Position Details
Budget Title
Administrative Assistant 1 (NY HELPS)
Campus Title
Administrative Assistant 1 (NY HELPS)
School/Division
Academic Affairs, Division of
Department
Biological Sciences
Salary Range
$40,391-$47,695
Position Summary The Administrative Assistant 1 provides comprehensive support to the Biological Sciences Department. This position manages daily office operations, coordinates course scheduling, and oversees budgets to support 12 full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty, four full-time lecturers, an Instructional Support Associate, 6–8 adjunct instructors, and 250+ students across 4 major programs. The role requires high organization, clear communication, and the ability to use specialized…
campus databases.
Hours for this position are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Major Responsibilities
Department chair and administrative support:
- Manage general correspondence, interdepartmental administration communications, mail distribution, and office phones, directing inquiries from students, parents, and visitors.
- Use specialized databases to create and schedule courses in coordination with Student Registration and Records Services, including creating specialized sections and assigning instructors to classes.
- Organize and secure campus space via the Event Management System for departmental events.
- Compile applicant files, communicate with candidates, coordinate interview schedules, and arrange on-campus itineraries for search committees.
- Assist the chair with onboarding new full-time and adjunct faculty, including preparing job ads, managing the August Adjunct Group Ad, and submitting annual/semesterly appointment forms to the Dean.
- Input faculty-approved textbook orders via online system.
- Verify faculty, full-time-lecturer, and adjunct time records as authorized.
- Organize and secure department files, student records, and degree conferral checklists.
- Attend department meetings to record, transcribe, and distribute minutes.
- Submit work orders, key requests, and faculty/lab transportation requests.
- Coordinate and cooperate with the Departmental Instructional Support Associate on shared tasks.
Budget and Procurement:
- Monitor department budget via online processes.
- Order computers, phones, keys, nameplates, and special equipment as needed.
- Support faculty searches by arranging lodging, travel arrangements and travel reimbursement.
- Utilize and reconcile office P-card consistent with purchasing guidelines to make purchases, prepare purchase orders, and process invoices.
- Process any departmental or faculty forms, including travel reimbursements and standard vouchers.
- Order and maintain sufficient stock of office supplies and forms.
- Utilize specialized databases (Banner/Argos, Room Reservation System) and Microsoft Office to input student overrides, assign advisors, compile annual reports, archive syllabi, and manage web page updates.
- Order award plates for Tri-Beta and Honors Convocation.
- Work with the Departmental Instructional Support Associate on tracking expenditures.
Faculty Support:
- Compile faculty class schedules/office hours each semester and distribute to the Dean and post in the department snapshot book.
- Assign and track student advisees to ensure equal workloads.
- Oversee copier operations, scan or photocopy course materials, and submit work orders and key requests.
- Submit Course Teacher Evaluations to students as needed.
- Request funds for professional development and travel for faculty from the Cortland College Foundation Office.
- Serve as a proxy to approve time records for faculty.
Student support:
- Complete the student hiring process through the Applicant Tracking System.
- Review and approve time records via the Time and Attendance System (TAS) for student workers.
- Assign academic advisors to new students.
- Request or send student files for change of majors to/from other departments.
- Provide necessary Banner permissions for students during registration periods. Aid students and faculty during registration and drop/add with Banner overrides.
- Process student request forms such as course withdrawals, course exceptions, change of major, etc., as needed.
- Draft and send invitations and congratulatory letters to Honors Convocation and Tri-Beta recipients; design and print student award certificates.
- Request funds for professional development and travel for students from the Cortland College Foundation Office.
- Distribute information via paper or electronic mailings to science majors throughout the academic year.
Building Administrator support:
- Approve conference room requests in EMS and send confirmation emails.
- Prepare room use charts each semester and distribute to custodial staff.
Required Qualifications
Appointment to this position could be a permanent competitive appointment or a permanent non-competitive appointment.
Non-Competitive Appointment Option (NY HELPS): Six months to two years of experience in administrative support depending on level (Trainee 1, Trainee 2, or full Administrative Assistant 1), including use of office software, customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. Substitutions available for certification or associate’s degree.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with SUNY systems.
- Strong customer service background.
- Experience handling confidential information.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Attention to detail, with a focus on accuracy and consistency when processing and reviewing information.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
- Strong organizational and record-keeping skills, with the ability to maintain accurate and accessible files.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to identify issues.
- Proficiency in using Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, and data-entry systems.
