Item 9.D-October 11, 2013
ADMINISTRATIVE FACULTY POSITION DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE
To expedite and facilitate the PDQ review process, please send the PDQ and Org Chart electronically to
marshag@unr.edu for discussion and for initial review before routing PDQ for approval signatures.
Questions - call UNR Faculty HR at 682-6114
INSTRUCTIONS: See http://www.unr.edu/vpaf/hr/compensation/placement.html for complete instructions.
Incumbent(s) Name (if applicable): Kathryn Hanselman (11887);
Vacant (12023)
Current Title: Course Editor/Designer (JCC: 67258)
Department: 365 Learning (IL)
Position #(s): 11998;12023
Current Range: 2
College/Division: Extended Studies
Account #(s): 1201-120-0005
Action Proposed: (check all that apply) )
( ) New position: Proposed Range:
Proposed Title:
( ) Title Change, Proposed Title:
( ) Proposed Reassignment from Range to Range
(X) Revised PDQ only (no change in range or title)
( ) Line of Progression (show titles below)
Range:
JCC (Current
or new HR
assigned):
I certify that the statements in this description are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.
____________________________________________________________
Employee’s Signature
__________________
Date
I/we have reviewed the statements in this form and they accurately reflect the job assignments.
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Shannon Brown, Assoc. Dir, Online & IL / Kerri Garcia, Exec Director,
Date
Immediate Supervisor’s Signature
Summer Session & Academic Credit Programs
____________________________________________________________
Director/Chair/Dean
Fred Holman
Vice Provost, Extended Studies
__________________
Date
Approved for Salary Placement Committee review.
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Pres / Vice Pres / Vice Prov Signature Stacy Burton, Vice Provost, Faculty Affairs Date
Action Approved by the Provost/President (Completed by Faculty HR):
67258 Range:
2
Pos #(s): 11998;12023
JCC:
EEO: 3J
Eff: 10/1/2013
Approved Title: Course Editor/Designer
Employee signs on “final” stamped approved PDQ and sends to HR for personnel file.
Employee Signature:_______________________________________________ __________________
Date
Printed Name: ____________________________________________________
Rev: 12/1/2008
Position Description – Course Editor/Designer
Page 2
1. Summary Statement: State the major function(s) of the position and its role in the
university. Attach an organizational chart with positions, ranges, and names for the division
which reflects the position in it as well as those supervised in the department. (This section is
used for advertisement of the position.)
The Course Editor/Designer is responsible for supporting the process of developing high quality
academic credit courses consistent with the expectations of the University of Nevada, Reno’s 365
Learning department. The position provides editorial and technical support for 365 Learning faculty for
web-based academic courses. The position is responsible for all phases of course development,
including, but not limited to, proofreading, editing, and formatting course content (including syllabi,
lecture materials, assignments, and exams), as well as creating HTML content pages and building
course sites to include all elements in Blackboard (called WebCampus). The position provides
training to faculty who will be teaching online courses, giving hands-on demonstrations of the learning
management system and pedagogical advice for maximizing teaching effectiveness in this medium.
The position reports to the Associate Director, Online and Independent Learning.
2. List the major responsibilities, including percentage of time devoted to each. Provide
enough detail to enable a person outside the department to understand the job (percentage
first with heading and then bulleted information).
55% - Instructional Design
 Give pedagogical advice to faculty teaching online as the delivery method is new to many
 Communicate University, College, and department policies, criteria, standards, and best
practices to faculty
 Leverage faculty knowledge of content and control over courses by providing knowledge and
expertise in online delivery methods
 Serve as a resource to faculty throughout the course design and development phase
 Design complete course sites in WebCampus, including creating the HTML pages designed in
Dreamweaver using cascading style sheets, creating the learning modules, course tools, and
any other elements a course employs
 Update course sites and links as needed and explore and make suggestions to improve
existing courses
 Build electronic exams in WebCampus
 Research current trends/technology in online course design to create and design courses
most appropriate to a particular subject matter
 Collaborate with faculty during the design and development of courses to introduce features
such as video tools, online resources, discussion boards, and assignment tools
 Negotiate and re-negotiate deadlines and milestones in the development of a new course in
collaboration with faculty
 Make recommendations on courses if materials are incomplete, missing important elements
essential to distance education courses (i.e. detailed syllabi, lecture notes, grading scales,
exams, etc), or when non-original content is not properly referenced to the author
25% - Course Editing
 Proofread, edit, and format course content including syllabi, learning modules, assignments,
and exams for academic online and print-based courses
 Proofread, edit, and format Wintermester and Late Start and Weekend course details for the
365 Learning website
 Communicate with instructors and department design team regarding deadlines, content
questions, and other pertinent issues
Position Description – Course Editor/Designer

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Request copyright permission when appropriate and/or works with the Knowledge Center to
have course materials available online
20% - Faculty and Student Support
 Provide internal and external customer service regarding technical issue and problem
resolution to faculty, students, and colleagues
 Give hands-on demonstrations of the learning management system and pedagogical advice
for maximizing teaching effectiveness online
 Distribute and track “approval to schedule a class” forms before the start of each semester.
