The University of Vermont

POSITION DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE


Department: Computing and Information Technology
Prepared By: Hope Greenberg
Date: May 8, 1996
Proposed Title: Computation Specialist - Humanities

DIRECTIONS: Please review the entire questionnaire before completing. Use additional sheets if needed. Contact Personnel/ Salary Administration for assistance (x4480). Forward completed and signed forms to Salary Administration, 233 Waterman.

1. BASIC FUNCTION: Provide a brief summary including supervision received, purpose and main function of the position.

a. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Describe duties that must be performed. Give percentage of time for each, to total 100%.

Provide humanities computing consulting services to university faculty, staff and students in the areas of electronic representation of humanities content (electronic texts, hypertext, multimedia, text analysis tools, music, images, computer-mediated communcation) and in the use of information technology products in these areas.

b. MARGINAL FUNCTIONS: Describe duties that are performed either very infrequently or could be performed by other employees.

2.MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Describe the basic requirements for this job. Specify which are minimally necessary and which are desirable.

a. Formal education/training (diploma, degrees, certificates, licenses):

MA, in a humanities or social sciences discipline, with a background in computing.

b. Necessary or useful knowledge and experience, type and number of years:

Four to five years experience in an academic computing support environment with emphasis on independent development of skills and collaborative expertise with faculty. This individual will be working with faculty and students with varying ranges of technical expertise.

Experience with computer applications in humanities research required, with at least two years preferred.

Ability to learn rapidly changing computing tools and resources and apply these creatively to new models of scholarship.

Experience in the tools, methods, and resources of contemporary humanities scholarship.

Teaching and training experience. Public speaking and presentation skills.

Expertise with text encoding and text analysis tools (eg. Standard Generalized Markup Language, the Text Encoding Initiative, Hypertext Markup Language), hypermedia, experience with Internet, PCs (DOS and Windows), Macintosh and Unix preferred.

Must have strong written and oral communication skills. Must be able to communicate with both technologically and non-technologically oriented colleagues.

3. ORIENTATION AND TRAINING

a.What specialized or technical skills and abilities are required in order to do this job properly? Focus on skills and abilities usually learned on the job.

Technical knowledge of current and developing applications in humanities computing.

Technical knowledge of applications, platforms, network operating systems, and information systems supported by CIT.

b.What would be the average length of time required for a person with minimum qualifications to become familiar with the basic routines and cycles of the job, master specialized skills and abilities usually learned on the job and develop working relationships with persons most frequently contacted on the job?

1.5 years

4. GENERAL COMPLEXITY OF WORK

a.Describe the most difficult, unusual, or creative thinking (i.e.: Related to planning, designing, composing, constructing, investigating, comparing, interpreting and analyzing) required by this job.

Humanities computing is a relatively new field with fluid and developing standards, tools, and practices. The incumbent must investigate a variety of resources, interpret complex technical specifications, decide between methods that have little or no established precedents, and be able to integrate these with existing modes of teaching and research.

b.Describe the most important decisions and judgments required by this job, and the most significant kinds of errors that might be made.

Humanities computing projects require a significant investment of time and resources. There are no uniformly portable standards, no time-tested methodologies for integrating humanities computing tools and resources into existing curricula, and few evaluation and benchmarking precedents. The most significant errors would impede the academic work of the university; a researcher would be unable to complete work in a timely or effective manner, faculty and students would find the environment unproductive.
5. SUPERVISION RECEIVED

a. Immediate Supervisor(s): Name &;Title:

Stephen J. Cavrak, Jr., Assistant Director of Academic Computing Services

Other who assign or direct work:

Norman Imamshah, Director, Computing and Information Technology
Roger Lawson, Associate Director, Computing and Information Technology

b. What do typical assignments and directions consist of? How often are they given? To what extent do they require the individual to plan activities and design or choose specific work methods? Give an example.

This individual does not receive specific assignments. Activities are designed and chosen by the individual based on interpretation of academic needs, knowledge of possible and existing technologies, and general and stated directions of CIT.

c. Are written rules, instructions and procedures available to guide activities of this job? Do precedents or standard practices and techniques apply? Does this job require the individual to modify or interpret standard rules, instructions, practices or techniques?

