Graduate Assistantships

This position is a graduate assistantship (20 hours per week) with the Office of Student Life (OSL) at The University of Iowa. The successful candidate will have a strong interest in student volunteerism and civic engagement, student organization advising, and college student development. The primary area of responsibility associated with this graduate assistantship position is to assist the OSL Associate Director in advising the Dance Marathon student organization and in promoting the development of civic- and philanthropic-minded student leaders.

Assist the OSL Associate Director in advising the Dance Marathon student organization:

• Attend weekly or bi-weekly Dance Marathon executive council and committee meetings
• Attend programs and events coordinated by the Dance Marathon student organization
• Communicate relevant and appropriate information between the OSL Associate Director and various Dance Marathon committees
• Assist the Dance Marathon student organization in designing, implementing, and assessing its programs and services
• Participate in coordinating Dance Marathon-related Welcome Week programs, projects, and initiatives
• Respond to ongoing needs and regular requests from Dance Marathon student leaders, as determined appropriate by the OSL Associate Director.
• Attend OSL weekly staff meetings.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned by the OSL Director and/or Associate Director.

General supervision is received from the OSL Associate Director.

• A Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate academic discipline (e.g., education, sociology, psychology, human relations, communications, or cultural/ethnic studies).
• Enrollment as a degree seeking student in a graduate program at The University of Iowa, preferably in the Student Development, Higher Education, or Student Affairs Administration and Research.
• Demonstrated leadership and communication skills.
• Willingness to work weekend and evening hours.

• Demonstrated commitment to issues of cultural diversity and of underrepresented students/groups.
• Experience in student volunteerism and civic engagement.
• Leadership experience in student organizations or related groups, preferably Dance Marathon.
• Experience in student activities and in educational programming.
• Knowledge of and commitment to University policies, procedures, and regulations.

This is a 10-month position beginning August 1, 2006, and ending June 1, 2007.

• Select, train, and evaluate center student staff and process student staff payroll, in coordination with the OSL Assistant Director and the University Life Centers Human Resources department.
• Manage daily operations of center through supervising student staff and coordinating student work schedules.
• Monitor center budget by maintaining hourly student employment records and other related financial records. Submit proposed expenditures to the OSL Assistant Director for approval.
• Assist center student staff and student organizations in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs that reflect cultural diversity. Assess students’ needs to determine the relevance of programs.
• Act as liaison among students, student organizations, University departments, and local community members/agencies regarding center programs, reservations, and related issues.
• Inform the OSL Assistant Director of needed repairs or attention needed to the center’s physical structure.
• Meet regularly with the OSL Assistant Director to provide progress reports on day-to-day operation of the center, to review budget and programming activities, and to address any planning for upcoming events.
• Interpret cultural center policies and procedures to students, student organizations, University departments, and local community members/agencies.
• Assist in coordinating OSL programs and initiatives, as determined by the OSL Director and/or Assistant Director, including the Global Retreat, Human Rights Week, and Celebrating Cultural Diversity Festival.
• Perform five hours per week in an OSL-assigned lateral area of responsibility and attend OSL staff meetings.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned by the OSL Director and/or Assistant Director.

• A Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate academic discipline (e.g., education, sociology, psychology, human relations,
  communications, or cultural/ethnic studies).
• Enrollment as a degree seeking student in a graduate program at The University of Iowa, preferably in Student
  Development, Higher Education, or Student Affairs Administration and Research.
• Demonstrated commitment to issues of cultural diversity and of underrepresented students/groups.
• Demonstrated leadership and communication skills.
• Willingness to work weekend and evening hours.