Graduate Assistant Affinity Group Council (AGC) 2024-2025

The term Graduate Assistant is the umbrella term that encompasses all types of GA appointments. Graduate Assistants are employed by the University to teach, conduct research, or assist with administrative duties in departments and non-academic units. Every attempt is made to assign Graduate Assistants to positions that are directly related to the student's field of study or that provide the opportunity to develop transferable, professional skills. Graduate Assistantships are assigned in the department or unit and confirmed by the Graduate School.

Seeking Graduate Assistant for the Affinity Group Council (AGC) for the 2024-2025 academic year

Background

UNC Greensboro has a long history, from the Women's College to its designation as an MSI, and to its rating as an LGTBQIA* inclusive campus (Campus Pride Index, 2022), of acknowledging, affirming, and supporting various identities represented by campus members. Affinity groups, which are longstanding at UNCG and have expanded in recent years, have operated without institutional support. Affinity groups are an important part of building an inclusive campus climate and creating a sense of belonging. A three-year program has been proposed (Affinity Group Council- AGC) that will provide a supportive infrastructure to facilitate these groups' individual and collective missions and build connections among them.
Affinity groups are defined in multiple ways across institutions in higher education. As UNCG has not previously established a definition, the following definition is being utilized: formations of faculty and/or staff around a shared identity with goals that include building community, fostering inclusion, and providing support to members who have been historically marginalized in academia. These groups are distinguished from communities of practice, which are being defined as faculty and/or staff and/or students who come together around a shared interest, such as teaching, advocacy, or specific research topics.

Dr. Shelly Brown-Jeffy, associate professor of Sociology is seeking a graduate assistant to assist in a newly form Affinity Group Council ( AGC). The GA would assist with developing the call for proposal application and coordinating the review process as well as with creating materials for new group formation procedures. Other duties would include basic coordination and support for committee work, such as scheduling and taking minutes.

In the initial year, the GA will assist with the following:
Creating bylaws and governances documents
Developing guidelines and/or a manual for starting new affinity groups
Planning an affinity group min-grant program and call for proposals
Coordinating with communication officers on campus to develop templates for affinity group flyers and social media postings

This will also include the following administrative tasks that are likely to continue:
Scheduling, attending and taking minutes at Affinity Group Council Meetings (virtual)
Managing calendars, including coordination across group calendars, and developing shared calendars
Logging and tracking affinity group tasks and initiatives
Serving as a liaison between and across affinity groups
Making content updates for council and affinity group websites
Promoting events for affinity group social media
Facilitating the call for affinity group mini-grant proposals, approvals, and project implementation

For the 24-25 academic year, the position will be schedules for 10 hours a week at a stipend of $10,000 for the academic year.

The newly formed Affinity Group Council (AGC) will :
(1) support group leadership and provide channels of communication between affinity group leaders and University administrations;
(2) provide resources to affinity groups that will support affinity group-led initiatives and promote engagement within and across these groups: and
(3)support new group formation and establish procedures for formalizing group structure.

Students must meet the following criteria to qualify for tuition remission and/or in-state tuition awards:

Important note: Students determined at any point in the semester to no longer meet the eligibility requirements to receive a tuition remission and/or in-state tuition award will have the full amount of any tuition remission and/or in-state tuition award rescinded and are then personally responsible for paying the full cost of tuition for that semester.

To apply, email resume, writing sample, and a cover letter expressing how this position aligns with your interests and experience to Shelly Brown-Jeffy ( slbrown2@uncg.edu) no later than June 30, 2024 at 5:00pm. Applications will be reviewed when they are received. Interviews will be conducted (virtually) until the position is filled.