Academic Advisor

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Meets with students to review degree progress and assesses progress against graduation requirements. Ensures student understand how to navigate course registration and degree requirements
• Monitor students’ progress. Helps students resolve requirement concerns. Identifies alternative courses and solutions to meet degree requirements. Assists students with changing course registration
• Reviews career goals with students and assists students with post-college planning, including reviewing and revising resumes, identifying valuable internships and fellowships, and coaching with interviews
• Maintains knowledge of key registration and enrollment dates. Stays current in best practices related to academic advising, student success, and higher education
• Makes referrals to other points of service such as counseling, financial aid, career services, student life, and disability services
• Conducts outreach to students to build and foster relations, provide helpful information, and ensure students are aware of available services
• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of academic advising principles and practices
• Skill in written, verbal, and interpersonal communication to influence and articulate a variety of topics to different and diverse audiences
• Skill in multi-tasking, project management, prioritization, and organization
• Ability to handle sensitive situations with empathy, cultural awareness, and confidentiality
• Ability to work independently and with a team in a fast-paced environment

Minimum Education & Experience

• Master's degree in related field
• 2 years of related experience

Job Level Overview

Specialized Contributor Level 2 - A fully functional role requiring established knowledge of the profession or field of work. Responsible for completing substantive assignments and projects. Problems are varied and non-routine, and resolution requires exercising judgment, analysis, advisement, creativity, and understanding broader sets of issues. May provide assistance to entry level staff.

Additional Description

This posting is for two vacancies (College of Science and College of Liberal Arts).

Academic advisors function in order to support student success.  Advising is a collaborative relationship between a student and advisor.  Advisors take a student-centered approach that enriches student learning and development in preparation for success with a diverse global society.  This position will be assigned to a college, and reports to the assistant dean who leads the advising team, and works with the chair and department coordinators as appropriate. This position will develop, implement, and manage academic advisement for RIT students. The position will participate in developing strategies that will enhance retention and promote students’ connection to their academic program as well as the university. 

Major Responsibilities:

• Maintain systematic and frequent contact with advisees in order to provide them with accurate information about academic progression and degree requirements, assess students’ academic progress towards degree completion, and advise students to identify barriers to success and offer appropriate referrals for academic and personal concerns. Outreach to students whenever necessary in order to assist with planning and support. Direct students towards campus resources that will enhance their ability to be academically successful, including: ASC, CRP, HEOP, Counseling Center, Disability Services, Financial Aid, and other offices.

• Advise students to develop their long range goals and plans of academic study, include as applicable: co-op or internship work schedules and/or study abroad opportunities. Assist students to evaluate progress towards established goals.

• Review and update degree audits in a timely manner, including evaluate and determine the transfer of credits; research course descriptions to determine transferability as assigned. Participate in degree certification process as assigned.

• Maintain awareness of institutional information including admissions requirements, new programs, course changes, deadlines, costs, expanding facilities, college-wide initiatives, transfer requirements, and relevant state and federal mandates.

• Keep accurate records of all interactions.

• Participate in university student success and retention initiatives related to advising.

• Collaborate with department chairs, deans’ delegates for advising, faculty advisors and university partners to ensure seamless support for students, and serve as an advising resource for faculty and staff within the college

• Participate in admissions and recruitment programs as assigned.

• Participate in orientation programs as required.

• Stay current with processes, technology, and computer skills relevant to advising at RIT

• Participate in college planning, implementation, and evaluation of the academic advisement program’s goals and objectives.

• Participate on departmental, college, and university committees as assigned,

• Participate in Advisors Council and engage in relevant professional development activities, which may include: CPD sessions, workshops, RIT courses, attendance at conferences, membership in professional organizations, etc.

• OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

Educational Requirements:
MS, MA or M.Ed in Higher Education, Counselor Education, Career Counseling, Social Work, or related field.

Required Skills:

• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills that exhibit positive regard, care, concern, and respect for students, families, and colleagues.

• Strong commitment towards supporting all levels and backgrounds of students through a variety of approaches and processes to achieve their educational and personal goals.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively (written and in-person) to a broad constituency, including administrators, faculty, staff, students, and parents.

• Knowledge of research and theory related to college student development, including: cognitive /learning development, student persistence, student engagement, diversity and student identity, and experience applying the knowledge to support student development and success.

• Thorough understanding and working knowledge of FERPA regulations within a higher education setting.

• Working knowledge of effective decision-making and conflict resolution techniques.

• Nights/weekends may be required.

• Ability to coordinate and manage assignments in order to sustain an extensive workload within a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent computer skills including: SIS, Degree Audit, & related systems.

• Strong organizational skills.

• Excellent attention to details.

• Demonstrated ability to multi-task.

Preferred Experience/Skills:

• Working knowledge of RIT processes, programs, and resources preferred.

• 2-4 years related experience in advising or a related field in higher education environment strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated leadership skills and experiences desired.

• Knowledge of deaf culture and ASL strongly preferred.

FLSA Category

Work Location

Compensation

Application Materials

When you are ready to complete an application for this position please be prepared to submit the below requested information.  This will be required to ensure your application is processed in a timely manner.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.

Additional Details

In compliance with NYS's Pay Transparency Act, the salary range for this position is listed above. Rochester Institute of Technology considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law.

If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Human Resources office at 585-475-2424 or email your request to [email protected]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.