Academic Navigator

About the role

The Academic Navigator (Academic Advisor) empowers undergraduate students to develop meaningful educational plans that support their academic, personal, and professional goals. Navigators use strong interpersonal skills, background in advising theory and strategies, knowledge of academic opportunities, policies, and procedures, and referrals to other departments to support students in meeting their goals, a component of the True North Journey (CSB+SJU’s signature four-year experience). Academic Navigators strive to meet students at their point of need, understand the context in which they make academic decisions, challenge students to become self‑advocates, respond promptly to requests, and maintain attention to detail. The Academic Advising Office is highly collaborative and collegial within the department and in connection to other departments across both campuses.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with students in short- and long-term goal setting, decision-making, problem-solving, and planning related to their educational journey.
• Engage students in conversations about their educational experiences, identity, and goals.
• Connect students to opportunities allowing them to explore interests, strengths, values, and skills related to academic major(s) and career choices.
• Facilitate individual student’s understanding of integrated learning (general education, programs of study, co-curricular and non-academic experiences).
• Guide students in prioritizing course selections in line with their academic goals.
• Assist students in navigating higher education structures, processes, technologies, and cultures.
• Recognize each student’s need for specialized support and provide a bridge between students and those resources.
• Pay ongoing, proactive and data-informed attention to the individual student’s unique academic journey, including their degree progress, course selection, and academic outcomes.
• Support the education and training of departmental student employees.
• Respond to student inquiries regarding course schedules and facilitate course changes, as necessary.
• Facilitate timely registration by reaching out to students who are not registered by guiding students in resolving registration holds and working with campus partners.
• Monitor academic progress for students including mid-term feedback and registration assistance.
• Respond to student academic concerns raised by faculty, staff, or other members of the community.
• Engage in dialogue with students placed on probation to identify causes of poor academic performance and develop a plan of action with them.
• Partner with sophomore through senior students and their faculty advisors, Career Navigators and other campus partners to guide the completion of the student’s academic plan.
• Maintain student records according to professional standards, including confidentiality of information.
• Serve as the First Year Advisor for approximately 100 new students.
• Assist assigned students in creating registration plans for succeeding semesters.
• Facilitate a purpose-driven new-student registration process.
• Employ various advising approaches to guide students through exploration and discernment of academic majors.
• Advise students regarding general education requirements and developing four-year academic plans.