Principal Designated School Official (PDSO)

Description

The PDSO is individually accountable to SEVP for the accuracy of SEVIS records and the University's regulatory compliance, in addition to any accountability to University leadership. The role carries a substantial documentation and training component: the PDSO maintains written procedures for all SEVIS-related processes and trains University staff whose work touches international students, and provides functional direction to the University's DSOs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

SEVIS and Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain accurate and timely SEVIS records across the F-1 student lifecycle, including I-20 issuance, initial entry, transfers in and out, change of status, term registration, program extensions, reduced course load authorization, CPT and OPT, employment authorization, corrections, and completion or termination of records.
• Complete all SEVIS reporting within federally mandated deadlines, including each term's registration window.
• Serve as the University's point of contact for SEVP, and manage the Form I-17 — including recertification, campus and program updates, and the nomination, addition, and removal of Designated School Officials.
• Reconcile active SEVIS records against student information system data on a recurring basis; investigate and correct discrepancies and escalate material compliance issues to University leadership.
• Monitor changes in federal regulation and guidance affecting F-1 students and advise University leadership on their operational implications.

Process Documentation

• Maintain a current written procedures manual covering every SEVIS-related process the University performs, identifying for each the responsible role, the regulatory deadline, and the required documentation.
• Maintain a compliance calendar of recurring SEVIS deadlines, reporting windows, and I-17 recertification dates.
• Document new or changed processes as regulation, systems, or staffing change, so that the office's operations do not depend on any single individual's knowledge.

Training and Internal Advising

• Train and support the University's Designated School Officials on their regulatory obligations and on the University's procedures.
• Deliver recurring training to staff in Admissions, the Registrar's Office, Student Affairs, Financial Aid, and Academic Affairs whose work affects F-1 student status.
• Develop and maintain training materials, including session content and quick-reference guides for common processes.
• Serve as the escalation point for F-1 questions from staff, faculty, and students.

Work Environment

• This position is a hybrid position, consistent with SEVP requirements.

Work schedule: 10–15 hours per week on average, scheduled by mutual agreement; additional hours may be required during term-start registration windows, SEVIS reporting deadlines, and I-17 recertification cycles, subject to standard overtime approval. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Sitting, standing, walking, and bending are required of this position. Use of a computer keyboard and computer screen for periods of time with close vision and the ability to adjust visual focus plus manual dexterity are required. 

MENTAL DEMANDS: The mental demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Examples of mental demands include reading (documents), detailed work, confidentiality, language, math, reasoning, oral communications, written communications, customer contact, multiple concurrent tasks, constant interruptions, and performing calculations when necessary. 

About Assumption University: St. John Paul II wrote: “Man’s creation by God ‘in his own image’ confers upon every human person an eminent dignity; it also postulates the fundamental equality of all human beings.” Assumption University recognizes the essential contribution of a diverse community of students, staff, and faculty and condemns all forms of harassment, discrimination, and disrespect. As such, and in compliance with the requirements of federal law and/or the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Assumption University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy, as well as other legally protected status, in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities, except where such conditions may constitute bona fide qualifications for the programs or activities in question.  

Requirements

• Demonstrated working knowledge of F-1 regulation and direct hands-on experience in SEVIS.
• Demonstrated ability to write clear procedural documentation for a non-specialist audience.
• Experience training staff or delivering instruction to adult learners.
• Sound judgment in handling confidential student records, and a working knowledge of FERPA.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage recurring federal deadlines with no tolerance for lateness.
• High degree of professionalism, sound judgment, integrity, and discretion, given personal federal accountability for SEVIS accuracy.

Education and Experience

• Must be willing to contribute actively to the mission of the University as well as show respect for the Catholic and Assumptionist identity of Assumption University.
• Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Candidates must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents as federally required. 
• Prior service as a DSO or PDSO at a U.S. institution of higher education preferred.
• Experience with SEVIS batch processing or SIS–SEVIS integration preferred.
• Experience building a compliance function or documenting processes in an environment where they were previously undocumented preferred.