Biggest Challenges Faced By A Scholar Support Analyst At San Diego State University
Katia's biggest challenge as a Scholar Support Analyst at San Diego State University stems from "restrictions" imposed by the funding sources and bureaucratic processes within the Office of Research and Innovation; this often leads to frustrating situations where solutions are impossible due to inflexible rules or conflicting institutional priorities, forcing Katia to constantly find "new solutions" and start from scratch.
Overcoming Challenges, Workplace Challenges, Industry Realities, Problem-Solving, Achieving Goals
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Katia Garcia
Scholar Support Analyst
San Diego State University
UCLA
N/a
Philosophy
Education
Research and Development (R&D)
Pell Grant Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Navigating bureaucratic processes and restrictions within a university setting is a significant challenge. Funding limitations and grant guidelines often create obstacles and require extensive permissions, sometimes resulting in setbacks.
2. Finding creative solutions and workarounds within a constrained system is crucial. When initial approaches fail, starting from scratch is common, highlighting the need for adaptability and problem-solving skills.
3. Balancing individual priorities and challenges with the overall goals of the university or organization is essential. Sometimes, individual issues are de-prioritized in favor of broader institutional objectives, requiring negotiation and compromise skills.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
The biggest challenge in my role is pretty much any type of restriction we have. I work in the Office of Research and Innovation, so a lot of our funding comes from research endeavors.
This funding comes with a lot of red tape, rules, and guidelines. Sometimes getting somewhere requires a lot of permission, or you just can't proceed because of how you're using money, how the grant is supposed to work, or what the funding requires. This can be incredibly challenging and frustrating.
Sometimes there is no workaround, and the answer is simply no. The next challenge is to find a loophole or a new solution, which essentially means starting from scratch again, regardless of how much progress you've made. That can be incredibly challenging and frustrating.
A lot of it is also school politics. When you work in higher offices in academia, or maybe in any industry, there are goals the university or company wants to accomplish where your issue is not important. It gets brushed away, and you're told, "This is what you have to align with."
That can be challenging too, because when you have a problem, it's all you can think about. Having to discard it or feel like it's not a big deal is also really challenging.
I guess I would just say the restrictions of trying to do your job and not being able to do it because you're part of a really big machine, and you're just a very small part of it.