Lead Academic Adviser

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

23h•Onsite

About The Position

Undergraduate Academic Affairs (UAA) has an outstanding opportunity for a Lead Academic Adviser to join their team. Undergraduate Academic Affairs (UAA) shapes, advances and stewards a world-class undergraduate academic experience for students at the University of Washington. Staff, faculty and students in UAA deepen and enrich the learning experience for all undergraduates, recognizing and supporting the unique learning path of each individual student and the commitment of each academic program to excellence in learning and teaching. Within UAA, UAA Advising provides academic planning services and support for students, including helping them explore academic opportunities and working with them to connect their personal strengths and interests with curricular (including co- and extra-curricular) experiences. UAA Advising works primarily with students who are exploring and undecided or preparing for entrance into a major. UAA Advising is a primary campus contact for prospective transfer students, working closely with the community and technical colleges in Washington State. UAA Advising is the UW’s centralized advising office, providing leadership and support to advisers, departments, and student service units around the institution in the areas of academic advising practice and policy. UAA Advising works closely with New Student & Transfer Programs, Academic Support Programs, and other campus partners to support advising and orientation programming along with tutoring and course support for students. UAA Advising collaborates extensively around campus, particularly with college and departmental advisers, student services offices, and key campus event organizers. Along with Academic Support Programs and the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity’s Academic Counseling Services, UAA Advising is physically located at the heart of the university, within the Center for Undergraduate Advising, Diversity, and Student Success (CUADSS) at Mary Gates Hall. About this Opportunity The Lead Academic Adviser is a member of a professional team working collaboratively with colleagues in the UAA Advising office and across campus to provide comprehensive undergraduate advising services for students, focusing on those who are clarifying academic interests, preparing for admission to majors, changing academic goals, preparing for application to professional schools and programs, and prospective students intending to transfer to the UW, primarily from Washington community colleges. This specific lead role will focus on supporting the UW Transfer Center. As such, this position will be responsible for planning and organizing programming for current UW transfer students as well as planning and organizing for prospective transfer students and Washington State Community College Adviser training opportunities. This position requires professional knowledge and experience with University resources to empower students to identify interests and match personal strengths with educational and career opportunities. Important aspects of the work include mastering the complexities of all academic programs offered at the UW, incorporating learning-centered advising, understanding of the relationship between education and career, attention to detail, and frequent contact with the University's administrative systems. Additionally, this particular position requires a knowledge of and experience working with transfer students and understanding the details and complexities of the transfer process. As this position will be responsible for the programs offered through the UW Transfer Center it will also require experience in event and program planning and execution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant discipline
Minimum of 4 years experience in advising, student counseling, teaching experience, or related experience
Ability to handle caseload of 700-925 students
Ability to do work within office setting
Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends for events and professional development

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree
Experience working with Transfer Students
Experience as a UW or Washington CTC staff member
Familiarity with contemporary concepts in student development
Accountability and integrity
Conflict management
Student focus
Interpersonal savvy
Managing and measuring work
Planning and prioritization
Race, equity, and difference
Speaking and presenting
UW policies and systems

Responsibilities

Advise pre-major students
Assist students with academic planning to maximize students’ and University resources
Make students aware of the many opportunities to learn beyond the classroom, including study abroad, internships, service learning, volunteer and community service experiences
Provide students with tools and information for exploring majors
Assist students with understanding prerequisites and planning for application to departments
Help students integrate educational and career plans and understand how majors and skills acquired through education translate to careers
Clarify university procedures and policies for students to help them understand and navigate the university system and avoid or overcome administrative problems
Respond accurately and within an acceptable time frame to student inquiries via email
Advise low scholarship students
Assist students with identifying and overcoming problems that hinder their academic success and progress
Work with low scholarship students to develop strategies for success, including study plans, time management, balancing class loads, utilizing campus study resources, etc.
Refer students who are dealing with personal, health, and/or family issues to appropriate campus resources
Advise students on drop status, reinstatement and returning students
Meet with students who have been dropped from the university to determine best course of action to facilitate eventual return to the university or best educational outcomes
Help students develop a plan for successful re-entry into the university
Assist with filing reinstatement petitions, returning student applications, and hardship withdrawal petitions
Visit local community colleges to advise prospective UW students 1-2 times per month
Lead all Transfer Center programming and events including planning, implementing and assessing impact.
Create yearly plan for all Transfer Center programming
Develop expertise and serve as an office resource for advisers on best practices for serving transfer students
Plan, oversee, and assess the annual UW/CC Advising conference. Including chairing the planning committee
Coordinate with The Office of Admissions to plan and participate in Transfer Student Preview Day
Plan and facilitate the annual Highway to Husky Admission workshop
Support Transfer Center Student Ambassador program by collaborating with Assistant Director and student ambassadors to plan and oversee UW Transfer Center events
Lead the planning and implementation of the annual Transfer Student Celebration week
Coordinate with Admissions on Transfer Thursday and the Tuesday Transfer Webinars
Coordinate with campus partners and those in the Community and Technical Colleges to generate content for regular communication with the Community College Advising Community
Create learning outcomes for transfer programming and use learning outcomes to evaluate programming. Programs will be evaluated through surveys, center usage data, and focus groups. Assessment will be used to inform plans for future programming.
Participate in advising and orientation presentations for new freshmen and transfer students
Develop and deliver presentations on transitioning to the UW for new freshmen and transfer students
Staff registration presentations/labs as needed for new freshmen and transfer students
Participate in training and support of student orientation leaders for Transfer and Freshman Orientation
Serve as a contributing member on campus committees on an as needed basis
Serve as liaison with programs in one of the UW schools or colleges
Steward professional relationships and communication with programs the school or college
Attend meetings and report to UAA on activities and changes in the school or college
Attend UAA Advising Staff meetings.
Email, updates and communication with departments
Attend on-campus and off-campus workshops, webinars and seminars, e.g. SafeZone, suicide prevention, NACADA, MyPlan training, advising special populations (veterans, first generation, etc.)
Other duties as assigned.