Student Services Advisor 3

STDT SVC ADVISOR 3 SV (005156)

UCPath Position ID: 40863053

Position Description History/Status

For Reference ONLY - PeopleAdmin JA Number:

1100404

Approved Date:

2/3/2026 4:55:23 PM

Date Last Edited:

2/3/2026 4:55:19 PM

Last Action Effective Date:

12/19/2023

Organization Details

Business Unit (Location):

LACMP

Organization Code:

1130O

Organization:

HENRY SAMUELI SCHOOL ENGR & APPL SCIENCE

Division Code:

1131D

Division:

ENGINEERING & APPLIED SCIEN DIV

Department:

019000 - MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Position Details

UCPath Position Number:

40863053

Position Description ID

165491

UC Payroll Title:

STDT SVC ADVISOR 3 SV (005156)

Personnel Program

Professional and Support Staff (PSS)

Salary Grade:

STEPS

Job Code FLSA:

Exempt

Union Code (Collective Bargaining Unit):

SV: STDT SVS & ADV PROF (SSAP)

Employee Relations Code:

E: All Others - Not Confidential

Employee Class (Appt Type):

2 - Staff: Career

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

1

SUPERVISION

UCPath Reports to Position Number:

40109301

Reports to Payroll Title:

ADMIN SUPV 2

UCPath Department Head Position Number:

40040262

Department Head Payroll Title:

PROFESSOR/CHAIR

SUPERVISION - Indicates that the incumbent performs a variety of routine duties within established policies and procedures or by referral to the supervisor’s guidelines.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the general direction of the Chair, Vice Chair and MSO, manage the functions of the Materials Science and Engineering Department (MS&E) Graduate Student Program master and doctoral students, including the fiscal management of graduate funds for student support. In collaboration with the Graduate Vice Chair, manage graduate operations, recruitment, and advising, and develop, implement, and monitor policies related to graduate student affairs, advising the Vice Chair, MSO, and faculty on policy and procedural matters. Administer the graduate admissions process, including oversight of a large applicant pool, interpret policies and procedures and provide counseling in the areas of University and Department admission requirements and specific Materials Science and Engineering program requirements, registration and enrollment, degree procedures, and student financial support. Assist in managing the graduate budget; design and maintain spreadsheets and databases to project fellowship funding, balance TA FTE, and plan annual graduate student funding. Monitor and ensure visa compliance for F-1 and J-1 students. Coordinate graduate written and oral exams from scheduling to room reservations for the exam. Counsel graduate students on coursework planning, qualifying and comprehensive exams, academic progress, and assistantship support. Oversee Teaching Assistant and Reader assignments in accordance with departmental and university policies. Act as the Materials Science and Engineering representative to students, faculty advisers, Graduate Division, Student Accounting, Registrar's Office, and Samueli School of Engineering Office of Academic & Student Affairs. Provide comprehensive reports and data analysis for departmental, university, and external reviews, and develop and maintain databases to track student academic progress, funding, and outcomes.Coordinate the annual new graduate student recruitment visit and orientation and conduct new graduate student orientation, and assist with Samueli School of Engineering Graduate Open House and Commencement. Coordinate departmental award or recognition events and support professional society events or undergraduate outreach programs as appropriate. Maintain the department website as it pertains to Student Services and review and edit content for the UCLA Catalog and departmental website related to graduate programs, and ensure the integrity of online computer systems related to all graduate student activities. Respond to inquiries regarding academic programs, courses, and graduate policies. Work with Samueli School of Engineering Office of Academic and Student Affairs & Registrar's Office to schedule courses for the graduate programs and coordinate course evaluations. Assist with the administration of surveys, collection of student progress data, and generation of statistics for departmental or school-wide reporting. Provide analysis and documentation for internal planning and external accreditation or review processes. In charge of Visiting students and Visiting Scholar procedure and coordinate work with the ABET Chair in gathering data and preparing documentation quarterly for ABET Accreditation of the undergraduate program. Independently support undergraduate program activities as needed, including curriculum planning, orientation, commencement, and course scheduling assistance. Other duties assigned as needed.

