I dunno, that job description reads like "fall guy/gal so the director can have a shiny image" to me. Maybe I'm too cynical. - RepoRat

I knew the/a previous person with this job. "General dogsbody" is more the size of it, from my impression. - Catherine Pellegrino

My former workplace has one of these positions. There, it's typically an entry level, non-faculty position. The individual in the position basically does research for the dean, writes first drafts of presentations, writes articles with the dean and can, if a position opens, have a line into some administrative positions - the woman who was in the position when I started is the director of marketing and public relations for the library. The one at NCSU sounds like it's less on the entry level side of things, though. - ellbeecee

Definitely not an entry-level position at NCSU. The guy I knew was *awesome* - a perfect behind-the-scenes, got-his-shit-AND-the-director's-shit-together kind of guy. Of course, it also required a staggering amount of discretion because he was privy to well nigh everything. Not a job I'd ever want, personally, but I had a tremendous amount of respect for him and how well he did that job. - Catherine Pellegrino

No comment. - Mary Carmen

Concur with RepoRat there, then again, I tend to cynicism as well. - Angel R. Rivera

I'm a sucker for trying to redeem the fall guy positions, among other traits. - Mark Kille

Also tempting: How Catherine described it, I grew up in the RDU area, and I wouldn't be taking sides in UNC vs, Duke. I'm not leaving Portland, but still, sometimes it tugs at me when I see things like this. - Mark Kille