Program Specialist 2 - Admissions at Tacoma Community College

Who We Are

Located in the scenic Puget Sound area with Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is the third largest city in Washington State with a thriving and diverse community of over 200,000 residents. Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup and Squaxin Island Tribes. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to Reservations to make way for colonizers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at a great cost. We honor the resilience of the Puyallup and Squaxin Island people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-being of our community. Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses.   In addition, we strongly support the Stop Asian Hate movement and have an active Asian Pacific Islander Student Club as well as an Asian and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Coalition. TCC is committed to developing more culturally responsive curricula by infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives, experiences, and contributions of Native, Black, Asian, and other marginalized communities. We continually strive to become an anti-racist institution.  
 
To grow our workforce, we are seeking creative, collaborative faculty who are reflective of the diverse community we serve. Tacoma Community College is a public Associate- and Bachelor’s-granting institution that serves a student-body of approximately 12,000 students.  Our students are 27% students of color, 60% female, and have a median age of 26.  We embrace our identity as a community college.   Our faculty are engaged in innovative work to improve student retention and program completion, and community success.   According to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, TCC ranks high on measures of active learning and academic challenge, thanks to our creative and scholarly faculty.  
 
We are specifically focusing on improved support for traditionally marginalized populations, including Black/African- American, Indigenous, People of Color, Dreamers, justice-involved, immigrants and refugees, Veterans, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community. To this end, TCC seeks applicants who:

• Value intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Welcome difference and model respectful interaction with others
• Recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community
• Are committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
• Are committed to teaching in a community college setting
• Care deeply about student success 
• Intentionally support and promote efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Honor TCC’s mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
• Reflect the diversity of our community

Essential Functions

• Demonstrate cultural competence, including awareness and understanding of historically underrepresented populations, and create an educational and work environment that affirms commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Informs prospective students about eligibility, the admission process, and the Online Admission Application Portal (OAAP) system.  
• Develops and distributes admissions materials for first-time college students, transfer students, and returning students.
• In coordination with the Residency Officer, this position will determine a student’s residency based on state and federal laws.
• Coordinates the Online Admissions Application (OAA) process including problem-solving system's issues in collaboration with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. 
• Processes new applications in ctcLink (PeopleSoft).
• Reviews admissions applications for completeness and initiate requests for missing information.
• Oversees accuracy of new student biographic/demographic information.
• Oversees communication with new and returning students. 
• Support outreach efforts to communicate to students who have applied to the college and who are not currently enrolled. 
• Interprets state and federal laws to determine student’s residency upon admission. 
• Processes requests for changes to residency status. 
• Applies appropriate waivers to students who qualify. 
• Coordinates with departments and students seeking admission to specialized academic programs. 
• Provides recommendations for changes that relate to the streamlining and improvement of the admission process and onboarding of new and returning students. 
• Develops training resources for front-line staff. 
• Participates in the training of and coordination of Entry Services, Admissions hourly, and work-study staff to facilitate necessary duties. 
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• 2 years of experience providing professional-level customer service and office management such as administrative clerical in admissions, enrollment services, or closely related industry -OR- equivalent education/experience.
• Experience working with diverse populations.
• Exemplifies outstanding customer service. 
• Knowledge and experience with word processing (Word), email (Outlook), and spreadsheet (Excel) skills using Microsoft Suites and Office 365.

• Multilingual 

• An appreciation of diversity and the benefits of a commitment to cultural awareness and sensitivity in the workplace.
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills including active listening, customer service skills and experience. 
• Ability to work collaboratively with unit team members and all areas of the college. 
• Experience working effectively with a diverse population of individuals with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and abilities.
• Effective interpersonal communication skills.
• Excellent customer service skills; including building and maintaining internal/external customer satisfaction, problem solving and dispute resolution in a positive and friendly manner.
• Skill in using data and information to assess and understand issues, evaluate options, form conclusions and make decisions.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team. Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Ethics, integrity and sound professional judgment.

Application Process

Application Materials
 Complete application packages must include the following:

1. Tacoma Community College online application form.
2. Resume and cover letter - In your cover letter, describe how your background and experience align with the responsibilities for this position.