Academic Counselor

As a community, the University of Rochester is defined by a deep commitment to Meliora - Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability. Together, we will set the highest standards for how we treat each other to ensure our community is welcoming to all and is a place where all can thrive.

Job Location (Full Address):

Remote Work - New York, Albany, New York, United States of America, 12224

Opening:

Worker Subtype:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Department:

220545 Hajim Undergrad Programs

Work Shift:

UR - Day (United States of America)

Range:

UR URG 108 H

Compensation Range:

$25.14 - $35.24

Responsibilities:

The Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences serves as the academic home to 1,500 undergraduate students across 13 majors. The Academic Counselor provides academic advising for undergraduate students, which includes building productive relationships, academic goal setting, assisting students facing difficulty, degree clearance, and making appropriate referrals.

As well, the Academic Counselor leads efforts related to the advising, retention, and success of populations at risk of not completing, such as low-income and first-generation students. This includes developing and implementing strategic goals and action plans, collaborating with campus partners, and planning events, including one intensive summer program.

The ideal candidate will have experience advising students, setting strategic goals and developing action plans, manipulating and analyzing data, and developing relationships across constituencies.

The Academic Counselor is supervised by the Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Studies.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

40% - Academic Advising

Represents the institution to a caseload of students, providing advisement on academic goals and University policies. Participates in department-wide advising activities.

• Helps students articulate educational, career, and personal goals and translate these into academic programs and opportunities. Interprets policies, and assists students in navigating higher education structures, processes, and cultures. Encourages exploration, engagement in campus life, and experiential learning. Proactively supports, coaches, and advocates for students and co-navigates opportunities and challenges that affect academic success, such as managing failures and successes and addressing non-academic factors.
• Provides students with timely, frequent, and constructive feedback. Makes timely and relevant referrals. Uses technology systems effectively.
• Pays ongoing attention to students’ academic planning and progress toward degree completion. Guides students through academic milestones, such as major declaration. Audits students’ records against University and program degree requirements in preparation for graduation.
• Partners with one or more academic departments (specifically, through their undergraduate coordinators, faculty advisors, and/or undergraduate chairs) to consult on academic programs, degree requirements, or on individual student concerns.
• Participates in department-wide advising activities, such as the end-of-semester review that results in students’ placement on academic probation, or suspension from the University. Participates in outreach efforts, such as those around course registration or midterms.
• Keeps abreast of policies and that impact student success, including but not limited to those around financial aid, leave of absence, access/disability, and international students. Participates in ongoing trainings as a member of the larger College Advising campus community. Seeks and attends training and development opportunities to improve advising practice.

25% - Strategic Program and Project Oversight

Employs research-based practices to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation of various populations of interest for the Hajim School or/and University. Develops, executes, measures, and assesses projects and activities aligned with this goal.

• Working with deans and other division leaders, assists in needs assessment, goal setting, and plan development and implementation. Develops goals appropriate for populations, including but not limited to transfer students, low-income, first-generation, veterans/dependents, undecided/exploratory majors, experiential learning, etc. Works collaboratively with others in the department where goals align with staff responsibilities. Supervises student workers. Oversees budgets related to goals, employs responsible purchasing habits, and ensures financial accountability.
• Supports the Dean and/or their designee with the development of new scholars programs, such as the EDGE Consortium CHIPS Scholars.
• Identifies existing, or develops new methods of, data collection and tracking systems; works collaboratively with academic departments and University offices (e.g. Information Technology, Data Insights and Reporting, Workday) to access, extract, interpret, and disseminate data.  Establishes assessment plans of goals. Refines goals and implementation plans based on feedback.
• Communicates results and conclusions to departmental, school, and University stakeholders through oral and/or written reports or analyses. Represents the University to outside stakeholders such as foundations or other colleges/universities.
• Attends conferences on behalf of department leadership, benchmarks operations from like institutions, and reports changes in national education practices and trends.

25% - Collaboration with Campus Partners

Cultivates partnerships with campus partners to provide, supplement, or consult on academic and professional enrichment opportunities/events.

• Maintains productive relationships with academic departments, including but not limited to Hajim departments, math, and physics.
• Manages the Hajim School’s participation in the Office of Mentoring and Student Advocacy (OMSA) summer Early Connection Opportunity Program. With Hajim departments, coordinates academic advising of Hajim students in the program, as well as programmatic aspects including lectures and hands-on/experiential activities.
• Collaborates with University units, including but not limited to advising services (CAS), OMSA, the Kearns Center, the Learning Center, the career center (Greene Center), institutional research (ODIR), and Alumni Relations, on efforts that regard populations of shared interest. With student activities (WCSA) and other relevant faculty/staff, advises relevant pre-professional student organizations.
• With assistance from Admissions, seeks appropriate opportunities to refer, recruit, communicate with, and yield populations of interest.
• Represents the Hajim School on committees that align with department and school priorities. Specific assignments to be based on office needs, but may include the Sophomore Committee, First-Generation Committee, Basic Needs Hub, and Transfer Student Committee.
• Corresponds with a variety of audiences, including prospective students, parents, and alumni. Publishes information on websites or other external-facing media. Utilizes department and University marketing channels effectively to reach audiences.

10% - Program and Event Support

Assists in department, school, and University programs and events.

• Assists in the planning and execution of events, including but not limited to events for prospective and enrolling students, new students/parents, transfer students, Design Day, and Commencement Week activities.
• Manages the department email address. Responds to routine inquiries.

MINIMUM EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree and 3 years of advising experience and program management in higher education, or closely-related experience and clear evidence of a thoughtful decision to move into higher education required
• Master’s degree in education, engineering, counseling, or related field preferred
• Or equivalent combination of education and experience

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to work independently, develop action plans, be creative, solve problems, plan events, and demonstrate flexibility in decision-making and prioritizing projects preferred. 
• Ability to interpret policies and make complex judgements preferred.
• Ability to collect, manage, manipulate, analyze, and summarize qualitative and quantitative data preferred.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships at all levels, collaborate, communicate effectively across audiences (such as students, parents, faculty, and staff), and communicate clearly through oral and written means preferred.
• Background with institutional research and database tools, Workday Enterprise systems, and intermediate Excel knowledge preferred.

The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Characteristics). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates, for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.