Director of the Academic Resource Center

Whitman College • Walla Walla, WA

1d

About The Position

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) is designed to support the academic success of all Whitman College students by offering free tutoring, success coaching and skill - building workshops. The ARC partners with students, faculty, staff, and college departments and centers to develop sustainable, accessible and student-focused academic support systems. The ARC Director provides leadership, strategic direction, and oversight for all aspects of the academic support mission and is responsible for developing and improving student support services, including tutoring, academic coaching, and co-curricular programs. The Director promotes a student growth mindset and collaborates with faculty and staff to strengthen student support services that foster personal, academic, and professional achievement. Additionally, the Director oversees recruitment and training of staff, manages the budget, evaluates ARC services, ensures compliance with federal and institutional policies and regulations, and fosters professional partnerships to expand academic support. The Director reports directly to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty.

Requirements

• Must be able to explain and/or demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. Specifically,
• Knowledge of academic support services in higher education, including tutoring, academic coaching, and student success programs, and how students learn and develop.
• Ability to use intercultural communication practices to effectively support and engage students from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Knowledge of student privacy laws and college policies (e.g., FERPA) and ability to handle sensitive information appropriately.
• Ability to develop and carry out plans that improve student support services and align with college priorities.
• Ability to build strong working relationships with faculty, staff, and campus partners to support student success.
• Ability to supervise, support, and develop staff and student employees.
• Ability to design and deliver programs, workshops, and services that help students succeed academically.
• Ability to use data and technology (e.g., Excel, student systems) to track participation, evaluate programs, and make improvements.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities, stay organized, communicate clearly, and support an inclusive, student-centered environment.
• A Master's degree in areas of education or in an academic field relevant to academic skills development.
• 2+ years of work experience in higher education and/or in academic advisement, student support services, or a closely related area.
• Experience in staff management and organization.
• Demonstrated experiencing utilizing data to assess, evaluate, and redesign services to ensure established goals/outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience building collaborative partnerships that ensure positive student success outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member.

Nice To Haves

• A Ph.D. or Ed.D in an appropriate field of education, or in an academic field related to academic skills development.
• Prior experience with both higher education teaching and student support beyond the classroom, as well as experience with diagnostic and classroom assessment, computer-based tracking and education advisement.

Responsibilities

• Provide Strategic Leadership for the ARC (50%)
• Management & Supervision (35%)
• Assessment & Evaluation (15%)

Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurances.
• Basic life , accidental death and dismemberment and long term disability insurances with the capability to elect additional voluntary coverage.
• 403(b) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan with a matching contribution after eligibility requirements ar e met.
• Paid Time Off: 20 accrued vacation days , 12 accrued sick days , 13 paid holidays .
• Tuition Remission – Dependent Children
• Employee tuition waiver for two Whitman courses per semester.
• Employee Assistance Program
• Relocation assistance for eligible employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees