Retention Coordinator

University of Central Oklahoma•Edmond, OK

15h•Onsite

About The Position

This position is a grant-funded role, typically renewable yearly for up to 5 years, though not guaranteed. The Retention Coordinator counsels students regarding academic endeavors, acting as a resource for academic information and decision-making strategies. They assist with campus retention and graduation efforts, actively coaching students through the degree attainment process, attending applicable program and campus events with students, and meeting with them regularly to track academic success. The role is responsible for an assigned group of students each year to follow through toward graduation, completing degree checks and collecting/organizing data to address persistence issues. They monitor and track student records to ensure enrollment persistence, good academic standing, and appropriate progress toward graduation. The coordinator also maintains the SSS website and electronic documents, converts manual records to a computerized system, and manages personal data in accordance with federal human protections certifications. Additionally, they develop and implement retention programs by following up on existing initiatives and identifying new outreach opportunities within Student Support Services-SALUTE, and coordinate/implement recruitment programs and marketing strategies for special events related to under-represented groups. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in job related field plus 3+ years of relevant experience in the chosen field or 7+ years of equivalent work experience that provides knowledge of and exposure to fundamental theories, principles, and concepts.
Requires the application of expertise in a chosen field to achieve results.
Must have valid driver's license and clean driving record.
Demonstrated ability to work well with diverse student populations.
Ability to work well with peers, supervisor, faculty, staff and students.
Excellent oral and written communication, interpersonal, human relations, public relations, and organizational skills.
Excellent mechanical, computing, and networking skills.
Ability to work independently, handles multiple tasks simultaneously, an interacts professionally with all segments of the University community.
Ability to organize and coordinate personnel associated with the project.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Must be detail oriented.

Nice To Haves

Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in counseling, education, or related field
Minimum of 2 years in higher education
Prior experience working with disadvantaged and under-represented populations in higher education
Demonstrated knowledge of retention strategies and best practices
Experience working with veteran, military, or military connected persons
Strong preference towards background similar to target population - veteran, military, military connected, TRIO programs
Computer proficiency, preferably in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and/or other presentation software (e.g. Prezi).
Veteran preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborates with university faculty, staff, and administrators to design, develop, and implement new programs and adapt existing programs/courses/support services to increase the number of students at all class levels that stay or return to the university each year, complete their degree and graduate.
Identify areas of needed change that would increase student retention in a continuous improvement environment.
Collect and organize information on what causes students to leave and to develop policy recommendations on solutions, alternative systems and procedures that will increase retention.
Serve as a clearinghouse for information on developing a customer service culture in higher education.
Performs needs-assessment, planning, data collection and analysis in order to make continual improvement to on-going retention programs.
Educates faculty, staff, students, and the community on retention philosophy, tools, and issues by publishing articles in campus publications.
Design and implement evaluation and follow-up studies to determine the effectiveness, performance, and future needs of programs.
Keep abreast of national trends in retention.
Serves on standing advisory and ad hoc committees of the university and community as required.
Counsel students regarding academic endeavors.
Acts as a resource person for academic information and decision-making strategies.
Assists with campus retention and graduation efforts.
Actively coaches students through degree attainment process.
Attends applicable program and campus events with students.
Meets with students on a regular basis to track their academic success.
Responsible for an assigned group of students each year to follow through toward graduation.
Completes degree checks for individual students and student groups as needed.
Collects, organizes, and enters data to address issues relating to persistence.
Monitors and tracks all student records to ensure persistence in enrollment, good academic standing, and appropriate progress toward graduation.
Meets with students to advise and provide retention services.
Maintains SSS website and electronic documents.
Converts manual records to a computerized based information system.
Manages personal data in accordance with federal human protections certifications requirements.
Develops and implement retention programs by following up on existing initiatives and identifying new outreach opportunities within Student Support Services-SALUTE.
Coordinates and implements various recruitment programs and marketing strategies for special events relating to under-represented groups in the fulfillment of recruitment efforts.