Academic Advisor

About the role

Academic Advisors serve as trusted partners, mentors, and advocates for students as they navigate their academic journey. In this highly collaborative and student-centered role, advisors empower students to clarify goals, explore opportunities, overcome challenges, and stay on track toward graduation. Through personalized guidance and meaningful relationships, Academic Advisors help students make informed decisions about their education, connect with valuable campus resources, and maximize their university experience. Working closely with faculty, staff, and campus partners, Academic Advisors contribute to a culture of student success by supporting retention, engagement, and degree completion while helping students discover pathways to achieve their academic, career, and personal aspirations. This position specializes in supporting approximately 300 undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences. This position is also part of a career ladder that offers defined pathways for advancement and professional growth within academic advising.

Responsibilities

Academic Advising and Student Success

• Provide holistic academic advising and student support services that promote student success, persistence, and timely degree completion.
• Partner with students to develop academic plans, and navigate degree requirements, university policies, and academic processes.
• Assist with registration, course scheduling, graduation review processes, and other academic administrative activities that support student success and timely degree completion.
• Review and evaluate academic records, degree requirements, transfer coursework, and other student information to support academic planning and degree progression.
• Connect students with university services, programs, and resources, helping them navigate campus processes and access support that addresses individual needs and barriers.
• Monitor student academic progress and satisfactory progress towards degree completion.
• Identify risks to retention or completion; coordinate interventions through referrals and support services.
• Partner with faculty, staff, and campus resources to remove barriers to success, and promote academic achievement.
• Provide timely guidance to students experiencing academic difficulty, including probation-related concerns. Communicate concerns with faculty, advisor colleagues, and relevant stakeholders.

Academic Records Management

• Maintain accurate student records, advising documentation, and academic information in accordance with university policies and standards.
• Prepare, compile, verify, and maintain graduation lists and other reports, records, correspondence, and other materials related to advising operations, student success initiatives, and program requirements.
• Run degree audits and evaluate progress towards graduation.
• Maintain compliance with institutional records and documentation standards.
• Utilize university systems and reporting tools to track student progress, maintain data integrity, and support institutional decision-making.

Campus Partnerships and Institutional Support

• Collaborate with faculty, academic leaders, and campus partners to support student success, maintain awareness of academic programs and policy changes, and ensure consistent communication of university requirements and resources including admissions, financial aid, counseling services, career centers, tutoring services, and other partners to support student success.
• Participate in recruitment, outreach, orientation, workshops, and engagement activities that support prospective, new, and continuing students throughout their academic journey.
• Maintain current knowledge of academic policies, curriculum requirements, advising best practices, and university systems to provide accurate guidance and support informed decision-making.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of advising programs, services, processes, and resources that enhance the student experience and operational effectiveness.

As with all positions, may perform other job-related responsibilities as needed to support departmental and campus-wide needs.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 1 year of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in higher education or related field.
• 2 years of experience in Academic Advising.

Skills

• Relationship building centered on trust and student advocacy
• Problem solving and resourcefulness
• Organizational skills and attention to detail
• Academic and institutional knowledge
• Integrity and confidentiality

Pay

Anticipated hiring range: $43,000 – $46,000 (Grade: GGS-008; University Title: ACADEMIC ADVISOR)

Schedule

40 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Benefits

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses.