PT Academic Advisor, Student Athletes

General Statement of Job

The PT Academic Advisor, Student Athletes is responsible for assisting students to persist in college and graduate in a timely manner. The position works with undeclared students to guide them through the major-exploration process to declare a major and advises Bachelor of General Studies students and all other majors or students for whom the Student Success Center is tasked to provide academic advisement. In addition the student-athletes aspect of this position requires providing advising support to student-athletes with respect to applicable NCAA Division II academic eligibility rules. Essential to this position is the requirement to provide information to student-athletes, coaches, and appropriate Athletics personnel who support the academic success of student-athletes.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Duties:

Provide broad-based academic advising by being knowledgeable of academic policies and procedures, unique to Missouri Southern State University.

Assist students with developing skills geared toward becoming knowledgeable, responsible, successful global citizens.

Serve as a primary advisor to undeclared students, and students pursuing Bachelor of General Studies.

Advise and assist students with academic policies, procedures and graduation requirements, such as, Academic Standards of Progress, Probation, Suspension, Petitions, Bankruptcies, Plans of Studies, Graduation processes and deadlines, Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, course sequencing, etc.

Perform all aspects of student registrations and advising administrative processes, including performing overrides where necessary, completion of Graduation Checklist, Plans of Study, Academic Petitions, etc.

Participate in enrolling and orienting new students to the institution through the various processes, such as the traditional Southern Welcome, online Southern Welcome, open enrollment, and departmental enrollment sessions.

Provide necessary academic assistance, support, or coaching to students on academic probation, students with D/F grades at midterms, or students referred through MSSUs Lion Alert system.

Disseminate, educate and assist students in complying with institutional policies and procedures and meeting important deadlines.

In consultation with the Registrars Office and/or Transfer Guide, unofficially evaluate and determine the transferability of credits.

Assist students in viewing, understanding, and utilizing Degree Works reports, course scheduling and registration.

Review and interpret placement and other standardized test scores, and assist students and prospective students in signing up for placement tests.

Assist, coach, and/or support students in overcoming transitional and academic difficulties impacting student persistence and success.

Maintain accurate records, including electronic records of interactions with students.

Refer students to the appropriate support staff for special services, such as Counseling Services, Financial Aid assistance, Student Disability Services, etc.

Participate in the development, and revision of advising and related materials for the students.

Stay abreast of changing institutional and academic information including admissions requirements, new programs, updates in college-wide initiatives, transfer requirements, and state and federal mandates.

Participate in the planning, implementation, and the evaluation of the departments goals and objectives.

Support and participate in institutional student development and retention efforts.

Represent the Student Success Center in presenting on advising and student support presentations where needed.

Remain current on applicable NCAA academic legislation as it pertains to persistence and degree completion for MSSU students. (This position does not have the authority to make determinations of athletic eligibility, an authority which resides with the Athletics Compliance Office and the Registrar).

Coordinate and partner with the Athletics Compliance Office, to prepare and present educational and informational workshops or seminars to campus constituents including but not limited to: faculty, staff, coaches, student-athletes, and/or prospective student-athletes regarding academic eligibility and student- athlete success life skills.

Coordinate and partner with the Athletics Compliance Office, using the institutions reporting systems to generate reports, request new reports as needed, and distribute reports to coaches relative to student-athletes academic success.

Collaborate with campus units to educate student-athletes on major and course options, and other academic opportunities.

Document procedures for academic advisement of student-athletes.

Foster the successful connection of declared student-athletes with their respective faculty advisors

Serve as the liaison between the Student Success Center and Athletics, faculty, faculty advisors, and coaches relative to student-athletes academic progress.

Provide outreach and academic advisement to student-athletes with poor midterm grades and those referred to Lion Alert for academic reasons.

Meet with prospective student-athletes on admission tours, recruitment visits, and Lion Pride Visit Days.

Develop individual academic coaching plans for student-athletes identified as academically at-risk.

Maintains competency and professional currency through self-directed professional readings, membership(s) in relevant professional associations, professional networking, Master Advisor trainings, conferences, workshops, staff meetings, departmental and institutional trainings, etc.

Assist with other departmental and campus events where needed, such as Commencement, Freshman Convocation, and other Student Affairs events. This may require periodic evening or weekend assistance.

Contributes to the overall success of the Student Success Center by performing other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Education, Experience, and Licenses

Master's degree required. Master's degree in progress will be considered with expectation of completing degree in two years.

Additional experience in college level academic advising, academic coaching, career counseling or other related work experience, and teaching is preferred.

Additional minimum of two years working with student-athletes and understanding their unique needs preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.

• Knowledge of NCAA mission, values, objectives, and eligibility rules

• Ability to be organized, flexible, and manage self, work time, and work space effectively.

• Ability to build and maintain rapport easily.

• Ability to use sensitivity skills to respectively and positively interact with individuals of diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• Ability to use small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems.

• Ability to use computers for data entry, word processing and spreadsheets.

• Ability to use highly technical computer applications.

• Ability to practice high ethical standards, adhere to FERPA standards, and the practice confidentiality with work-related information including employee information

• Ability to manage workload both independently and as a team.

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, write reports, and present before small and large audiences.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel including the use of a computer keyboard; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear including the use of a telephone. The employee is frequently required to walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus. Requires the ability to see, hear, and speak.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

NOTICE: The above job profile does not include all essential and nonessential duties of this job. All employees with disabilities are encouraged to contact Human Resources to review and discuss the essential and nonessential functions of the job. An employee with a disability can evaluate the job in greater detail to determine if she/he can safely perform the essential function of this job with or without reasonable accommodation.