INTERNAL UCSF CAMPUS GUIDELINES FOR ALLOCATING POSITIONS TO CLASSES
WITHIN THE

CLERICAL/ADMINISTRATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST TITLES

August 1,1995

Positions in this series are classified by applying the Clerical/Administrative Point Factor System.

LEVEL I: Clerk (4763)

Work at this level is closely supervised, highly repetitive and routine. Instructions are available for each task. The work requires little or no judgement or decision-making. Incumbents may be required to perform simple data entry tasks.

LEVEL II: Senior Clerk Secretary (4672)

Work at this level is routine, and performed under supervision. The incumbent is responsible for an end product consisting of a series of tasks and for recognizing and referring problems or errors to the supervisor. Incumbents typically perform operational level data entry, basic word processing tasks and/or filing. Another typical assignment is as receptionist, answering calls, greeting callers, conveying standard information, taking messages, and referring callers to other individuals or offices. Work typically requires knowledge of standard office and administrative procedures and basic organizational skills.

LEVEL III: Assistant 1 (4724)

This is full working level. Incumbents apply detailed knowledge of standard University procedures such as processing purchase orders, travel advances, or other standard forms requesting action from central administrative offices. These incumbents regularly contact such offices in the course of their work. Incumbents perform the more standard bookkeeping or payroll tasks, scheduling of meetings and/or routine processing of patients bills. Incumbents in these positions typically make decisions regarding the processing of bills, patient or meeting scheduling, accuracy of research data and correcting errors according to departmental or unit guidelines. Incumbents apply clearly stated policies and guidelines to their work. Many incumbents have significant responsibility for patient contact and scheduling. This involves greeting and comforting patients, making appointments on automated scheduling systems, making necessary follow-up appointments and recognizing when a waiting patient or someone on the telephone needs special attention from a supervisor. A supervisor is usually readily available for these circumstances.

Incumbents are expected to use journey-level word processing skills and/or may perform basic data management tasks. When working on research projects, the incumbent typically is responsible for the data entry and/or administrative tasks related to the research. These tasks may be clear cut using programs written by someone else, but the incumbent at this level would clean data using utility programs written elsewhere and may provide routine review and interpretation of data entered. These incumbents would also produce basic reports. Incumbents would be expected to recognize irregularities in data and report to supervisor. In some research projects incumbents at this level may also interview subjects using open ended interview protocols, coding the resulting data, but this would not be a primary responsibility.

LEVEL IV: _____ Assistant II (4723)

This is the advanced working level. Incumbents at this level work more independently and are responsible for a complete administrative function; several dissimilar functions; have a section of a technical or limited professional activity to perform in a large unit; or have full responsibility for such a function in a smaller unit. Frequently these incumbents report to one or more faculty members or administrative employees and resolve conflicts in priorities; or are located at remote sites and resolve problems independently. These incumbents must choose a course of action from several alternatives and recognize when a particular request or transaction may have broad repercussions. Incumbents are expected to set up operational systems and procedures and may have lead responsibility over others.

In a patient care setting incumbents have lead responsibility over other positions and handle the more difficult patient problems or work in a small faculty practice or clinic where they have sole responsibility for carrying out the administrative activities and scheduling patient access. Incumbents at this level follow up on unpaid bills and resolve some patient billing problems.

In a research project setting, incumbents would be knowledgeable about project goals, objectives, and procedures. In data manipulation tasks, incumbents are expected to recognize irregularities in data, discuss them with the supervisor, and assist in coming up with solutions such as how to change a variable to get more complete data or more accurate reporting. On projects with large data bases, incumbents would be expected to merge files, flag for time-sequence interviewing and similar tasks requiring knowledge of and responsibility for aspects of the project's desired results. Interviewing would be only a small part of an assignment at this level and would involve interpreting responses and recommending changes in protocols.

As a secretary to a department chair, high ranking faculty member or administrator, incumbents handle sensitive matters, exercise discretion and judgment, schedule appointment and independently prepare correspondence and meeting materials.

LEVEL V: Assistant III (4722)

Incumbents at this level have responsibility for several dissimilar administrative functions performed by subordinate personnel or for a total technical/professional function such as personnel or accounting for a large organizational unit. For example, an incumbent may be responsible for staff and academic personnel payroll processing and explanation of related policy and procedure for a department. In these cases incumbents apply limited technical knowledge of a professional field such as accounting or personnel. They recognize problems requiring resolution by a professional and present the problem to the supervisor with the issues explained and possible solutions identified. They independently resolve all administrative problems not requiring professional-level analysis and decision-making. Decisions require analysis of the current situation and relevant facts such as historical precedence. Incumbents analyze the clerical/administrative needs of the unit.

