Re: grad students as wc assistants

[cleveren@english.fsu.edu (Carrie Leverenz)]

Hi Sharon.  As a former graduate student who spent most of her PhD training
working as an administrative assistant, I am wholeheartedly in favor of
turning your half-time clerical position into a graduate administrative
assistant so long as that person is doing more than answering the phone and
keeping records. When I was first on the job market a few years ago, I felt
like my administrative work was just as important to potential employers as
was my teaching experience.  Sure, I spent a lot of my time answering
phones, writing letters, sending memos, etc., but I also got to do a lot of
program-related work that I could "sell" on my vita.  I have a graduate
student working for me now in the Reading/Writing Center that I direct at
Florida State.  Though she is at the desk doing "desk duty" for most of her
administrative time, she is also writing/revising a staff guide, working on
policy issues, giving the tutors teaching advice, etc.  So I would say if
there is any way you can turn your secretarial position into an
administrative assistant position for a grad student, then do it.  Carrie
Leverenz 

>i need some help thinking through a concern i am having.  my secretary is
>leaving to take a full time position on campus.  our position is only part
>time so this will keep happening to me.  we are, therefore, thinking of
>restructuring our position.  one possibility is to create a new graduate
>assistantship for someone to be an administrative assistant in the lab --
>keeping track of day to day concerns, etc.
>
>my questions that i would appreciate your thoughts on are
>
>is this a good professional use of an english grad student?
>
>do any of you have such a position?
>
>if you do, what does that person do in the lab?  what are his/her duties
>and responsibilities?
>
>anything else -- help
>
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>Sharon Strand
>Bowling Green State University
>Bowling Green, OH
>sstrand@bgnet.bgsu.edu
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