Precedents, standard practices and techniques are developed by the incumbent based on needs of given projects and changing technologies. The job requires the individual to create practices and techniques, to evaluate competing standards, to work with faculty to integrate these practices into teaching and research, and to ensure that these practices align with the services and resources of CIT.

d. How often and in what ways are work in progress, completed work or results of work checked or monitored?

Collaborative work in progress is discussed with appropriate faculty and colleagues. An annual review of general goals and projected directions is compiled for discussion with supervisor and colleagues.


6. CONTACTS:

Describe the nature and extant of non-supervisory contacts with others that are essential to the job. Identify who is contacted (vice presidents, deans, dept. Heads, faculty, staff, students, persons in outside organizations, the public); why (to give information, explain or interpret policies/procedures; counsel and advise individuals, instruct or train, coordinate activities) &;how often.

Inside UVM:

Deans, Dept. Heads, Faculty, Students: Instruction and support in computing tools and resources related to scholarship.

Faculty: Collaborate on integration of humanities computing tools and resources into instruction and research.

Faculty, Students and other UVM support services: Collaborate on projects involving use of humanities computing tools and resources.

Faculty and Students: Invited guest lecturer for special sessions in credit courses on humanities computing.

Outside UVM:

Non-UVM scholars: Discuss and develop new computing tools and resources, and integration of existing tools. Also collaborate on scholarly projects involving humanities computing.

General public: Lecture on and demonstrate new computing resources, projects, initiatives and directions.

K-12 teachers and administrators Provide instruction, information, and advice on computing strategies related to humanities computing.

7. SUPERVISION OF OTHERS:

Identify positions supervised by this position and describe the type of supervision: planning, assigning, checking and approving work; training &;instructing; performance appraisal; interviewing, hiring, disciplining, firing; recommending or determining pay rates; organizing and managing staff unit.

This position does not have a formal supervisory capacity.

8. Describe the nature and extent of the position's responsibility. Identify values and authority to sign official documents.

a. FINANCIAL RESOURCES: Cash, checks, major fund or accounts.

None.

b. OPERATING BUDGETS: number and dollar amount of budgets; whether duties involve review of expenses against budget, maintenance of budget records, approval of expenditures, development of budget recommendations, preparation of budget requests and written narrative, approval of budget requests for other departments.

Will evaluate needs and recommend purchases and budgets for humanities computing projects both within CIT and outside.

c. PHYSICAL RESOURCES: equipment plants, animals, art objects, chemicals, buildings.

Responsible for CIT computing hardware, software, and other equipment used as part of humanities computing projects.

d. DATA/RECORDS/INFORMATION of major importance to the function of the department or of a sensitive or confidential nature.

Faculty research material.

9. PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS &;WORK CONDITIONS

a. Does this job involve significant physical strain or activity (I.e.: Walking, lifting, standing, climbing, driving, repetitive motions, pushing, hearing, talking)?

None

b. What unusual working conditions are associated with this job (I.e.: Lighting, heating, ventilation, odors, noise, animals, heights, infectious diseases, exposure to inclement weather)?

Nearly constant computer use.

c. To what extent does this job require work beyond normal office hours or travel?

Requires travel to guest lecture sites and collaborative sites.

Routinely involves communication and project development outside normal working hours.

10. HELPFUL INFORMATION ON RELATED JOBS:

a. What other jobs in the department or section involve the same essential functions as this job?

Computation Specialist in Graphics

Computation Specialist in Statistics

b. What other UVM jobs appear to be similar to this job?

No formal titles outside CIT. The titles of some people doing similar work are Library Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Engineering Specialist, and Research Center Analyst/Programmer.

c. What other UVM jobs would appear to qualify a person for this job?

Research Assistant Professor, Library Professor (those who work with faculty and students in a broad variety of computing and networking areas).

[Non-UVM]

Instructional Technology Developer, Humanities Computing Specialist, Humanities Information technology Support Officer.

d. What other positions at UVM appear to be a logical next step or promotion for a person in this position?

No current positions. As UVM increases its integration of technology into the curriculum, possible titles would be Associate Director for Academic Information Resources, Humanities Computing Center Director, Instructional Technology Coordinator.

11. (Signature section--see paper form)

12. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

a. Describe in numbers, the workload volume of the position.
Examples:Direct dining hall which serves 1,000 meals a day
Responsible for the registration of 25,000 students twice a year.