Some incumbents at this level assess data processing needs and recommend equipment and software purchases for a unit. Incumbents with these responsibilities are placed at this level when the unit is relatively small with a limited network and/or when a limited number of software applications are needed. These incumbents typically train other employees in use of equipment and software and trouble shoot hardware and software problems.

Incumbents at this level may be project data manager for a large research project. Incumbents typically supervise data entry personnel or lower level assistants involved in data collection. These incumbents would have a more active role in understanding the nature and direction of the research methodology and analysis and be able to make suggestions regarding the analysis, better methods of data collection and other ways to improve project results. These incumbents are expected to perform more complex analyses of the data, but under the supervision of a project leader. Incumbents are expected to participate in the design of survey instruments if they are used. If on a large, complex and multi-site project the incumbent is ultimately responsible for quality control and data submission according to project schedule.

When serving as secretary to a department chair, high-ranking faculty member or administrator, incumbents have independent responsibility to convey information with authority, handle highly sensitive matters and interact with high-level contacts with other universities, national figures, politicians or system-wide officials and perform a substantive administrative function in addition to the secretarial duties.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Level V of the Clerical/Administrative Series is distinguished from Level IV by the complete responsibility for the clerical aspects of a complex technical or professional function within a department or for several dissimilar functions performed by subordinate staff; a requirement for specialized knowledge at a sub-professional level; greater involvement in problem recognition and solution; and considerable independence of action. It is distinguished from Administrative Analyst in that incumbents are required to have only limited knowledge of the professional field they support; their analysis is of the specific clerical/administrative operations for which they are responsible and tends to be on a case by case basis; the need for written skills is limited to correspondence on operational concerns; and these incumbents rarely represent the unit to groups outside the campus.

ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST (7243)

Positions in the Administrative Analyst series are classified by applying the MAP/A&PS Point Factor System. Positions which are allocated to the class of Administrative Analyst typically have assignments involving one or a combination of the following:
  1. The performance of responsible and complex administrative analysis with only general supervision. This involves interpreting policies which are unclear or not directly applicable to the work situation and making substantive decisions or recommendations on the application of such policy to specific cases. Incumbents advise management on appropriate courses of action for resolution of case-specific problems in such fields as employee and labor relations, fiscal analysis and administration, accounting or other areas relating to the professional programs of the unit. Incumbents represent the unit in dealings with the public, other universities and funding sources and independently negotiate courses of action to satisfactorily resolve mutual problems.
  2. Independent administrative responsibility for a function such as personnel, accounting, grants management, public information or curricular support for a department or major project or unit and performance of entry-level professional work in this field.

    Under option two, positions may be classified at this level when the assignment is to serve as a staff assistant to a University executive (Dean or Vice Chancellor) only if the incumbent is required regularly to make substantive decisions which prevent matters from needing resolution by the executive, provide substantive advice to a wide variety of individuals on matters pertinent to the work of executive, perform analytical studies requiring written reports, compose correspondence on matters of importance, represent the executive at meetings, and is delegated responsibility to speak authoritatively for the executive and to make commitments.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The distinguishing characteristics of this level are: considerable independence of action, substantive decision making, exercise of judgment and discretion over matters of importance to the professional activities and goals of the unit and the requirement for analytical and writing skills. In some cases, lack of these requirements may be offset by the responsibility for supervision of a large number of employees. The difference between options one and two of this class is that positions allocated under option one require professional level knowledge and perform professional level work but do not have broader administrative or operational level responsibilities; positions allocated under option two require a lower level of professional knowledge and analysis but this is offset by additional administrative, operational or supervisory responsibilities.


Assistant Administrative Analyst (7244)
Incumbents typically perform administrative analysis under the supervision of higher level administrative staff. Assignments may be more limited than those classified at the Administrative Analyst level; may involve more analytical coordination of administrative and professional processes; and, will typically have lower levels of complexity, applied knowledge, freedom to act, resource management, scope and organizational impact than positions allocated at the Administrative Analyst level. While the functions performed are similar to those described at the Administrative Analyst level, the primary distinction is the degree of independence with which the incumbent performs a wide variety of administrative analysis functions.

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