Graduate Student Affairs

1.Establish and maintain records and files for all M.S. and Ph.D. students and program activities, including review of all documents for accuracy and conformity to University, School, and Departmental regulations. 2.Maintain departmental continuing student database, monitor time-to-degree, and manage academic milestones and academic holds. 3.Counsel graduate students and interpret policies and procedures regarding the requirements of various programs, graduate admissions inquiries, admissions criteria, providing comprehensive academic advising to a large graduate student population on funding sources, teaching and research assistantships, campus resources, and serving as the primary point of contact for graduate student communications. 4.Determine the need for and issue deferrals to students. 5.Track registered student status including GPA, advancement to candidacy, degrees awarded, etc. to ensure that students are at appropriate levels of employment. 6. Update the department's Graduate Student Manual and disseminate, ensuring clear, consistent, and timely communication of policy changes and procedural updates to students and faculty. 7.Coordinate new graduate student orientation and recruitment visits, assist with graduate admissions events and department course seminars, conduct ongoing academic progress reviews, and send quarterly reminders and deadline notices. 8.Ensure timely submission and processing of student forms, petitions, fellowships, etc., by working closely with Division Graduate Education, including processing degree progress forms from matriculation to graduation and requesting late fee waivers when appropriate. 9.Advise students about filing of M.S. theses and Ph.D. dissertations and encourage attendance at meetings. 10.Coordinate M.S. comprehensive and Ph.D. preliminary written examinations, creation and distribution of exam flyers, maintenance of sign-up sheets, record and report M.S. comprehensive exam results quarterly to the Registrar, solicit and manage Ph.D. preliminary exams, and track examination results in centralized databases. 11.Coordinate department oral examinations, including preparation of all Ph.D. qualifying oral and final oral examination forms and initiation of DocuSign workflows. 12.Ensure that all documents pertaining to programs of student, advancement to candidacy, leaves of absence, enrollment petitions, and transfer of credits petitions are accurate and processed properly in a timely fashion. 13.Process Ph.D. examination forms and all other petitions and forms pertaining to the Ph.D. degree by reviewing them for accuracy and conformity to UCLA and department policies and procedures, and prepare and distribute official examination results to students and faculty advisors. 14.Advise faculty and students about university, school, and department regulations, develop, implement, and enforce departmental graduate policies in collaboration with the Graduate Vice Chair, and provide policy guidance and procedural recommendations to the Vice Chair, MSO, and faculty. 15.Review probation cases and recommend corrective action such as redirection to another major in or out of the department, conditional continuation for a specific length of time, or dismissal from the program. 16.Monitor student progress to ensure students are making timely progress toward their degree objectives and that GPA requirements are being met. 17.Initiate and compose correspondence as required (e.g. responses to inquiries regarding status of forms and petitions, memoranda to faculty, fliers, and quarterly reminders information and deadlines pertaining to the current quarter), including preparation of verification letters for students in good academic standing and housing contract terminations. 18.Certify completion of requirements for M.S. and Ph.D. degrees for five major fields of study, and provide departmental and institutional statistics as requested. 19.Communicate with the Office of International Students and Scholars regarding financial difficulties and leaves of absence for international students, verify eligibility for CPT, OPT, reduced course load, and changes in education level, and provide guidance on visa extensions and related procedures. 20.Serve as liaison with Graduate Division, OISS, and OASA to support international students, address financial or leave issues, coordinate graduate student housing allocation, and resolve student services matters. 21.Working with the Chair of ABET Committee, gather information and data quarterly in preparation for ABET accreditation of the undergraduate program. 22.Handle Academic Senate 8-year review of the graduate program, including preparation of narrative summaries, formal responses, and coordinated communications for internal and external reviewers. 23.Work during Samueli School of Engineering Commencement to help with MS&E student lineup. 24.Implement automated procedures to streamline common student affairs processes and manage enrollment for required graduate courses such as Technical Writing. 25.Work with instructors to resolve incomplete and missing grades by coordinating submissions to the Registrar’s Office. 26.Monitor F-1 and J-1 visa compliance for international graduate students in coordination with the Dashew Center and university offices. Advise international students on visa status, employment authorization, and related procedures.

30%

Admissions

1.Provide information and interpret policies and procedures to prospective students regarding the suitability of the program to their needs. 2.Ensure integrity of online admissions database. Track and counsel applicants who are eligible for various funding opportunities, and oversee the graduate admissions process for a large applicant pool. 3.Ensure that supplementary documents which accompany University applications are complete and current. 4.Establish paper and computer databases to track disposition of student admissions requests, and develop and maintain applicant databases to track application status, funding offers, and academic records. 5.Facilitate the work of the Department Admissions Committee by ensuring that all applicant files are complete according to University and Department requirements. Calculate the significance of overall and major GPA; receive, record, and review GRE and TOEFL scores with an understanding of their significance. Alert the committee to unusual and/or outstanding circumstances in a student file that would impact decisions, and assist in coordinating application review workflows, admission decisions, and applicant communications. 6.Plan, coordinate, and direct all aspects of the annual MS&E Department new graduate student orientation and recruitment visits, including organizing recruitment events and departmental award or recognition ceremonies. 7.Represent the department to the UCLA Graduate Division during the admissions cycle to facilitate the timely processing of applications. Meet deadlines, resolve questions and concerns, troubleshoot problems, and provide continuity. 8.Seek and recommend prospective students and continuing students whose interests coincide through an understanding and knowledge of the research programs of the faculty. 9.Access and interpret student information contained in university online systems, such as the Student Information System (SIS) and Bruin Financial Aid (BFA) databases, to supplement hard copy files. 10.Ensure the integrity of information in the Graduate Admissions Office by monitoring and correcting discrepancies, omissions, and errors on a continuing basis. 11.Evaluate foreign transcripts and credentials for compliance with UCLA and Department standards. 12.Administer the fellowship/research assistantship program for new students from faculty recommendation and forms processing through procedures for acceptance. 13.Maintain accurate statistics on student information, and prepare admissions-related reports and summaries for departmental planning and review.

