Assistant Program Director of Academic and Bar Success (Student Support Specialist)

Indiana University-Northwest; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 51,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Health savings account

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Tuition subsidy

Job summary

Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law is seeking an Assistant Program Director of Academic and Bar Success to support law students’ academic and bar preparation needs. The role reports to the Director of Academic and Bar Success and focuses on counseling, skill development, and program oversight.

Responsibilities include mentorship, tracking progress, coordinating a first-year tutorial program, and organizing workshops and practice exams to enhance student outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 2 years in student services or related field.
• Current or prior admission to a state bar in the United States preferred (Indiana or UBE jurisdiction).
• Teaching, advising, tutoring, counseling, or related experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Meets with and counsels students on academic skills development.
• Provides individual assistance and counseling, including regularly scheduled meetings, with students in academic difficulty and at-risk students.
• Tracks student success and academic performance using Canvas.
• Oversees first-year tutorial program; reviews and provides feedback on practice exams.
• Helps prepare students for the bar exam and plans related workshops.

Skills

Communication skills

Professionalism

Time management

Attention to detail

Confidentiality

Multitasking

Judgment skills

Student development knowledge

Advising students

Partnership building

Education

Bachelor's degree in education or related field

Job description

Assistant Program Director of Academic and Bar Success (Student Support Specialist)

Department Information

The Indiana University (IU) Robert H. McKinney School of Law resides on Indiana's urban research and health sciences campus. As the only law school in our vibrant capital city, we are committed to accessibility, affordability, and excellence in public legal education.

The McKinney School of Law serves its students and society as a center of legal education and scholarly inquiry. Our students pursue a rigorous course of study immersed in an environment of public service and community engagement. By fostering a mature sense of integrity and an awareness of an ever-evolving legal profession, we empower students to succeed as citizens, professionals, and leaders.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Academic and Bar Success, the Assistant Program Director will assist in supporting McKinney's academic and bar support initiatives to provide a comprehensive and meaningful academic experience for law students.

Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Meets with and counsels students on their academic skills development;
• Provides individual assistance and counseling, including regularly scheduled meetings, with students in academic difficulty and at-risk students. Develops and monitors academic learning plans for individual students. Advises at-risk students on course selection.
• Assists in tracking student success and academic performance for students in academic difficulty and at-risk students. Utilizes Canvas e-learning management system to help develop student skills and track student progress.
• Assists in the oversight and management of the first-year tutorial program.
• Assists in reviewing and providing constructive feedback on exercises and practice exams.
• Meets with and counsels students on preparing for the bar exam.
• Assists in planning workshops and events related to academic and bar preparation.
• Assists with supplemental bar prep program, including conducting practice exam sessions, assisting with skills and strategies workshops, and providing critical and constructive feedback on practice exams.

General Responsibilities

• Develops and implements programs and initiatives that offer support for students in crisis, facing adversity or challenges, or who belong to an under-represented or minority student population.
• Interfaces directly with students by attending student programming events, advising student organization leaders, meeting 1-on-1 to discuss support needs, and gathering satisfaction feedback from student participants to implement into future student services initiatives and objectives. Places an emphasis on confidentiality of student concerns, university policy compliance, and a culture of care within all direct student interactions.
• Collaborates with staff in own department and other departments, as well as academic and campus leaders, on shared student support goals, often coordinating funding to sponsor student programs and initiatives.
• Projects outcomes for support services offered at the program, department/division, or campus level. Measures and evaluates effectiveness of student support initiatives against projected outcomes; regularly prepares reports on impact to students and budget and may present to stakeholders on effectiveness and to secure funding for initiatives moving forward.
• Serves on committees and performs student support research across the field of higher education and at peer institutions to identify and recommend best practices.
• Plans and coordinates communications for student support initiatives to ensure student participation, inclusion, and engagement.
• May provide guidance to other student support staff; makes process recommendations to manager for improved delivery of service.

Qualifications

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required

• Bachelor's degree in education, public affairs, public health, counseling, social work, business, or related field.

Preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

• 2 years in student services, higher education, social work, counseling, law, or related field.

Preferred

• Post-law school experience or higher education experience; current or previous admission to a state bar in the United States, preferably Indiana or a Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) jurisdiction.
• Teaching, advising, tutoring, counseling, or related experience.

SKILLS

Required

• Proficient written and verbal communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a High commitment to quality.
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty.
• Highly thorough and dependable.
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure.
• Demonstrates ability to maintain confidential information.
• Ability to simultaneously handle multiple priorities.
• Demonstrates excellent judgment and decision making skills.
• Knowledge of student development, counseling, or career development theories and practices.
• Knowledge of current needs and trends of various student populations.
• Ability to advise students individually and in groups on student-related matters.
• Ability to build strong partnerships with students and other university departments.

Working Conditions / Demands

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Additional Information

McKinney School of Law

This is an in-person position.

Work Location

$50,648 - $64,000 based upon education and experience

Benefits Overview

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU
• Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
• Generous paid time off plans
• Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online . You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at [e-mail] or by visiting IUPD.