Working Title: JMU Libraries Data & Scholarly Communications GA (25-26)

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Graduate Assistant

Position Status: Part-Time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt: Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: JMU Libraries

Department: 100113 – Libraries

Pay Rate: Stipend

Specify Range or Amount: $9816 stipend / academic year plus tuition (refer to the Graduate School website)

Is this a JMU only position? N/A

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 

About JMU:

Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

General Information:

JMU Libraries seeks a graduate assistant to support work in the Data & Scholarly Communications department for the 2025-2026 academic year, beginning in August 2025 and ending May 2026. This position works closely with the Digital Collections Specialist and the Head of Digital Assets within Data & Scholarly Communications in JMU Libraries to support student scholarship and publishing workflows in the institutional repository, JMU Scholarly Commons. This position helps to support undergraduate and graduate theses, dissertations, and capstone projects from the Graduate School and Honors College. Students with an interest in digital libraries, academic publishing, and metadata are encouraged to apply.

The Graduate Assistant will work 20 hours per week, split between Rose Library and remote. The weekly schedule is flexible within a Monday-Friday, 8am to 5pm schedule and will be determined between the GA and the supervisor at the start of each semester.

The Libraries particularly welcomes applicants who can enhance the inclusive excellence of our campus community, and who can demonstrate a commitment to building equitable and inclusive environments for teaching, learning, research, and service. We are committed to cultivating a welcoming place for everyone, encouraging dialogue and celebrating diverse life experiences and perspectives. As an organization, JMU Libraries aspires to a collegial and collaborative culture that values openness, trust, effective communication, and multiple perspectives. We encourage experimentation and creativity in pursuit of meaningful solutions that build on our position as core academic infrastructure for our campus community.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist with the maintenance of the JMU Scholarly Commons institutional repository.
• Add and edit descriptive and technical metadata for digital collections in JMU Scholarly Commons.
• Perform quality control on metadata records and digital collections in JMU Scholarly Commons.
• Assist with creating and maintaining updated documentation related to electronic theses and dissertation workflows and procedures.
• Perform batch data uploads and revisions in JMU Scholarly Commons.
• Attend routine meetings as requested.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Expected acceptance into a JMU graduate program.
• Strong communication skills (verbal and written).
• Ability to work independently, think critically and take initiative, as well as collaborate in a team environment.
• Ability to provide excellent service to a diverse constituency in a professional and positive manner.
• Time management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel.

Additional Posting Information:

Conditions of Employment:  

Students may apply to a graduate assistantship prior to being accepted into a graduate program. However, to be eligible to receive an assistantship upon entry into a graduate program, the following criteria must be met:

The student must be conditionally or unconditionally accepted into a graduate program. Students who are provisionally accepted will not be eligible until they achieve conditional or unconditional acceptance into their program.

The students must have an official transcript on file indicating completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or agency

After receiving an assistantship, the student must maintain at least a 3.0 graduate GPA in order to retain or reapply for the assistantship.

These are minimum criteria. Graduate program coordinators have the right to impose additional criteria if they see fit.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are a student with a disability and need assistance please contact the Office of Disability Services at (540) 568-6705 or disability-svcs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the Office of Disability Services, located in the Student Success Center, Suite 1202 and they will be happy to assist you.