Student Services Professional 2 or 3 - Academic Advising - College of Biological Sciences

This position will primarily work out of the Molecular and Cellular Biology building on the Minneapolis Campus, with possibility for some remote work. The candidate selected will need to be located near the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area.

Regular working hours are 8:00-4:30 Monday-Friday; on occasion, staff will be asked to participate in weekend or evening events.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities for Academic Advisor 2 (9702AA):

Academic Advising (70%)
The CBS academic advising philosophy centers around building authentic relationships with individuals with varied backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. The responsibility of this role is to first build relationships, then utilize those relationships to holistically support and guide students throughout their undergrad career. Level 2 advisors will focus on building confidence and competency in this area with the support of assistant directors and senior advisors in the unit.

Build authentic relationships with students as you:

• Connect with students through one-on-one appointments, drop-in advising, group advising, email and telephone communication
• Guide students through the process of formulating personalized educational plans and strategies for academic success that are reflective of their unique set of values, strengths, interests, and identities
• Learn and implement the CBS advising philosophy to foster student learning and success
• Help students build skills and make commitments that guide their educational plans, facilitate timely graduation, and make progress toward career goals
• Communicate the value of the liberal education curriculum within STEM
• Apply organizational and student development theory to guide students in reflection on their decisions and plans
• Champion the value of engagement in co-curricular experiences and how they connect to students' academic and career goals
• Develop and utilize a holistic advising model to guide, challenge, and support students in becoming self-reliant and learning to make important reflective decisions about major, personal, and career aspirations
• Help students navigate policies and procedures and determine when exceptions may be appropriate
• Coach students on making registration choices that promote timely and realistic degree progress
• Gain knowledge on UMN specific resources and serve as a cultural navigator of the system of higher education
• Refer to campus resources, including how they contribute to retention and an outstanding student experience
• Continuously improve and develop advising practice through regular shadowing, both with supervisor and advising colleagues in the unit

Technical competence is crucial in leveraging university-wide systems to provide excellent student support, make data-informed decisions, and focus efforts most efficiently. The person in this role will be trained in the many systems required to advise effectively.

• Develop a high level of competency in the University's student success tools (APLUS, APAS, Schedule Builder, PeopleSoft, etc.) as you:
  • Conduct timely outreach to students as needs arise to meet student need, build relationships, and encourage timely degree completion
  • Review student progress reports at key academic markers, such as probation, degree application, or major declaration to determine appropriate next steps for student success
  • Maintain accurate records about student interactions in order to best support the student as they navigate campus, and engages a campus-wide wide effort to provide informed, nuanced student support
    

Program Development (15%)

• Design and implement student development activities in collaboration with supervisors and peers based on assessment data and best practices
• Contribute to select student services initiatives and programs by identifying needs, outcomes, and resources, and evaluating effectiveness
• Collaborate with faculty and campus staff to develop programs and plans to effectively deliver advising and support services to students
• Participate in Student Services efforts to improve retention rates, four-year graduation rates, and student satisfaction
  

CBS Student Services Collaborations, Professional Development & Service (15%)

• CBS Student Services is a blended student affairs unit, and is most successful when the unit works collectively for the student's benefit
• Attend CBS Student Services staff meetings and engage in the broader work being done on behalf of CBS undergraduates
• Engage in cross-functional area collaborative projects
• Participate in college-wide functions to provide an excellent student experience
• Commitment to ongoing social justice and racial equity work in order to identify, challenge, and remove barriers to access at the individual, community, and system level
• Engage in professional development and service activities related to the advising and student services profession, within the University of Minnesota community and beyond
• Continue professional development and scholarly activity in the field of academic advising to maintain knowledge of trends and best practices (e.g., membership in professional associations, attendance at conferences and seminars, write and publish articles, serve on teams, and collaborate with other professional groups, etc.)
• Participate on Student Services, College and University-wide committees as requested
  

Principal Duties and Responsibilities for Academic Advisor 3 (9703AA):

Academic Advising (65%)

The CBS academic advising philosophy centers around building authentic relationships with individuals with varied backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. The responsibility of this role is to first build relationships, then utilize those relationships to holistically support and guide students throughout their undergrad career.

