Director of Retention & Multicultural Programs

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse; La Crosse (WI); On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is seeking an Assistant Director for Retention to lead holistic advising practices, oversee retention initiatives, and support student success across diverse populations. The role reports to the Director of Multicultural Student Services and supervises two retention specialists.

The position emphasizes collaboration with Financial Aid, Institutional Research, and campus partners to develop high-impact retention programs and ensure persistence to graduation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 4 years full-time higher education experience or equivalent.
• Experience with program development, implementation and assessment.
• Experience with low-income, first-generation, transfer and multicultural students.
• Ability to build partnerships with faculty, staff and students.
• Experience advising student groups.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with MS Office applications.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Lead holistic advising practices and retention programs.
• Supervise two Retention Specialists and oversee staff development.
• Coordinate retention initiatives with OMSS and UW System programs.
• Collaborate with Financial Aid and campus partners to support student persistence through graduation.
• Manage early alerts and advisement load for eligible students.

Skills

Oral and written communication

Program development

Partnership building

MS Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Office

Job description

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is seeking an Assistant Director for Retention to lead holistic advising practices, oversee retention initiatives, and support student success across diverse populations. The role reports to the Director of Multicultural Student Services and supervises two retention specialists.

The position emphasizes collaboration with Financial Aid, Institutional Research, and campus partners to develop high-impact retention programs and ensure persistence to graduation.