TRIO Student Support Services Advisor

Southern Oregon University•Ashland, OR

6d•Onsite

About The Position

This position, reporting to the Director of Success at Southern, a TRIO Student Success Services program, is designed to assist students towards persistence, graduation, and career goals. The advisor will have the responsibility of providing advising support, career counseling, academic and personal development coaching, lead/attend cultural trips and activities, teach at least 1-credit courses per term, and provide success workshops to students. Advisors are responsible for monitoring and tracking students' academic program degree progress and helping them connect with programs and services that will help them be successful. The advisor's primary duties directly support the program mission: to increase the college retention and graduation rates of eligible participants and collaborates with various campus offices and services as needed. This position helps meet the grant requirements of helping eligible participants in clarifying their goals, succeeding academically in their chosen program of study, and graduating with a bachelor's degree in a timely manner.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Education, Sociology, Psychology or related field is required.
Minimum of two years experience in progressively responsible positions related to higher education student services, human services, or high school student services.
Experience with/ability to interact with a diverse population.
Must possess and maintain a current, valid Driver License.
Must be able to legally work in the United States without visa sponsorship.
Excellent communication skills; demonstrated ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner, both verbally and in writing.
Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism to effectively handle a broad range of sensitive interpersonal situations.
Demonstrated ability to interpret and consistently apply a wide variety of complex policies and procedures where specific guidelines may not always exist.
Expressed ability to work with frequent changes in policies and procedures, under pressure of deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Strong analytical and research skills; demonstrated ability to gather, evaluate, and to develop well-reasoned conclusions and recommendations.
Demonstrated ability to proactively assess work operations and anticipate potential problems; ability to develop and implement strategies for preventing/resolving problems.
Great ability to effectively perform work of a highly sensitive and confidential nature that requires access to information.
Must be able to exercise sound judgment and discretion, tact, and diplomacy.
Takes initiative in independently planning, organizing, and performing work assignments within broadly defined parameters.
Demonstrated ability to work with a high level of productivity and accuracy/attention to detail.
Excellent organizational and time management skills with the demonstrated ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
Excellent computer skills and proficiency with a variety of computer applications including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, online systems, social media platforms, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
Demonstrated ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in and outside the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
Working knowledge or ability to quickly learn, university infrastructure, policies, and procedures.
Demonstrated skills in an environment utilizing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.
Normal office activities such as sitting/standing at a desk, using a computer, answering phones, and communicating in person, both in writing and via phone with others.
Must be able to perform driving-related duties, which are essential to the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Experience in Federal TRIO programs preferred.
Prefer experience with programs involving financial aid counseling, academic advising, basic skills development, career counseling, or mentoring.
Personal experience overcoming barriers similar to those confronting program participants (low-income, first-generation, or disability) preferred.
Master's degree in Education, Sociology, Psychology, or related field.

Responsibilities

Providing advising support, career counseling, academic and personal development coaching.
Lead/attend cultural trips and activities.
Teach at least 1-credit courses per term.
Provide success workshops to students.
Monitoring and tracking students' academic program degree progress.
Helping students connect with programs and services that will help them be successful.
Input documentation for grant-required services.
Assist Director in federal annual reporting process.
Plan, create, and teach relevant curriculum each term both in person and online.
Create, coordinate, implement, and supervise culturally enriching activities/events.
Serve on program and campus committees that directly support the success of Trio Students (i.e. First-Generation Forward, EDI committees, new student programs, etc.).
Attend professional development opportunities that will increase your knowledge and skills associated with student success.
Connects students with resources, individuals and tools that can help them stay on track for academic success.
Keeps accurate student records and monitors academic progress towards degree completion.
Facilitates student registration; works with students and others to identify and remove barriers to persistence and completion.
Participates in campus events including New Student Programs and Registration events.
Holds standard office hours for drop-in and by-appointment student advising; provides increased hours during peak registration periods.
Utilizes tools such as Workday, Navigate, Blumen, and Banner Student Information System (SIS) to assist with advising and registration.
Reviews relevant student information such as academic history and demographic data to help identify and conduct outreach to students at risk of falling behind on their path to a degree.
Coordinates retention and persistence functions, including design and implementation of surveys and collecting data to analyze and support retention and support activities and to monitor student academic success.
Assesses and interprets individual student needs; identifies students at academic risk, and makes appropriate referrals to internal and external resources.
Engages in ongoing training and development pertaining to university-specific curricular requirements, academic policies, administrative procedures, and associated systems.
Explains degree (major, minor, certificates) structure, progress towards degrees, and develops a plan and timeline for completing degree requirements.