Build authentic relationships with students as you:

• Connect with students through one-on-one appointments, drop-in advising, group advising, telephone and email communication
• guide students through the process of formulating personalized educational plans and strategies for academic success that are reflective of their unique set of values, strengths, interests, and identities
• Implement the CBS advising philosophy to foster student learning and success
• Help students build skills and make commitments that guide their educational plans, facilitate timely graduation, and make progress toward career goals
• Communicate the value of the liberal education curriculum within STEM
• Apply organization and student development theory to guide students in reflection on their decisions and plans
• Champion the value of engagement in co-curricular experiences and how they connect to students' academic and career goals
• Utilize a holistic advising model to guide, challenge, and support students in becoming self-reliant and learning to make important reflective decisions about major, personal, and career aspirations
• Help students navigate policies and procedures and determine when exceptions may be appropriate
• Coach students on making registration choices that promote timely and realistic degree progress
• Strategically refer to campus resources, including how they contribute to retention and an outstanding student experience
• Serve as a culture navigator of the system of higher education

Technical competence is crucial in leveraging university-wide systems to provide excellent student support, make data-informed decisions, and focus efforts most effciently. The person in this role will be trained in the many systems required to advise effectively.

• Develop a high level of competency in the University's student success tools (APLUS, APAS, Schedule Builder, PeopleSoft, etc.) as you:
  • Conduct timely outreach to students as needs arise to meet student need, build relationships, and encourage timely degree completion
  • Review student progress reports at key academic markers, such as probation, degree application, or major declaration to determine appropriate next steps for student success
  • Maintain accurate records about student interactions in order to best support the student as they navigate campus, and engages a campus-wide wide effort to provide informed, nuanced student support
  • Utilize spreadsheet programs to administer advising projects, organize data in order to track student trends, and generate reports

Program Development (20%)

• Design and implement student development activities based on assessment data and best practices
• Manage select student services initiatives and programs by identifying needs, outcomes, and resources, and evaluating effectiveness
• Collaborate with faculty and campus staff to develop programs and plans to effectively deliver advising and support services to students
• Participate in Student Services efforts to improve retention rates, four-year graduation rates, and student satisfaction

CBS Student Services Collaborations, Professional Development & Service (15%)

CBS Student Services is a blended student affairs unit and is most successful when the unit works collectively for the student's benefit.

• Attend CBS Student Services staff meetings and engage in the broader work being done on behalf of CBS undergraduates
• Engage in cross-functional area collaborative projects
• Participate in colleg-wide functions to provide an excellent student experience
• Commitment to ongoing social justice and racial equity work in order to identify, challenge, and remove barriers to access at the individual, community, and system level
• Engage in professional development and service activities related to the advising and student services profession, within the University of Minnesota community and beyond
• Continue professional development and scholarly activity in the field of academic advising to maintain knowledge of trends and best practices (e.g., membership in professional associations, attendance at conferences and seminars, write and publish articles, serve on teams and collaborate with other professional groups, etc.)
• Participate on Student Services, College and University-wide committees as requested

Qualifications for Advisor 2 (9702AA):

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree plus at least two years of relevant experience, or master's degree.
• Previous experience in an educational setting performing academic advising or student support activities
• Evidence of effective relationship-building, team-building, and oral/written communication skills
• Ability to effectively communicate across race, class, and culture
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering student learning and applying organizational/student development theory to work with students

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous academic advising experience
• Familiarity with the challenges and opportunities of working with STEM students
• Knowledge of assessment best practices

Qualifications for Advisor 3 (9703AA):

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree plus at least four years of relevant experience, or master's degree plus two years of relevant experience.
• Previous experience in an educational setting performing academic advising or student support activities
• Evidence of effective relationship-building, team-building, and oral/written communication skills
• Ability to effectively communicate across race, class, and culture
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering student learning and applying organizational/student development theory to work with students

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous academic advising experience
• Familiarity with the challenges and opportunities of working with STEM students
• Knowledge of assessment best practices

CBS Student Services affirms students' identities and life experiences while supporting students as they identify, develop, and achieve their academic, career, and personal goals. We help identify and reduce barriers to facilitate student success and degree attainment through bringing an equity lens to our daily work.

For more information about work in CBS Student Services, visit: https://z.umn.edu/workingincbs

If you have questions, please contact Hussain Bandy (band0075@umn.edu)

Pay Range: $50,000 to $52,000 for SS Pro 2 (9702AA) and $54,000 to $57,000 for SS Pro 3 (9703AA); depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment Category: 75%-100% Appointment (If job description above does not specify appointment or expected weekly hours, assume a 100% appointment.)

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

This position will remain open until filled.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

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