Undergraduate Coordinator, Penn Arts & Sciences

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

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Job Description Summary

Job Description

The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC) is a relatively new department with a long history. Formally established in 2005 when the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies divided along geographic lines, the Department dates back to the 19th century when PENN was one of the first universities to offer courses in the languages and civilizations of what was then referred to as “the Orient.” EALC is a department of interdisciplinary scholars who focus on the humanistic tradition of East Asia, covering both the classical and modern civilizations of China, Japan and Korea. We teach and research the disciplines of history, literary history, linguistics, art history, performance and gender studies, philosophy, religion and ethics. The Department offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in both Chinese and Japanese Studies and is building a parallel program for Korean Studies. Language is an important part of our program. In addition to Chinese, Japanese and Korean, offered from introductory through advanced levels, we also offer Cantonese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and Thai on a regular basis.

The Department of Middle Eastern Cultures and Civilizations (MELC) engages in the interdisciplinary humanistic study and teaching of the cultures of the Near East (often called the Middle East) as they express themselves in languages and texts, including both written and oral sources, as well as art, architecture, archaeology and material culture. These cultures encompass the geographic region that stretches from North Africa through the eastern Mediterranean, Arabia and Iran. MELC's programs focus on the civilizations of Mesopotamia/Iraq, Egypt, Israel/Palestine, Syria, Arabia, Anatolia/Turkey and Persia/Iran. We teach Sumerian, Akkadian, Hittite, Egyptian, Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, Persian and Turkish, and other languages of the region, from ancient through modern

Duties/Job Responsibilities:

The Undergraduate Coordinator handles the general office curriculum and academic administration for two departments: SAS Middle Eastern Languages and Civilizations (MELC) and East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC). The primary focus of the position is on the undergraduate students, faculty, and lecturers and serves as the primary contact for undergraduates, as well as providing administrative support to the departments’ undergraduate chairs, faculty, and lecturers. The position also handles undergraduate student activity coordination and provides guidance to students and support to faculty as related to academic planning and course rostering.

The candidate will maintain and organize all student records with strict confidentiality, and coordinate all student academic activity, which includes monitoring undergraduate student records for graduation, transfer credit, processing petitions, permanent record changes, and issue course permits. Additionally, the candidate will coordinate administrative aspects of undergraduate majors and minors, addition of majors and minors to department’s system using central university databases and systems.  The person will handle detailed data input of all courses for undergraduate programs in NELC, EALC, and Folklore. Candidate should be knowledgeable in degree requirements for undergraduate students and assist the chairs and faculty to manage the undergraduate curriculum and support the overall academic mission and curriculum planning and will organize the curriculum, identifying and effectively procuring suitable teaching spaces and resolving any related issues.  Candidate will also hire and assign lectures to courses as required by the curriculum.

Qualifications:

High School Grad/GE Degree and 5 to 7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Bachelor's degree preferred.

Ideal candidate will have a solid understanding of scholarly resources across the University that are available for both students and department faculty.  The ideal candidate will possess analytical thinking and data compilation skills and office administration experience. Financial experience, event-planning experience, and an understanding of academic and curriculum planning are preferred. Familiarity with Penn’s curriculum application strongly encouraged and preferred.

Previous experience with Academic and curriculum planning and student advising.

High level data entry and review skills.  Self-starter.  Accuracy with numbers and details a must. Ability to manage competing deadlines.  Collaborative, communicative, excellent oral and writing skills. Data management and database management skills preferred. Must possess the ability to work closely and professionally with students, staff, and faculty. 

High level administrative skills required and must be well versed in all computing applications, plus ability to learn and manage new applications quickly and efficiently. Previous experience in an academic office preferred. Previous Penn experience preferred. Willingness to learn and apply new technologies as needed; strong interpersonal and organizational skills; thorough knowledge of office procedures, practices and methods; ability to organize and prioritize assignments and work effectively with diverse groups; detail-oriented, flexible, and productive under pressure; ability to staff events as needed.

Job Location - City, State

Department / School

Pay Range

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay