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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The J.Jeffrey and Anne Marie Fox Graduate School seeks applications for the position of Associate Dean for Graduate Academic Affairs, who will provide strategic leadership in supporting graduate student success through student case management, mentoring initiatives, and academic advocacy.

This role serves as the primary point of contact for complex academic-related student cases, playing a key role in conflict resolution and graduate mentoring. Reporting directly to the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Fox Graduate School, this position collaborates closely with the school's Assistant and Associate Deans.

With increasing student engagement and evolving graduate student labor relations, this position ensures that students have the necessary resources to excel in their academic journey, address concerns related to academic progress, resolve advising conflicts, and effectively handle grievances.

The Associate Dean will lead the development of comprehensive mentoring programs to improve advising relationships and faculty-student engagement across graduate programs. By bridging the gap between academic policies, mentoring, and student advocacy, the Associate Dean for Graduate Academic Affairs will help create a more supportive and effective graduate education environment at Penn State.

Key Responsibilities:

Graduate Student Case Management and Academic Advocacy:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for graduate student cases related to academic progress, grievances, advising disputes, and academic integrity concerns.
• Work closely with faculty, department heads, and graduate program directors to mediate student-faculty conflicts, ensuring fair and constructive resolutions.
• Act as an ombuds-like resource for graduate students navigating academic and advising challenges, providing guidance and informal mediation.
• Lead the Graduate Ombudsperson Program, ensuring confidential support and fair conflict resolution for students navigating academic disputes.
• Oversee academic integrity enforcement, ensuring fairness and due process in adjudicating violations.
• Strengthen graduate student advocacy mechanisms, ensuring accessible and transparent academic appeals processes.
• Co-manage and track academic-related student cases, working with relevant university offices to provide proactive interventions before issues escalate.
• Collaborate with university legal counsel and labor relations experts to navigate graduate student unionization matters, ensuring alignment with legal requirements and institutional policies when applicable.
• Ensure that graduate students experiencing academic hardship have access to support structures, including ad