The graduate coordinator serves a vital role in graduate education at UNLV. Graduate coordinators are the primary point of contact for graduate education and graduate students in the academic departments. Though the responsibilities of the graduate coordinators vary among departments and graduate programs, graduate coordinators are generally responsible for overseeing the recruitment, admissions, matriculation/forms, GA appointments, and graduation requirements for graduate students in their departments in coordination with the Graduate College. Please refer to Article 4 of the Graduate College Bylaws for a description of the role of the Graduate Coordinator.
In general, the graduate coordinator is responsible for fulfilling all requirements in the Graduate College Bylaws and Catalog/Graduate Student handbook, as well as department/school/college bylaws and expectations. Though the exact responsibilities of graduate coordinators vary between and among departments and graduate programs, graduate coordinators are responsible for the management and oversight of both the day-to-day operations of graduate programs and graduate students in their academic unit. This typically includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Coordinating and facilitating graduate student recruitment into department programs.
- Providing oversight, coordination, or direct handling of graduate admissions, including coordination and oversight of the holistic, equitable, and fair evaluation of admissions applications according to best practices, Graduate College policies and procedures, and specific program guidelines and requirements.
- Providing onboarding and orientation for new graduate students and ongoing opportunities for professional and career development.
- Managing communications between the department and graduate students, both new and continuing.
- Providing graduate student mentorship and appropriate, timely matriculation, progression, and graduation.
- Appropriately handling and documenting program milestones.
- Coordinating, reviewing, and signing annual departmental evaluations of graduate students.
- Timely and accurate submission of required forms with careful review to ensure they are signed with integrity.
- Timely reviewing and appropriately handling all graduate student forms including graduate appeals.
- Ensuring departmental FERPA protections and appropriately handling of student documents, records, and information.
- Working with the Academic Dean, Department Chair, and Graduate College on the appointment, assignment, and supervision of graduate assistants.
- Applying ownership of and responsibility for the generic UNLVMail email accounts for their graduate program(s). [The Office of Information Technology (OIT) oversees and creates generic emails. Any changes in Coordinators require the new GC to contact OIT to transfer the generic email.]
- Providing oversight of student graduation requirements and proper procedures related to culminating experiences.
- Recommending student probation and separation, when appropriate, through the appropriate unit and College channels, and then on to the Graduate College.
- Educating students and colleagues about Graduate College policies, and enforcing the same.
- Ensuring the accuracy of the graduate portion of the department website, the department’s segment of the Graduate Catalog, the unit’s handbook, and related informational materials and communications.
- Working with the Department Chair and Academic Dean to establish, review, and revoke as necessary, Graduate Faculty Status.
- Managing communications between the department and graduate students including new, continuing, and graduated.
- Working with the Department Chair and Academic Dean to review and improve new and existing graduate courses and programs in Curriculog (our system of engagement for curricular approvals) using the Generic emails.
- Collaborating with the Department Chair/Director and Academic Dean, as appropriate, to facilitate graduate student policies, assignment of lab and/or office space, and mediate Graduate Faculty and graduate student issues as necessary.
- Serving as a conduit of information between the Graduate College and the Graduate Council to the academic unit faculty, staff, and graduate students.
- Collaborating with the Chair/Director and faculty colleagues to ensure rigor, quality, and maintenance of high standards of scholarship and graduate instruction within the unit’s graduate programs, and the appropriate development of, and modification to, curriculum and programs.
- Serving as an active participant and fulfilling duties on at least one appointed position on the Graduate College committees and in Graduate Council meetings. Council and Committee meeting attendance, or designation of an appropriate proxy, is mandatory for members of the Graduate Council.
- Participating in Graduate College signature events is encouraged.
- Timely conveying Graduate College news, information, events, and The Grad Academy opportunities for graduate student professional and career development to graduate students and faculty colleagues.
- Timely and accurately completing the Annual Graduate Coordinator Report each spring.
Graduate coordinators are the official liaison between the department and the graduate college on all matters related to the oversight and management of departmental graduate programs. Through their appointment to the Graduate Council, graduate coordinators also serve as members of Graduate College committees and assist with the formation and implementation of key graduate college policies and programs. Graduate coordinators each serve on at least one Graduate College committee as well as provide advice and counsel to the Graduate College dean on a variety of issues.