Faculty Affairs & Governance Specialist

Wesleyan University is a selective liberal arts institution in Middletown Connecticut home to approximately 3000 undergraduate students 200 graduate students and a faculty of distinguished scholars deeply committed to teaching advising and research.

The Office of Academic Affairs supports the work of the faculty and oversees the University curriculum faculty hiring and promotion faculty research and teaching and the administration of all academic departments programs and the library.

The Faculty Affairs & Governance Specialist manages faculty employment transactions onboarding and immigration services across all appointment types working in close partnership with the Associate Provost for Budget and Personnel.

Working as part of the Academic Affairs team under the direction of the Associate Provost for Budget and Personnel the Faculty Affairs & Governance Specialist serves as a key resource for faculty department chairs administrators and university partners on faculty employment onboarding and immigration matters coordinating visa processing employment records and federal compliance in support of Academic Affairs leadership. The office supports approximately 380 continuing faculty and approximately 120 visiting faculty.

Together the Faculty Affairs & Governance Specialist and the Faculty Affairs & Immigration Specialist provide comprehensive faculty affairs support across the entire faculty employment lifecycle. Each position maintains specialized expertise while serving as backup to the other to ensure continuity of service and consistent support for faculty department chairs and academic leadership. The Faculty Affairs & Governance Specialist serves as the primary administrative resource for faculty department chairs deans and university committees regarding faculty appointment review governance and leave processes in coordination with the Associate Provost for Budget and Personnel.

Responsibilities include:

Faculty Reviews Leaves and Career Progression

• Coordinate all processes related to faculty reappointment tenure promotion and periodic reviews in conjunction with the Associate Provost and academic deans.

• Serve as the institutional coordinator for review timelines across all departments; maintain a master tracking system for all faculty due for review renewal tenure or promotion.

• Process faculty appointment changes renewals and mid-year appointment modifications in coordination with the Associate Provost

• Notify department chairs each semester of upcoming review and promotion deadlines; provide process guidance and required materials in coordination with the Associate Provost

• Support the collection and tracking of required review materials; maintain confidential review files and documentation.

• Track faculty course loads and appointment data for 380 faculty across all appointment types.

• Facilitate sabbatical parental medical and unpaid leave processes in coordination with the Associate Provost; maintain leave records and communicate deadlines and procedures to faculty and department chairs.

• Maintain faculty data that feeds institutional systems and publications.

Faculty Compensation Administration

• Coordinate additional pay summer salary and faculty overload payments in conjunction with the Associate Provost and Finance

• Process end of appointment actions in Workday for tenure-track tenure and continuing faculty.

• Collaborate with Payroll Finance Benefits and other university offices as needed on faculty compensation matters.

Faculty Governance Support

• Provide comprehensive administrative support for faculty governance committees including the Advisory Committee Academic Council Educational Policy Committee Review and Appeals Board Faculty Meetings and for the faculty reappointment and promotion process including teaching evaluation report.

• Support the Academic Secretary in setting meeting agendas; prepare faculty personnel documentation by-law documentation and governance materials for committee meetings in coordination with the Associate Provost

• Coordinate faculty elections and committee appointments.

• Maintain faculty governance records; support the update and maintenance of the Faculty Handbook in coordination with faculty governance leadership and the Associate Provost

• Support the Campus Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees as assigned.

University and Academic Affairs Support

• Provide faculty information and institutional reporting support for commencement the Binswanger Distinguished Teaching Award faculty awards publications Board materials and other Academic Affairs initiatives.

• Maintain confidential personnel files for tenure-track and tenured faculty including MoUs and other pertinent documents.

• Coordinate faculty communications and university-wide correspondence.

• Serve as back-up support for faculty immigration and employment functions as needed.

• Participating in special projects within Academic Affairs

On Campus with Remote/Hybrid potential:

This position is an on-campus position with potential for remote or a hybrid (on campus and remote) schedule in the future. All positions may require on campus meetings.

Remote work is only considered for residents of MA VT NH ME CT RI or NY. (Relocation assistance to CT is available for those who qualify).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelors degree or equivalent combination of education and experience

• Minimum 4 years of progressively responsible administrative experience in human resources academic administration or a comparable professional environment managing confidential employee information and complex administrative processes.

• Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple recurring annual processes with competing deadlines while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze interpret and apply complex policies and procedures while exercising sound judgment in a confidential environment.

• Experience providing administrative or operational support to senior leaders committees or governing bodies requiring discretion diplomacy and sound judgment.

• Experience maintaining and administering confidential records with a high degree of accuracy in a regulated or compliance-sensitive environment.

• Experience processing or coordinating compensation payroll or financial transactions in an HRIS or comparable system.

• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative working relationships while providing responsive customer-focused service to faculty academic departments and administrative partners.

• Demonstrated ability to draft correspondence prepare documentation and communicate clearly in writing for senior audiences.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word Excel and Outlook

• Experience with Workday HCM or comparable HRIS platform

• Demonstrated commitment to working within a diverse environment and interacting openly with individuals of diverse backgrounds

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in higher education academic administration or a similarly complex institutional environment

• Familiarity with faculty or academic appointment cycles review and promotion processes or comparable multi-stage personnel review systems

• Experience supporting formal governance bodies including agenda preparation documentation management and election or appointment coordination.

• Experience with leave administration or comparable employee lifecycle processes

• Familiarity with shared governance structures or faculty handbook administration

• Experience with faculty compensation administration including additional pay and summer salary processing.

Position is open until filled. For full consideration please apply by July 26th when first review of applications will begin.

All offers to external applicants are contingent on the candidates completion of a pre-employment background check screening to the satisfaction of Wesleyan University.

Wesleyan University located in Middletown Connecticut does not discriminate on the basis of race color religious creed age gender gender identity or expression national origin marital status ancestry present or past history of mental disorder learning disability or physical disability political belief veteran status sexual orientation genetic information or non-position-related criminal record. We welcome applications from women and historically underrepresented minority groups. Inquiries regarding Title IX Section 504 or any other non-discrimination policies should be directed toVice President for Equity and Inclusion Title IX and ADA/504 Coordinator.

Wesleyan University complies with the Clery Act and maintains records of campus crime statistics and security policies. Copies of Wesleyan Universitys Clery Act Report are available on request and online at is taken into consideration in the determination of salary offers. For more information visit offers a broad range of employee benefits and development opportunities including comprehensive group insurance plans wellness programs and incentives generous paid time off and retirement plans flexible work schedules employee and dependent tuition programs for those who qualify.

Detailed information on the benefits of working at Wesleyan is located at: Experience:

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