POSITION DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE
ADMINISTRATIVE FACULTY
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Complete form, sign, and submit to immediate supervisor;
Supervisor (chair/director/dean)– review, approve, sign, forward to vice president;
Vice President- approve, sign, forward to Placement Committee (c/o UNR Personnel, M/S 238);
Placement Committee recommends administrative salary range and title & forwards to President;
President finalizes. UNR Personnel forwards approval letters to Vice President, Dean or Director.
ALL INFORMATION MUST BE PROVIDED. INCOMPLETE FORMS WILL BE RETURNED TO
DEPARTMENT. QUESTIONS? CALL UNR PERSONNEL SERVICES at 784-6035.
Incumbents’ Name (if applicable):
Current Title: Director
Department: Honors Program
Position #:
Current Range:
College/Division: Provost's Office
Action Proposed: (check all that apply)
Effective Date: July 1, 2004
New position, Proposed Range: 5
Proposed Title: Director
Title Change, Proposed Title:
Proposed Reassignment from Range
to Range
Revised PDQ only (no range, title change proposed)
Title Approved:
Range Approved:
(Committee Use Only)
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.
Immediate Supervisor’s Signature
Date
Director/Chair/Dean
Date
Approved for Salary Placement Committee review.
Vice President’s Signature
Action Approved by the President:
Revised: 9/21/00
Date
Position Description
Page 2
1.
Summary Statement: State the major function(s) of the position and its role in the University.
Attach an organizational chart for the division which reflects the position in it as well as
those supervised in the department.
The Honors Program is the premier academic experience the university offers to
outstanding undergraduate students.
The director is responsible for the overall Honors Program design and administration in
collaboration with the staff (Assistant Director, 1.0 fte; Associate Director, 0.51 fte, and
several student workers) and faculty/administrators in academic programs.
The major responsibilities of the director include:
*Recruit outstanding students to UNR and the Honors Program,
*Design and implement the Honors curriculum in collaboration with faculty,
*Persuade outstanding UNR faculty to teach Honors courses and Honors sections of their
regular courses,
*Secure external funding,
*Supervise staff,
*Advise students from various disciplines regarding their Honors requirements,
*Identify and mentor any qualified students regarding fellowships and scholarships,
*Assist Honors students to meet their graduate/professional school objectives,
*Facilitate the Honors Board in developing program policy and assisting students with
Honors projects such as senior theses,
*Represent the premier UNR academic experience in outreach activities,
*Develop and implement programs for highly talented high school students,
*Teach an Honors course each year.
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.
*Oversee recruitment and selection of students into the Honors Program (20%).
This includes identifying and contacting students, participating in recruiting trips to high
schools, especially in Nevada and eastern California, providing guidance to the Honors
Admissions Committee, and consulting with parents.
*Advise and mentor students who are participating in the Honors Program (20%).
The Honors Program features closer contacts with faculty, and the office is a gathering site
for Honors students where advising, mentoring, and socializing take place. Assistance is
provided for applying to graduate and professional schools. The Honors Program also
solicits and coordinates student applications for prestigious fellowships for any qualified
students at UNR. All staff participate in these functions.
*Interface with the campus infrastructure on behalf of the Honors Programs (15%).
The Honors Program director and staff work regularly with the offices of admissions and
records, scholarships, and housing to attend to the particular needs of honors students. The
director is responsible for the overall policies and interpretation of the policies.
*Facilitate policy and planning activities (15%).
The director works with the Honors Board, Honors Program staff, faculty, deans, and the
Provost’s Office to establish and implement the objectives of the Honors Program as a
major feature of the undergraduate experience for outstanding students at UNR. The
director is responsible for implementing and assessing the objectives.
*Work directly with faculty and administration on securing and distributing funding(15%).
External funding for scholarships and programs is a major objective and requires
collaborating with the UNR Foundation and grant sources. (This responsibility will increase
as the program expands.) The Honors Program hires faculty to teach Honors courses and
this requires identifying and recruiting outstanding faculty as well as negotiating with
departments for faculty participation in teaching and senior research projects.
*Teach one Honors course per year in the director's discipline (10%).
*Supervise program staff (5%).
The director establishes policies and priorities for the operation of the office and evaluates
the staff.
Position Description
Page3
3.
Describe how the decisions and judgments made by this position and the results of work
performed impact the department, division, and/or University as a whole.
The decisions and judgment made by the director determine the fundamental success and
stature of the premier academic experience the university offers to undergraduate students.
The Honors Program has high visibility and is one of the major tools used to recruit the most
talented students to the university.
The overall program design, implementation, and management are determined by the
director. Administrative decisions made by the director in these areas will have a significant
impact on the success of the program. In addition to administrative oversight, the director is
responsible for the fairness and integrity of decisions related to student performance in the
program.
In addition to the courses taught by the Honors Program staff, the director is responsible for
approving courses in the disciplines that are part of the Honors curriculum. This includes
work for senior theses done by all Honors graduates.
A consistently high standard of quality is expected from both faculty and students associated
with the program. The director must make decisions that maintain the program standards in
terms of course content and student performance in those courses.
4.
Describe the knowledge, skills and abilities essential to successful performance of this job.
Knowledge:
The director must have an in-depth knowledge of the objectives and organizational
structures appropriate for an Honors Program at a public, land-grant university. This
includes recruiting students into the program, retaining them through graduation, and
maintaining contact after graduation. The director will be expected to have a broad
appreciation of the disciplines at the university in order to design and maintain curricula that
are attractive to all qualified students at the university.
Skills:
The director must exhibit excellent administrative and interpersonal skills plus creativity and
innovation with high-quality academic programs.
Abilities:
The director must have the ability to collaborate with faculty to design programs that are
excellent and that are valued by faculty. The director must also be prepared to convince
qualified students and their parents of the value of participating in the Honors Program.
The ability to successfully work with potential donors, in cooperation with the development
office, is required to enable the Honors Program to secure funding for new opportunities
planned for the future.
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.
The director will be required to have interpersonal skills when dealing with a wide range of
people with different objectives:
*Prospective students (high school age and above) are frequently recruited individually by
the director and staff.
*Parents of prospective students need to be convinced that the Honors Program provides a
superior experience.
*Undergraduate students in the program require careful advising about courses and
requirements in order to successful complete the Program.
*Undergraduate students seeking fellowships are guided by the Honors Program as they
determine the most appropriate fellowships to pursue.
*University faculty must be kept aware of Honors Program needs as well as how the Honors
Program complements the academic majors. This includes working with faculty to provide
the more-demanding honors courses, participate in selection committees, and direct senior
thesis projects.
*University administrators responsible for funding the Honors Program need to be aprised of
the accomplishments of the students in order to justify continued funding.
*Donors and potential donors need to be cultivated in order to enhance the quality and
student access to the Honors Program.
Position Description
Page 4
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.
An earned doctorate or other terminal degree in any field from an accredited institution.
B.
Minimum type and amount of work experience, in addition to the above required
education, necessary for a person entering this position.
Doctorate with minimum of five years of teaching and scholarship experience at the
university level with a record sufficient to achieve tenure and the rank of associate or
full professor in a university department. Includes at least two years of experience in
academic program administration and assessment, including oversight of curriculum
and instructor performance.
Experience with honors or other programs focused on academic excellence at the
university level required.
Preferred:
Preference will be given to candidates who have participated in faculty professional
development related to teaching and learning.
C.
Indicate any license or certificate required for this position.
No license or certificate is required.