Senior Academic Advisor (Pre-Professional Health Minors)

Summary

The Office of Student Services (OSS) in the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) is recruiting for a Senior Academic Advisor. The incumbent to this position will sustain an environment of effective academic advising for undergraduate students in order to support VCU being a leader among national research universities in providing all students with high-quality learning/living experiences focused on inquiry, discovery and innovation in a global environment. More specifically, the incumbent will provide advising services to students declared in the eight CHS Pre-Professional Health Minors: Pre-dentistry, Pre-medicine, Pre-occupational therapy, Pre-optometry, Pre-pharmacy, Pre-physical therapy, Pre-physician assistant, and Pre-veterinary medicine. In partnership with VCU Career Services, the advisor will provide students enrolled in pre-professional health minors advice on selecting courses and engaging in activities to prepare for application to professional-level training programs in health care. Meeting these needs will improve student engagement through effective academic advising, while supporting the identified metrics of graduation rates and retention.

The VCU job series for this position is Senior Academic Advisor in the Academic and Faculty Affairs job family. For more information, please see the VCU Human Resources' Job Family and Salary Ranges site at https://insidehr.vcu.edu/guidelines/compensation/job-families-and-salary-ranges/.

VCU combines learning, research, creativity, service and discovery with a commitment to inclusive excellence. Ranked by U.S. News as one of the 30 "most innovative" public universities in the country, VCU is a premier, urban, public research university home to multiple nationally ranked programs. Here your success is supported, and your career can thrive. VCU offers a robust benefits package that includes: comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, generous tuition benefit, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more. Learn more about VCU's benefits here, https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/benefits/.

VCU is committed to hiring veterans! VCU will add your military years of service to our leave plan. This may provide veterans with an increased leave accrual!

Job-Specific Duties

This position requires a high degree of confidentiality. The main purpose of this position is to sustain an environment of effective academic advising for undergraduate students in the respective programs. The person must exercise professional judgment in the following ways:

1.Provide correct up-to-date information about all College and program-specific academic program requirements.

2.Provide correct interpretations of University and College rules and regulations.

3.Be comfortable and accurate in answering pointed questions from parents and students about graduation issues.

4.Be able to tell students they lack requirements for graduation and offer suggestions for completion of the needed requirements (including possible substitutions or waivers of degree requirements).

5.Follow appropriate protocol for situations involving Title IX or FERPA.

1.Provide academic advising services to assigned students:

• Advise students regarding: departmental, College, and University policies and procedures; programs of study; and the development of appropriate academic plans.

• Work with OSS staff to create and sustain a process for students to declare and maintain minor programs of study

• Collaborate with VCU Career Services to ensure students have access to comprehensive advising services and programming to prepare for careers in the health professions.

• Write letters of recommendation and letters of support for student appeals.

• Assist students in identifying their interests, abilities, skills and academic goals and in making decisions regarding their academic career.

• Introduce students to opportunities that will enrich their academic experience, facilitate their academic and personal development, and support their educational success.

• Teach students how to manage the college experience, navigate the University, make informed decisions, and assume responsibility for their academic success.

• Identify and assist struggling or at-risk students.

• Make appropriate referrals to other university resources.

• Assist students in the online graduation checkout.

• Participate in and provide feedback on training and professional development activities.

2.Programming

• Create and update workshop presentations both online and in person.

• Facilitate workshops and presentations as requested by campus partners and student organizations.

3.Collaborate with university partners on matters that impact student recruitment, success, and retention:

• Participate in recruitment activities, programs, and initiatives (e.g., Open House, Preview Day).

• Provide advising services to students during New Student Orientation.

• Support departmental and University retention initiatives.

• Contact continuing students who do not register for classes.

4.Maintain accurate and confidential records of student information, including advising interactions:

• Document all advising interactions with students.

• Maintain training on policies including Title IX and FERPA.

• Maintain accurate and confidential records on students.

5.Monitor student progression in degree program and establish advising checkpoints:

• Use the Navigate advising platform to establish targeted student populations for more intensive advising.

• Use DegreeWorks and VCU Advising Tools to determine student's progress in completing degree requirements and maintenance of the minor progression policy requirements

Job-Specific Education and Experience

Minimum hiring standards for Senior Academic Advisor positions :

• Master's degree from an accredited institution.

• 3-5 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment and commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

• Demonstrated experience providing academic, career, or individualized counseling in higher education.

• Understand curricula information (including program of study and general education requirements) for areas of advising specialization.

• Excellent written, interpersonal and oral communication skills.

• Ability to ask searching questions and practice active listening

• Ability to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for students

Preferred hiring standards for Senior Academic Advisor positions :

• A minimum of 3 years professional advising experience or equivalent experience in a related career field, specifically with students interested in the health professions

• Completion of coursework or training related to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as topics related to leadership such as conflict resolution, coaching/mentoring, communication styles, or navigating change.

Job-Specific Physical and Cognitive Requirements

Physical Demands

Lighting (<20>Walking, Marginal

Standing, Marginal

Sitting, Essential

Reaching, Marginal

Repetitive Motion, Marginal

Bending, Marginal

Emotional Demands

Fast pace, Essential

Average pace, Essential

Multiple stimuli, Essential

Frequent change, Essential

Intense customer interaction, essential

Memory/Sensory Demands

Memory, Essential

Reasoning, Essential

Hearing, Essential

Reading, Essential

Analyzing, Essential

Logic, Essential

Verbal communication, Essential

Written communication, Essential