How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration. Please attach your cover letter as the first page of your resume. In your cover letter, please address the following:
- What excites you about this role and our organization?
- How have your skills and experience prepared you for these responsibilities?
- How do your values and goals align with our program's mission and objectives?
Job Summary
The Comprehensive Studies Program (CSP) seeks a motivated, detail-oriented professional with outstanding customer service skills to join our administrative team as a Student Services Assistant. In this role, you'll support a range of curricular and administrative activities, ensuring a high level of service for students, faculty, and staff. Reporting to the Associate of Operations and working closely with the Associate Director for Teaching and Learning, you'll contribute to our dynamic team and have the chance to grow professionally. If you are passionate about process improvement and eager to make a difference, we encourage you to apply!
Forged out of three decades of organized, direct action led by the Black Action Movement (BAM), the Comprehensive Studies Program is a learning community and academic unit serving 3,000 undergraduate students annually, many of whom identify with populations that have been historically underrepresented in U.S. higher education. CSP students are identified through the highly selective U-M admissions process and are the top students in their home communities. Students who are not admitted to CSP may choose to become a CSP affiliate at any point in their undergraduate career.
CSP provides comprehensive academic support to U-M students through LSA courses, holistic academic advising, academic and co-curricular programming, and student support services that utilize high-impact, inclusive practices to encourage student agency and engagement. Learn more at lsa.umich.edu/csp.
Who We Are
Part of the Undergraduate Education division of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), CSP serves students across U-M, including those in the College of Engineering, Ross School of Business, School of Kinesiology, and School of Nursing.
CSP supports students from diverse backgrounds, many of whom are first-generation college students, come from historically underrepresented populations in U.S. higher education, or have attended systemically under-resourced high schools, both urban and rural. CSP is central to LSA's and U-M's commitment to access, diversity, and inclusion, supporting students from admission to graduation.
CSP offers a variety of programs and services to support its diverse community of students, including:
- Credit-bearing and intensive introductory courses in select disciplines
- Holistic advising (academic, personal, and financial)
- Pre-professional academic advising
- Embedded counseling and psychological services
- The Summer Bridge Scholars Program
- Individual and group tutoring services
- Academic success workshops
- GRE, MCAT, and LSAT test preparation
- Individual and student organization funding grants
- Employment opportunities
Why Work at Michigan?
In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:
- Generous time off, including vacation time, sick time, holiday and season days
- A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
- Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability coverage
- Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
In addition, The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) offers:
- Enhanced tuition support programs for LSA courses
- Strong commitment to work/life balance
- Flexible work arrangements with respect to campus stakeholder needs
Being part of something greater, of serving a larger mission of discovery and care that's the heart of what drives people to work at Michigan. In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. It's adding a purpose to your profession. Work at Michigan and become a victor for the greater good.
Responsibilities*
The Student Services Assistant plays a key role in helping CSP students have an academically enriching experience by providing high-level administrative support to a dynamic team of faculty, advisors, and other staff. The responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:
Curriculum Support (40%)
- Perform course scheduling and maintenance activities for all CSP courses in collaboration with partner departments.
- Attend Community of Practice (LUGS) meetings to stay informed about best practices and changes to policies or processes.
- Serve as primary Office of the Registrar contact for scheduling classrooms for courses, exams, and other events as needed.
- Manage CSP class permission (override) requests.
- Order and maintain teaching evaluations for all CSP courses; perform ad hoc requests for evaluation reports as needed.
- Manage requests and reservations for instructional equipment.
- Maintain accurate course descriptions and syllabi for all CSP courses.
- Troubleshoot and resolve course registration issues for CSP students.
- Prepare and submit course approval request forms (CARFs).
Front Desk and Administrative Support (30%)
- Provide excellent customer service to students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
- Manage student group data for incoming cohorts.
- Manage the application review and funding process for the Opportunity Grant and student organization co-sponsorships.
- Oversee the financial aid award process for CSP students.
- Prepare and distribute periodic reports related to student admissions and course enrollment to support department business processes.
- Assist the Associate Director of Teaching and Learning with preparing historical teaching records, course evaluations, and syllabi for faculty review dossiers.
- Serve as a member of the front desk team, providing backup support to the Advising Information Assistant by:
- Acting as the first point of contact for CSP.
- Triage phone calls and respond to inquiries via the shared email account.
- Answer questions and make appropriate referrals.
- Check in students and schedule appointments for CSP Academic Advisors as needed.
Communication and Program Support (20%)
- Maintain and update the CSP website to ensure content is current and relevant.
- Produce and distribute a bi-weekly newsletter for the CSP student community during the academic year (every other month during the spring and summer terms).
- Supervise student staff editorial assistant(s).
- Develop and maintain social media assets to better engage the CSP community.
- Attend Community of Practice (CWES) meetings to gather best practices, exchange ideas, and network with other LSA staff doing similar work.
- Maintain the online events calendar.
- Oversee department promotional materials.
- Use website and social media analytics to increase engagement and inform decisions for future content development.
Event Planning (10%)
- Participate as a key member of the signature events team, supporting the planning and execution of community-building events such as Welcome Week, midterm study breaks, and CSP graduation.
- Organize and manage recruitment events for CSP affiliates.
Required Qualifications*
- Associate's degree or equivalent education/work experience.
- 2-4 years of progressively responsible experience in academic services or a similar setting.
- Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills, with proven ability to work independently and collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
- Excellent organization, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, with a high level of attention to detail in fast-paced settings.
- Proficiency with email, spreadsheets, word processing, and online collaboration tools.
- Demonstrated commitment to access, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion.
Desired Qualifications*
- Bachelors degree preferred.
- 3+ years of experience in administrative support or student services.
- Familiarity with U-M administrative systems, policies, and practices.
- Experience managing websites, producing newsletters, using email marketing platforms, and managing social media.
Work Schedule
This position follows a standard work schedule (Monday- Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). After a probationary period, flexible scheduling and hybrid work opportunities may be available, depending on unit needs. Occasional evening and/or weekend hours may be required.
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Additional Information
As one of the world's great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.
To learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion in LSA, please visit lsa.umich.edu/lsa/dei.
To learn more about LSA?s Mission, Vision and Values, please visit lsa.umich.edu/strategicvision.
Background Screening
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
Decision Making Process
Applications will be reviewed as received throughout the posting period and continue until the position is filled.
U-M EEO/AA Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
