Academic Advisor

Kids for the Future; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Alverno College in Milwaukee seeks an experienced Academic Advisor to guide Weekday College students across majors. You will provide individualized advising, help with registration, and craft personalized graduation plans empowering students to succeed in a supportive environment.

You will maintain accurate records, monitor progress, and collaborate with faculty and departments to advance retention and academic success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required with at least 3 years of advising in higher education.
• Master’s degree in higher education or related field preferred.
• Spanish/bilingual skills strongly preferred.
• On-campus work required; some remote hours with approval; occasional evenings/weekends.
• Active empathetic listener with strong communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to handle multiple demands.
• Experience with student information systems and MS Office.
• Commitment to equity and working with diverse student populations.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one academic advising to Weekday College students.
• Assist students with registration planning and course schedules.
• Collaboratively develop personalized graduation plans with students.
• Support students with academic, career and life concerns.
• Maintain advising notes and update the student information system.
• Monitor, investigate and update early-alert information.
• Lead campus-wide advising initiatives and retention projects.
• Collaborate with faculty advisors and college departments.
• Prepare for Undergraduate Committee meetings reviewing progress.

Skills

Academic advising

Student mentoring

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Multicultural competence

Organization

Independent work

Problem solving

Creativity

Education

Bachelor’s degree 3+ years advising

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Ellucian Colleague

Self-Service

Student Planning

Pharos 360

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Employee Type 12-month Staff
• Required Degree 4 Year Degree

Alverno College is looking for an individual to perform the following primary responsibilities:

Advising/Student Contact

• Provide one-on-one academic advising to new and continuing Weekday College students across all majors.
• Build rapport with advisees of diverse backgrounds by creating a respectful, supportive and non-judgmentalenvironment.
• Assist students with registration planning, creating a schedule and understanding the registration process.
• Collaboratively develop personalized graduation plans with students. Provide accurate information regardingrequirements for graduation.
• Facilitate problem-solving with students regarding academic, career and life concerns. Provide holisticsupport and resources.
• Facilitate the exploration of majors/career options. Assist students to connect their interests, values andstrengths to potential career areas.
• Discuss academic progress/academic status with students, especially related to early alert notifications and mid-semester progress reports.
• Create and lead small and large group presentations in classrooms, orientations, and other campus settings.
• Familiarize students with campus resources and refer/connect students as needed.
• Provide accurate and timely information to students about College policies and procedures

Record Keeping

• Maintain and update accurate advising notes following student/advisor interactions.
• Determine when advisees are eligible for the addition of a faculty advisor/mentor and facilitate that process
• Monitor, proactively investigate and update information in the early alert system regarding advisees.
• Track student progress and registration. Update student information system accordingly

Administrative Responsibilities/Planning

• Review new/readmit student transcripts and academic information to determine appropriate courseplacements. Prepare a registration plan including schedule requirements/recommendations.
• Initiate emails, forms, requests, inquiries and permits in conjunction with student advising follow-up.
• Run reports and enter updates into the student information system as needed.
• Process Student-on-Leaves and Official Withdrawals.
• Become an expert on the Weekday College curriculum and requirements. Maintain curricular knowledge through continuous learning and review. Provide leadership and expertise related to updates to Academic Maps.
• Facilitate/lead projects related to cross-campus advising initiatives and student retention/persistence.
• Participate as a member of various college-wide committees/work groups.
• Serve as the Advising Office liaison with discipline and/or academic support departments. Provide support toFaculty Advisors.
• Prepare for meetings of the Undergraduate Committee on the Status of Students by reviewing studentacademic progress and making academic status recommendations.

Other Responsibilities

• Support the overall functions of the Advising Office, including staffing the front desk as needed.
• Participate in official College functions when appropriate.
• Be respectful of the College’s visions of a balanced and healthy lifestyle strategy which includes the SevenDimensions of Wellness: Career, Emotional, Environmental, Intellectual, Physical, Social and Spiritual.
• Comply with College policies, safety procedures, and maintain clean and orderly work areas.
• Perform other tasks as necessary to support the mission of the College and the Advising Office.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 3 years of advising-related work in a higher education setting is required.
• Master’s degree in a higher education or a related field is strongly preferred.
• Spanish/bilingual skills are strongly preferred.
• Required to work on-campus and meet with students face-to-face. With approval, some remote hours are possible. Occasional evening/weekend hours.
• Active and empathetic listener.
• Effective communication skills, including via virtual platforms such as Zoom and Teams.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with a diverse community including a wide range of ethnic, multicultural andsocio-economic backgrounds.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize competing work demands.
• Must be comfortable with frequent interruptions and professionally respond to variations in schedules/plans.
• Ability to work independently, be self-motivated/self-directed and take initiative.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize creative and critical thinking skills when solving problems.
• Ability to communicate and respond professionally in a timely manner with multiple audiences.
• Must be able to establish and cultivate effective and collaborative relationships with students, staff andfaculty.
• Robust attention to detail especially related to the complexities of the Alverno curriculum, systems andprocesses.
• Willingness to “go the extra mile” for students and to act as student advocate.
• Experience with student information systems (especially Ellucian Colleague, Self-Service & Student Planningand Pharos 360) is extremely beneficial. Proficient with Microsoft Office.
• Prior knowledge of Title IX, FERPA, ADA and other regulatory and accreditation requirements helpful.

Working Conditions

• General office environment.
• Must be able to freely move throughout the campus. Must have the ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Requires the ability to speak and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and color vision.

Summary

Founded in 1887, Alverno College is a four-year, Catholic liberal arts college for undergraduate women sponsored by the School Sisters of St. Francis. The college also offers a robust array of graduate and degree completion programs for women and men. Student learning and personal and professional development are the central focus of everyone in the Alverno College community. As Wisconsin’s first designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, Alverno enrolls a highly diverse student body of virtually every demographic and experience. It is an institution that has revered tradition and encouraged innovation for more than 130 years.

Academic Advisors provide academic guidance and holistic support to an assigned caseload of diverse undergraduate Weekday College students in a range of majors/programs. Academic Advisors work collaboratively with students to assist them through their academic journey. This includes helping students to understand and take ownership of their academic requirements and progress, teaching students about Alverno’s ability-based curriculum, assisting students in exploring/identifying career pathways, navigating issues/concerns, and fostering time/life balance. Academic Advisors also are involved with and often coordinate/lead campus-wide advising and retention-focused projects, functions and activities.

Alverno College is nationally recognized for its innovative, ability-based curriculum that emphasizes active learning, continuous feedback, and student development. Learn more about our academic programs athttps://catalog.alverno.edu/ .

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. This role requires the ability to communicate effectively, use instructional technology, and work in classroom, laboratory, and/or online learning environments. Laboratory instructors must be able to safely demonstrate and supervise laboratory activities in accordance with established safety procedures.

Applicant Accommodations

Alverno College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment and selection process. Applicants who require an accommodation to complete the application process or participate in an interview should contact the Human Resources Department [e-mail] .

Alverno College is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.