Receive and read/scan over 200 e-mail messages a day both from UVM colleagues and students and from electronic scholarly organizations.

Generate approximately 300 e-mail messages per month to initiate discussion, instruct and inform, and answer questions.

Develop and teach over ten instructional short course sessions per semester.

Guest lecture for 5 or more credit courses per semester.

b. What deadlines out of your department's control does the job entail on a regular basis? For example, preparing grant proposals or publication deadlines. Indicate nature and frequency.

Occasional deadlines for grant proposals, submission of conference papers, and publications.

c. How many staff members who report to this position are located outside the immediate work area?

None

d. What electronic, mechanical and/or equipment-related skills are required by this position? Be specific in stating the type of equipment used and the type of work done with it.

Technical knowledge of a variety of computer platforms, operating systems, and applications and development tools.

Working knowledge of multimedia technology including slide and flat-bed scanners, video and digital cameras, laser disk players, CD-ROMs, and modems, and the software related to this equipment, to use in developing projects and supporting use.

13. DATA ON INCUMBENT (to be completed by person currently in this position)

Hope Greenberg
CIT, Waterman
6-1176
Full-time

a. For how long have you performed this job essentially as described above?
1 Year

b. What formal education and training did you have when you took this job? Have you continued your formal education since then? Specify fields of study and highest degree or year of school completed.

MA History, UVM. In progress

B.A., Interdisciplinary Humanities., SUNY Stony Brook, 1988.

Undergraduate course work in teaching and education.

Technical training in several computer hardware and software products and platforms.

c. What previous experience, including other UVM jobs, helped prepare you for your present job?

Technical and support expertise as Office Systems Specialist in Computing and Information Technology, UVM.

Instructor, Computer Science. CS 2: Fall 1993 and Spring 1994

Co-instructor, EDSS 295: Spring 1996

Instructor, CE - Church Street Center

Systems Administrator, SUNY Stony Brook, School of Medicine.

d. What formal on-the-job training or instruction has been provided by UVM since you took this position (internal or external; courses, training programs and conferences)?

Organize, present at, and/or attend at least two conferences per year.

e. List or attach a list of professional organizations in which you actively participate and the nature of your participation.

Electronic Conferences: HUMANIST, E-Text Centers, TEI, Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, History Forums: Member

Association for Computers and the Humanities: Member

Vermont Educational Telecommunications Consortium - Professional Development, Summer Institutes Instructor

Mid-Atlantic Popular/American Culture Association: Member, conference speaker

f. Indicate the nature of your participation in workshops, seminars, conventions and other professional meetings in the last three years.

June 1993: AHC-ALLC Joint International Conference, Georgetown University: participant.

May 1994: Beyond Gutenberg: Hypertext Conference, Yale University: participant

June 1994: Annual Vermont Book Publishers Association Meeting, Randolph: guest speaker.

October 1994: 2nd Int'l. WWW Conference, Chicago. Presenter.

November 1994: University Press Association: Electronic Publishing Conference, Wash. D.C.:participant.

November 1994: Franklin Pierce Law Center Annual Retreat, Concord, N.H.: Keynote speaker.

March 1995: Mastering the Maze, University of Vermont: Presenter.

May 1995: National Online Meeting, New York: Invited panel presenter

May 1995: DAGS '95: Electronic Publishing on the Internet, Boston: Invited Panel presenter

October 1995: North American Web Conference, New Brunswick: Program Chair and presenter.

November 1995: Mid-Atlantic PCA/ACA 1995 conference, Syracuse: presenter

December 1996: International Online Meeting, London: Closing plenary panel presenter

g. List or attach a list of your contributions to scholarly or professional publications in the past five years.

"Of Bodies Chang'd to Various Forms I Sing": Humanities Scholarship on the Web. Proceedings, International Online Meeting. London, December 1996.

Can Home Pages Replace Tome Pages: Arts and Humanities on the WWW. Proceedings, National Online Meeting. New York, May 1995.

The Ovid Project: Metamorphosing the Metamorphoses. Proceedings, 2nd Int'l. WWW Conference. Chicago, October 1994.

Review of "The Social Impact of Computers." CD-ROM Professional. January 1994.

The 37 Questions