 Request, distribute, track, and reconcile instructional payroll documents each semester
3. Describe the level of freedom to take action and make decisions with or without
supervision and how the results of the work performed impact the department, division and/or
the university as a whole.
Level of Freedom:
Working under limited supervision, the Course Editor/Designer makes suggestions on how to deliver
course content, provides critical analysis as to whether the content is written at the appropriate level
and provides guidance such that the course meets best practice standards and copyright laws. The
incumbent also makes decisions on copyright issues, inappropriate material and negotiating deadlines
with faculty to get the course published. The Associate Director is consulted on goal setting and best
practices, development of timelines and priorities, and more complex projects.
Impact:
The decisions and judgments made by the position when advising faculty about online courses
directly impacts the quality of classes and degree programs offered by the unit. The ability to quickly
and efficiently work on and coordinate dozens of classes at one time impacts the total number of
classes the department can develop and offer in an academic year. On a larger scale, the University’s
ability to compete in the dynamic, increasingly competitive online education market is greatly
impacted by the incumbent’s ability to produce effective, high quality, and successful program
designs. The on-line education market is statewide, national, and international so the student’s
opportunity to learn may be impacted globally.
4. Describe the knowledge, skills (to include cognitive requirement and verbal and written
communication), and abilities (to include task complexity, problem solving, creativity and
innovation) essential to successful performance of this job (in bullet format).
Knowledge of:
 Multimedia technical tools, i.e., Blackboard or equivalent learning management system,
Dreamweaver, Camtasia, Adobe Creative Suite, etc.
 Online learning as a delivery method and the correlative needs of students when helping
faculty design classes
 Online pedagogy and best practices of online course design and delivery
 Universal accessibility for a variety of learning types
 Overall editing standards and the differences between academic vs. non-academic writing
 Chicago Manual of Style, American Psychological Association (APA) Style, Modern Language
Association (MLA) Style
 Copyright law for publication and educational use of materials, i.e., video clips, photos,
articles, etc.
 Higher education environment
 Federal law as related to position, i.e., Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Position Description – Course Editor/Designer
Skills:
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Organize and perform multiple tasks and projects to meet deadlines
Excellent verbal and written communication
Interpersonal and human relations skills
Decision making and problem-solving skills
Excellent skills in English grammar, composition, and copy editing
Time and task management skills
Ability to:
 Work efficiently, amiably, and professionally with faculty, staff, and students
 Help faculty design courses appropriate for a method of learning
 Be current on technological advancements and new curriculum trends in the field of online
instruction
 Prioritize course development and meet deadlines
 Revise and apply current methodology in design and delivery of online course content
 Train faculty to teach and manage an online course
 Work with students to explain technology and troubleshoot technical problems
5. Describe the type of personal contacts encountered in performing the duties of the job.
Explain the nature and purpose of these contacts: i.e., to provide services, to resolve
problems, to negotiate.
Internal
Faculty/Instructors
Students
Colleagues on campus; i.e.,
Knowledge Center, Admissions
and Records, Cashiers, and
Student Services
External
Colleagues from other
institutions
Reason for Contact
To communicate with instructors regarding deadlines, content
questions, and other pertinent issues
To communicate with students regarding technical issues and
provide information and assistance for all academic programs
offered by 365 Learning, including Online Learning, Summer
Session, Wintermester, Evening Studies, Weekend and Late Start
Classes, and Freshman Start
To coordinate course resources such as electronic reserves and
student services
Reason for Contact
To discuss current trends in technology, best practices, and online
pedagogy
6. Indicate the minimum qualifications which are necessary in filling this position should it
become vacant. Please keep in mind the duties/responsibilities of the position rather than the
qualifications of the incumbent.
a.
Minimum educational level, including appropriate field, if any.
Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
Position Description – Course Editor/Designer
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b.
Minimum type and amount of work experience, in addition to the above required
education necessary for a person entering this position.
Bachelor’s Degree and two years, or a Master’s Degree and one year, of experience in
instructional/curriculum design or in higher education or corporate environment to
include editing experience
Preferred Licenses or Certifications: None
c.
Indicate any license or certificate required for this position.
None