Academic Advisor

Fort Lewis College•Durango, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Academic Advisor supports undergraduate students through their academic journey, serving as the primary academic advisor until students reach approximately 60 earned credits. In this role, Academic Advisors guide students in academic planning, degree exploration, and institutional navigation while helping students build the skills needed for long-term academic success. Academic Advisors manage caseloads based on academic major, program or other cohorts, develop and maintain accurate academic plans in Workday, and monitor student progress toward key milestones. Academic Advisors intentionally prepare and support a structured transition to faculty advising, ensuring students move forward with a clear, accurate academic plan and an understanding of ongoing advising expectations. This position directly advances the College’s Strategic Plan by supporting student persistence, retention and timely progress towards degree completion. Through proactive, equity-minded advising and early academic intervention, Academic Advisors contribute to Fort Lewis College’s commitment to being a student-ready institution – reducing structural barriers, improving student experience, and supporting successful outcomes of all students. In addition to direct advising, Advisors contribute to shared advising initiatives, collaborate closely with academic departments, and support continuous improvement of advising practices within Enrollment Management. This role is well-suited for individuals who value relationship-building, problem-solving, and equity-minded student support in a collaborative, fast-paced, high-impact environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
Minimum of two years' experience working in advising, coaching, mentoring, education or student/client success support role.
Demonstrated ability to apply professional judgement, manage competing priorities, and work effectively in a fast-paced, student-facing environment
Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to build rapport with students from broadly diverse backgrounds.
Ability to learn, retain and apply academic policies, institutional processes, and advising tools in support of student success
Demonstrated organizational skills and attention to detail, particularly in maintaining accurate records and documentation.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in higher education, counseling, student affairs, education, or a related field
Experience in academic advising, student success, or retention-focused work within higher education
Familiarity with degree audit systems, academic planning tools, early alert platforms or CRM Systems (Workday Student, Slate, etc.)
Knowledge of proactive advising or caseload management models

Responsibilities

Manage an assigned caseload of undergraduate students and provide individualized academic advising aligned with degree requirements and student goals.
Help students develop academic plans, understand degree requirements, select courses, and explore majors, minors, and co-curricular opportunities.
Use advising systems and data to support accurate academic planning, track student progress and inform student decision‑making.
Support transfer students by reviewing prior coursework, evaluating degree progress, and developing clear pathways to degree completion.
Maintain and manage advising availability (appointments and drop-ins) and provide advising through individual, small group, and orientation sessions, including high-volume periods (e.g., orientation, registration, add/drop), while maintaining accuracy and a student-centered approach.
Apply professional judgment and maintain broad working knowledge of academic policies, institutional processes, and related financial aid considerations to guide students through complex academic decisions and next steps.
Help students identify challenges, address barriers, and stay on track toward graduation by providing accurate information and using sound judgment, connecting them to appropriate campus resources, and coordinating support with campus partners (including counseling, wellness, and support services) while maintaining clear advising boundaries.
Develop and implement proactive outreach strategies aligned with key academic milestones (e.g., orientation, registration, academic standing, course alerts, credit momentum, advisor transition).
Monitor caseload engagement and outcomes, adjusting outreach and follow-up efforts to ensure students remain on track.
Meet established performance expectations and measurable advising metrics – including outreach volume, timeliness, documentation accuracy, and quality of student engagement – to support re-enrollment and retention goals for your caseload, as defined by the Director
Balance walk-in advising availability with planned, developmental advising interactions.
Participate in team-based advising campaigns and shared outreach efforts to support student persistence and timely registration.
Use academic plans, milestone tracking, and advising data to identify students in need of support and conduct timely outreach.
Serve as a primary advising liaison to assigned academic departments and collaborate to support student success and advising continuity.
Monitor student progress toward the 60-credit transition point and communicate with academic departments to support timely advisor assignment and continuity of advising.
Support students in understanding the distinct roles of professional advisors and faculty advisors and what to expect during the transition.
Participate in group advising efforts and advising-related meetings with academic departments as appropriate.
Interpret and communicate curriculum requirements, advising considerations, and policy updates to students and advising colleagues.
Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential advising records, including documentation of student interactions and referrals, in accordance with institutional standards, FERPA requirements, and data policies.
Apply institutional policy and professional judgment to ensure accurate academic records, degree audits, and external compliance requirements (e.g., scholarship verification, placement processes).
Participate in required meetings, training, and professional development activities.
Contribute to a collaborative advising environment that supports consistency, equity, and high-quality advising practices
Maintain knowledge and awareness of digital accessibility including the American with Disabilities Act and Section 508 and produces and remediates digitally accessible materials in accordance with FLC standards.
Perform other duties as assigned