academic support programs