It's All About the Money

Tuition is going through the roof, and local community college enrollees have been barred from mid-year transfers, but California taxpayer-supported San Diego State University is spending real money to attract one special category of new student. According to a help-wanted advertisement posted online July 26, the school is looking for a “China Initiatives Coordinator” to be paid between $3519 and $5002 per month. The notice says that the new hire will be responsible for “developing, coordinating and implementing student recruitment efforts designed to attract undergraduate and graduate level students from China to SDSU; facilitating admissions and enrollment of students through the Office of Enrollment Services; [and] assisting with all admissions related issues and [determining] appropriate referrals to campus offices when necessary.”

Besides attracting Chinese students, the job also involves “facilitating the development of contracts and agreements with Chinese schools, universities, foundations, agencies, corporations and government offices in China.” Part of that work will require “developing and maintaining webpages and other media including social media in Chinese.” The successful candidate will have “Native fluency in spoken and written Mandarin Chinese” and “Near native fluency in spoken and written English,” as well as “Knowledge of and experience working in American and Chinese educational systems.”

If Chinese is not your métier, SDSU is also looking for a new “Development Coordinator” to raise cash for its sports operation, the Aztec Club. An online help-wanted advertisement says the position, with a monthly salary range of $2884 to $4323, will involve such assignments as “applying for and securing Alcohol Beverage Control license for events held at Qualcomm Stadium,” organizing “Football pre-game tailgate events,” and “working with media personalities for promotion of Aztec Club events and for master of ceremonies responsibilities.”