Job Summary
Over the years, Rackham has implemented a comprehensive set of activities and initiatives to support the U-M graduate community. In the spirit of continuous improvement and good resource management, Rackham aims to develop an equitable and systematic approach to evaluate the effectiveness of our current activities and future initiatives. The GSRA for Strategic Evaluation and Assessment will assist in this work by reviewing the literature, identifying models from multiple sectors, and benchmarking similar activities across higher education, and help to develop metrics for assessment and evaluation across various programs and processes with heterogenous goals and objectives.
Appointment Period
Fall 2022 (This position is for one term with renewal contingent upon completion of performance expectations and available funding).
Estimated FTE
50% (20 hours per week)
Compensation
This appointment provides tuition, required fees, stipend (at the University monthly stipend rate for a 50% GSRA appointment), GradCare health insurance, and dental insurance (Option 1). For more information regarding GSRA appointments go to https://hr.umich.edu/working-u-m/my-employment/academic-human-resources/graduate-student
Responsibilities
- Conduct literature review related to assessment and evaluation of programmatic activities, initiatives, organizational processes, functions, and operations;
- Benchmark best practices in the assessment and evaluation of programmatic activities, initiatives, organizational processes, functions, and operations across multiple sectors;
- Contribute to reports for administrative audiences summarizing all findings;
- Assist with developing and designing a comprehensive inventory of Rackham’s current portfolio of activities and initiatives;
- Help develop metrics for assessment and evaluation across various programs and processes with heterogeneous goals and objectives
- Record and track all project activities in anticipation of disseminating the process and outcomes of our unique work; and
- Participate in team activities as appropriate, including weekly meetings.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed and are not an exhaustive list of all associated responsibilities.
Note: Some flexibility of scheduled work hours is required, including evenings or weekends on a prior scheduled basis.
Rackham is currently allowing hybrid work schedules allowing for flexibility in working remotely.
Required Qualifications
Applicants must be currently registered in a Rackham graduate program. Preference will be given to doctoral students who have reached candidacy. Students who are unsure if they are in a Rackham graduate program should check their graduate program listing in http://www.rackham.umich.edu/programs-of-study.
- Current Ph.D. candidate in good academic standing;
- Demonstrated interest in higher education research and/or the study of organizations;
- Experience with assessment and evaluation;
- Ability to work effectively and collaboratively in groups to achieve project milestones and results;
- Strong organization and communication skills; and
- Demonstrated problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Desired Qualifications
- Familiarity with evaluation strategy, practices, program development, principles, or trends; and
- Familiarity with both qualitative and quantitative assessment methodologies and tools;
Expected Outcomes:
The GSRA position will strengthen professional competencies in the following areas:
- Interpersonal skills-using active listening skills and communicating effectively and in a professional manner.
- Development-identifying needs and formulating ideas.
- Evaluation-collecting/gathering information about specific components of programs in order to make future decisions, set appropriate goals, or make possible changes.
- Resource management-creating intended outcomes to enhance areas for improvement and measure achievement of intended outcomes to justify the allocation of the resources used.
- Problem solving-having the critical thinking skills to address situations on a consistently evolving short-term and long-term outlook.
- Collaboration-working with others cooperatively in order to reach established goals.
- Best practices in continuous improvement, assessment, evaluation, and graduate education
- Students should be able to present a proposal/paper regarding their experience at a local/regional conference in their field.
Contact Information
Questions regarding this position may be emailed to [email protected]. Applicants may request the status of their application from the appointing unit.
Decision Making Process
Applications will be reviewed following the posting deadline and selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. References will be contacted for finalists.
Emma Flores, Director of Access and Inclusion, and Ethriam Brammer, Assistant Dean are leading this search.
Every effort will be made to have a hiring decision by Friday, August 25, 2022.
How to Apply
Please email the following information to: [email protected]
- A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and must be attached as the first page of your resume. The letter should address your specific interest in and fit with this GSRA position. Please include your University Department/Program affiliation and year in graduate studies.
- Contact information (email and phone) for three professional references
- A letter or email from your academic advisor confirming that:
- you are in good academic standing
- you are not on fellowship support
- the work described below fulfills your degree requirement or is considered academically relevant to the degree you are pursuing
- you are approved for a 50% appointment (Please Note: this letter may be submitted separately to: [email protected])
The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Information for the equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office may be found at http://hr.umich.edu/oie/contact.html and for the University Ombuds at http://www.umich.edu/~ombuds/.
U-M EEO/AA Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.