Academic Advisor II

About the role

The Academic Advisor II, with minimal assistance, drives engagement and empowers students to achieve their academic and career goals. This position will play a vital role in maximizing undergraduate student retention by building relationships with students and clarifying procedures and academic requirements for specific programs or majors.

Responsibilities

• Advises Students
• Collaborates with students to understand and develop realistic and attainable educational and academic goals and provides input on related majors, minors, future education and career options that best align with goals.
• Educates students about and prepares and assists them with full array of academic processes (e.g., registration, add/drop, Q drops, withdrawals, change of curriculum submissions, etc.) by sharing university and college policies, program requirements, transfer credit decisions, etc.
• Reviews student’s academic record and counsel students regarding core and degree course selection and implication of selected courses and/or exception requests.
• Provides input on probationary decisions.
• Creates and maintains updated relevant records and notes (e.g., student contact, advisor notes).
• Delivers Student Success and Retention Strategies
• Consistently engages student population utilizing various outreach methods (e.g., in-person and online) to cultivate a professional relationship to keep students informed of critical and relevant personal, academic and professional deadlines, updates, information and events.
• Proactively shares with students available academic, professional, and health and wellness resources (e.g., Academic Success Center, Career Center, Student Organizations, Counseling & Psychological Services, Disability Resources, etc.).
• May refer students with identified needs as appropriate.
• Actively monitors students’ progress through the program by reviewing and assessing academic records to determine status of progression, completion of degree requirements as well as identifying and referring those students in which additional intervention and guidance may be recommended to reaching academic goals.
• Led the planning and/or delivery of various department related advising, student success, retention events and academic campaigns (e.g., New Student Conference, 1st semester advising, inquiries from prospective students).
• Assesses individual students' stage of academic development and promotes their growth by determining suitable developmental tasks.
• Team Building and Support
• Affords assistance in training of and sharing of information for new staff members and student workers within the academic advising department.
• Training and Development
• Up to 10% training and development per year to complete in-class and on-the-job training programs, which may include shadowing, departmental/college/school trainings, university training, university, state, and national advisor meetings, regular staff and supervisory meetings, and other activities approved by the supervisor.
• Trainings must include: Advisor Onboarding Training (new to Texas A&M hires), Becoming a Master Academic Advisor.

Requirements

• Required Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of advising or related experience.
• Required Licenses and Certifications: None
• Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Knowledge of: NACADA’s Core Values of Academic Advising. Theories relevant to academic advising. Academic Advising models, approaches, and strategies. Professional standards and ethical guidelines for academic advising. Expected student learning outcomes of academic advising. Expected student success outcomes of academic advising. Curriculum, degree programs, and other academic requirements and options, to include changes and revisions over time. Critical partners for academic advisors and their role in the advising process. Campus and community resources that support student success. Project management principles and processes. Professional standards and ethical guidelines for coaching, coaching models, and methods and techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of coaching.
• Skill in: Proficiency level of novice in the following skills, using the novice to expert model (i.e., novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, expert): Discussing and referring students to appropriate campus resources for mental health issues. Conducting research and developing and delivering training, to include: Advising tools and strategies, campus resources, and relevant updates for faculty and staff. Supervising student employees to assist with administrative advising duties and programming. Ability to multi task and work cooperatively with others.
• Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Knowledge of: Texas A&M University’s history, mission, vision, values, and culture. The history and role of academic advising in higher education and at Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University policies, procedures, rules, and regulations relevant to academic advising. Legal guidelines of advising practice, including privacy regulations and confidentiality. The characteristics, needs, and experiences of major and emerging student populations. How welcoming environments are created and maintained in advising interactions for major and emerging student populations. Resources and effective, appropriate responses to address mental health issues that may affect the well-being of students. Information technology applicable to relevant advising roles. Training methods and techniques for planning, designing, developing and delivering instructional content that is engaging, effective, relevant, and applicable to achieve desired learning outcomes.
• Skill in: Conducting research and developing and delivering training, to include: Topics within the field of academic advising, including organizing activities for professional development.

Qualifications

• None

Skills

• None

Benefits

Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums

Up to 12-15 days of annual paid holidays

Up to 8 hours of paid sick leave and at least 8 hours of paid vacation each month

Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas

Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Pay

Commensurate with experience

Schedule

N/A