20%

Counseling

1. Provide counseling to students regarding requirements and expectations for the department's academic programs. 2. Counsel and suggest options to student applicants for problem cases and denial. Counsel minority applicants and fellowship candidates. 3. Provide students with alternative solutions to academic, financial, and personal problems pertinent to their academic progress. Refer them to appropriate University offices or outside agencies. 4. Advise prospective TA's about the SPEAK Exam requirements and provide them with pertinent information. 5. Counsel applicants with problems or rejected applicants explaining possible future courses of action and options. 6. Schedule individual meetings with students as needed. 7. Counsel graduate students on program requirements, policy compliance, and course selection. 8.Provide guidance on visa status, international student issues, and work authorization processes. 9.Advise students on TA/Reader assignments, funding opportunities, and academic workload. 10. Serve as liaison for student groups and communicate policies in compliance with department goals.

20%

Financial Management

1.Manage department fellowship funds by working with Department Fellowship Committee to allocate fellowships, scholarships, non-resident tuition waivers, and special awards to new and continuing graduate students, including relocation expenses, and assist in managing  graduate student funding budget. 2.Administer the TA application process in conjunction with the Chairman and coordinate TA assignments, including balancing TA FTE assignments in collaboration with the Chair, MSO, and Undergraduate Vice Chair. 3.Prepare award transmittals for TAs and GSRs’ benefits. 4.Prepare remission rosters, NRT rosters, ATC supplemental rosters for Graduate Division and process fee deferrals as necessary. 5.Create and maintain funding spreadsheets and monitor expenditures to ensure that account balances are accurate. Review biweekly reports from the student support office on department allocations for accuracy, and design and maintain advanced projection tools to forecast, track, and reconcile teaching and fellowship allocations. 6.Prepare department allocation expense nominations for Graduate Division and student support office, and ensure that students have completed all necessary documentation to receive awards. 7.Coordinate committee meetings to discuss fellowship allocations for new and continuing students. Provide detailed data spreadsheets for meetings. 8.Send out announcements to students regarding funding opportunities. 9.Assist with allocation of instructional budget for TAs, Readers, and fellowships, monitor and manage comprehensive graduate student financial support packages (fellowships, assistantships, and awards), and ensure compliance with university and employment policies for domestic and international students. 10.Identify and process selections of outstanding and minority applicants for competitive funding opportunities, including Cota Robles, GOFP, stipends, and interdepartmental fellowships.

10%

Student Recruitment

1.Coordinate recruitment activities in consultation with the Chairman and faculty. 2.Based on knowledge of need, provide data to facilitate the selection of prospective graduate students. 3.Identify top universities with MS departments nationwide. Contact departments to determine and gather statistics on financial support offered. Make recommendations for competitive support and help to identify fellowship and minority fellowship candidates through mail, telephone calls, email, and by arranging for visits to the department. 4.Engage in engineering outreach events to attract prospective students to the MS&E Department. 5.Arrange meetings among faculty and continuing students with recruitment candidates. 6.Manage the recruiting funds and process documents for recruitment candidates. 7.Document recruitment activities into year-end reports and request future funds based on previous experience. 8.Plan and organize recruitment events such as Graduate Open House, Engineering Welcome Days, and New Student Orientation, including departmental recruitment events and award or recognition ceremonies. 9.Prepare marketing materials, handouts, flyers, and presentation slides for recruitment events.10.Track attendance, collect feedback, and report recruitment statistics, and assist in coordinating applicant communications and admissions-related outreach. 11.Oversee recruitment efforts in conjunction with the graduate admissions process, ensuring coordination between recruitment, application review, and admission decisions. 12.Develop and maintain applicant and recruitment databases to track prospective student engagement, application status, funding offers, and academic records.

10%

Office Administration

1. Make sure faculty submit their grade rosters on time and process any incomplete or grade changes. 2. Coordinate the teaching evaluation process for all MS&E courses and send out the results of the teaching evaluations to faculty and TA. 3. In consultation with the Vice Chair and MSO, schedule classes on a quarterly basis for the graduate program. 4. Compile statistical reports on all aspects of the graduate student program including degrees awarded, student enrollment, and admissions for annual report to the department chairman and outside agencies. 5. Assist to update the Samueli School of Engineering announcement and General Catalog annually to reflect current MS&E information. 6. Compile information for Samueli School of Engineering student affairs office for production of annual commencement program and distribution of commencement ceremony invitations. 7. Ensure that recruitment materials (brochures, forms, program of study) are readily available and updated. 8. Oversee the maintenance of graduate student mailboxes to ensure daily distribution and periodic purging. 9. Identify problems and recommend improvements to Samueli School of Engineering programmers on the admissions and the continuing student databases. 10. Work in collaboration with the faculty and MSO to advise and recommend policy changes and updating of student services. 11. Confer with the Associate Dean and Vice Chair to advise and recommend policy changes, identify problem areas, and evaluate the effectiveness of procedures. 12. Provide back-up support and assistance to the department MSO and staff as needed. 13. Maintain the MS&E Department website pertaining to information for the Students. 14. Serve as liaison for student groups by assisting with funding requests, invoice preparation, and coordination of academic and student events. 15. Provide operational support related to TA and Reader assignments and graduate student employment issues, including GSR allocations and grievance resolution as needed.

10%

•

Performs other duties as assigned.

•

Complies with all policies and standards.

•

Complies with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Principles of Community.

•

This position description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

Extensive knowledge of university academic regulations, admissions, and graduate program policies, including working knowledge of university policies and procedures pertaining to graduate student affairs.

Required

Proven expertise in designing, coordinating, and implementing graduate programs and initiatives, with detailed knowledge of graduate degree programs in Materials Science and Engineering.

Required

Demonstrated ability to coordinate program activities, organize workflows, manage training materials and processes, work independently, use initiative, and ensure consistent follow-through on assignments.

Required

Advanced skills in academic advising and counseling for a diverse graduate student population, with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with discretion, including counseling students on denial of admission, exam failures, probation, or termination with sensitivity.

Required

Exceptional communication abilities, including persuasive public speaking, technical writing, and the delivery of clear program information to students and faculty, and the ability to prepare concise, logically organized, grammatically correct reports, correspondence, policies, and procedures.

Required

Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with experience evaluating data, assessing program effectiveness, and implementing process improvements, including the ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures effectively.

Required

High-level organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple complex projects, prioritize deadlines, and respond effectively to emerging needs, set and meet deadlines, establish goals, and prioritize tasks to achieve departmental and graduate program objectives.

Required

Technical proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, database management, spreadsheets, presentation tools, web content management, and quantitative calculations; adept in evaluating domestic and international transcripts, with demonstrated ability in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Forms, Drive), UCLA AIS, HSSEAS student databases, and the SLATE Graduate Admissions System.

Required

Skill in writing grammatically correct correspondence such as transmittal memoranda and internal operating procedures, as well as preparing reports, policies, and procedural documentation.

Required

Mathematical skills sufficient to work with percentages, ratios, and fractional calculations, including accounting ability to reconcile and balance funding and provide accurate financial reports.

Required

Experience in campus systems OASIS, UCPATH, GoGrad, BFA and maintaining accurate, up-to-date paper and electronic student records.

Preferred

Demonstrated ability to represent the department publicly regarding the graduate program, including outreach to prospective students, faculty, and other stakeholders.

Required

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.

Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.

Age Requirement: Candidate(s) must be 18 years or older to be eligible to be hired.

CANRA: The position is designated as a mandatory reporter under CANRA. The employee must sign the "Statement Acknowledging Requirement to Report Child Abuse".

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, MENTAL (PEM) REQUIREMENTS

Environment and Work Location Information

Environment Type:

Non-Clinical Setting

Location Setting:

Campus

Location:

2121 Engineering V

Standing/Walking

X

X

Sitting

X

X

Bending/Stooping

X

X

Squatting/Kneeling

X

Climbing

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 0-25 lbs

X

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 26-50 lbs

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull over 50 lbs

X

Physical requirements other

X

Chemicals, dust, gases, or fumes

X

Loud noise levels

X

Marked changes in humidity or temperature

X

Microwave/Radiation

X

Operating motor vehicles and/or equipment

X

Exposures other

X

Sustained attention and concentration

X

X

Complex problem solving/reasoning

X

X

Ability to organize & prioritize

X

X

Communication skills

X

X

Numerical skills

X

X

Mental demands other

X

X

Classification 3:  Position in which exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues is not part of the position description. The normal routine task involves no exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues and the employee can decline to perform tasks which involve a perceived risk without retribution.