JOB DESCRIPTION
POSITION TITLE: Writing Specialist
REPORTS TO: Director of Academic Support Center
PRIMARY FUNCTION: To promote student academic success through writing support. The primary
responsibility is to provide vision and direction for the Writing Help Desk
and peer writing consultants. Additional responsibilities include professional
writing support for students and program outreach for students, faculty, and
staff.
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
1.
Writing Help Desk: recruit, train, schedule, and supervise approximately 24 peer writing
consultants. Incorporate into training strategies for working with multilingual students and students
with disabilities. Meet with students seeking writing help, provide professional consultation, and
design individualized work with Writing Help Desk consultants when appropriate. Create teaching
materials for peer consultants and learning resources for writers. Consult and collaborate with
faculty and the director of writing.
2.
Professional academic support: work individually with students to improve their academic writing
and to deepen their critical thinking. Provide supplementary academic advising and instruction in
topics contributing to academic success including study habits, time management, test-taking
strategies, and anxiety management.
3.
Program support: prepare and present academic support outreach presentations, programs, and web
resources. Work collaboratively with Academic Support Center staff, librarians, faculty, and
administrators. Participate in weekly staff meetings and contribute to the effective operation of the
Academic Support Center office. Regularly evaluate programs and activities, submit budgets and an
annual report, and perform other duties as requested.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Recruit, hire, train, assign, mentor, and evaluate 24 student
Writing Help Desk tutors.
CONTACTS:
EDUCATION:
Work daily with students, faculty, deans, librarians, and
staff. Provide information and answer inquiries from deans,
department heads, admissions, parents, and the general
public. Network with colleagues from other institutions.
Essential:
Desirable:
Master’s Degree in a humanities discipline, a social sciences
discipline, or an interdisciplinary department
1. Doctoral Degree, or work towards a Doctoral Degree, in a
humanities discipline, a social sciences discipline, or an
interdisciplinary department
2. Certification in English as a Second Language (ESL)
EXPERIENCE:
Essential:
Desirable:
1. One to three years experience teaching developmental
writing, reading, or first-year writing
2. Experience tutoring first-generation and multilingual
students in writing and reading
3. Experience working with both international and
domestic multilingual students.
1. Experience directing a college-level writing center or
learning center
2. Experience teaching academic writing and college
reading to international, multilingual domestic, and firstgeneration college students.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:
1. Knowledge and skills in teaching and theory of basic writing, composition, and reading
2. Knowledge and skills in learning theory, study habits, time management systems, testtaking strategies, critical thinking theory, college reading, and academic writing
3. Knowledge and skills in ESL theory and teaching methods
4. Computer competency in MS Word, MS Excel, web browsers, and email applications
5. Ability to work collaboratively and independently
6. Supervisory skills to direct a large staff of student workers
7. Knowledge to coordinate efficient data collection, to perform appropriate data analysis,
and to produce accurate reports
8. Flexibility to handle unexpected situations and ability to work comfortably with diverse
populations
9. Understanding of a church-related, selective, liberal arts college environment
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Mobility to reach satellite program locations on campus
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Typical office environment
WORK SCHEDULE/FTE:
.77 Term: 10-month position; 36 hours per week from
mid-August through mid-June. Hours are typically
scheduled on Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and
5:00 pm with some weekend and evening hours required
APPROVAL:
Mary Cisar
DATE:
May 13, 2014