General Summary:
The Academic Advisor will serve as an advisor for the CLA Advising Office within the College of Liberal Arts. The incumbent will work under the supervision of, and in close collaboration with, the Director of CLA Advising and will provide academic advising and related services to declared majors within the College. The primary responsibility will be to advise declared majors within the College. The incumbent is responsible for implementing programs and interventions focused on student learning and supporting students in attaining their educational and career goals; the incumbent will monitor their caseloads and follow outreach protocols; they will explain and interpret university policies and procedures; they will serve as an advocate for students, when appropriate; and they will work collaboratively with faculty advisors, and act as an advising resource for CLA faculty, when necessary.
Examples of Duties:
• Deliver proactive academic advising, as well as group and individual outreach, group advising and on-line advising for declared students in the College of Liberal Arts (CLA);
• Make referrals to, and connections with, other University departments;
• Collaborate on individual student cases with partner offices, such as Disability Services, Undergraduate Studies, Financial Aid, Bursar, Registrar, and Undergraduate Admissions, to resolve students’ difficulties and ensure students are accessing the services they need.
• Serve as an advising generalist for the office regarding CLA majors, general education requirements, University policies and procedures, transfer credit policies and the inter-college transfer process;
• Implement advising programming for new first-year and transfer students with declared majors in CLA to build a solid foundation for their future undergraduate careers;
• Collaborate with faculty advisors to advise new and continuing students, support their progress toward degree completion, and help them achieve their academic goals;
• Serve as an advising resource to faculty advisors, including but not limited to, serving as a resource for questions and researching possible resolutions to student concerns;
• Stay abreast of current advising theory and engage in professional development;
• Work collaboratively with the office of Academic and Career Engagement and Success, which advises undeclared students, by attending meetings and advising jointly at New Student Advising and Registration workshops during orientation;
• Deliver advising presentations at Orientation (summer and winter), First-Year Seminars, and others as needed;
• Master university-specific and other technological tools to advise and communicate with students and faculty and to carry out all tracking required by the office;
• Continuously review and monitor student advising records, including degree audits, transcripts, and student registration records (WISER); keep updated records and notes in department and University files;
• Act as a collaborative team member in the office’s mission to provide high-quality advising and student support with the goal of increasing student retention and graduation rates;
• Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Master’s degree and a minimum of one year of advising experience in higher education required. Knowledge of current student development theory and research required. Ability to work occasional evenings and/or weekends is required. Experience working with both freshman and transfer students is strongly preferred. Experience collaborating with faculty preferred.
• Proficiency in office software, including Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace;
• Knowledge of current student development theory and research;
• Ability to exercise good judgment in prioritizing tasks and meet deadlines;
• Ability to collaborate with all levels of employees within an organization;
• Ability to adhere to schedules and office procedures;
• Ability to follow directives from supervisor and administrators;
• Demonstrated organizational ability and strong attention to detail;
• Strong oral and written communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Strong commitment to student support and success;
• Strong commitment to university and student service.
Application Instructions:
Please apply online with your resume, cover letter and list of three professional references.
Review of candidates will begin following the application closing date.
Only Internal candidates in the Professional Staff Bargaining Unit will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period.
Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link:
Grade: 30
Salary Ranges
This is an exempt union position.
All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.
UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact HR@umb.edu or 617-287-5150.