1152 Academic Advisor-Retention Specialist

POSITION IDENTIFICATION

TITLE Academic Advisor-Retention Specialist

CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1152

GRADE 42

CLASSIFICATION Exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Director, Business Advisement Center

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Academic Advisor/Retention Specialist is responsible for assisting assigned business students in the development of academic schedules appropriate for the stated educational goals of students and assisting in the development and implementation of a retention plan for the College of Business designed to assist students in progressing towards degree completion.  The Academic Advisor/Retention Specialist assists in planning, organizing, and presenting individual and group advisement sessions for business students (including transfer and prospective students) and assists with Student Orientation, Advisement, and Registration Program (SOAR).

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A Bachelor's degree in Business or a related field is required; a Master's degree in Business Administration is preferred. 

Experience: At least six months of work experience in higher education or customer service is required.  Experience in academic advising is preferred. Extensive knowledge of the University, its requirements and regulations, is preferred.

Skills: Strong oral and written communications skills are required.  Excellent interpersonal skills, including conflict management, are required.  Computer literacy, including word processing and database management are required.  Organizational and time management skills are required. 

Other: The scope of the position requires occasional weekend and evening work particularly during scheduled advisement/registration periods. The position may require travel, including overnight travel.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provides an essential student service of academic advisement to students majoring or minoring in Business or a related field by being knowledgeable of the academic policies and procedures unique to the College of Business as well as the University, guiding students in decision-making and learning how to accept responsibility for their decisions, assisting all students (not just advisees) seeking academic information, and directing students to resources within the University that provide additional assistance (e.g., financial aid, testing, career services, and student employment).

2. Facilitates the development and implementation of a retention plan for the College of Business by researching literature on student retention, attending workshops, conferences, and seminars specifically addressing student advisement and retention, and recommending alternatives designed to assist students in progressing towards degree completion.

3. Facilitates the registration process for business students by assisting in planning, organizing, and presenting individual and group advisement sessions that provide information and assistance regarding degree requirements, major selection, and schedule building and explaining and enforcing the requirements for admission to the College of Business, thus maintaining the integrity of the degree accreditation. 

4. Helps ensure the success of Student Orientation, Advisement, and Registration (SOAR) by presenting incoming business students with the requirements unique to the College of Business, advising individual students on course selection, and determining how approved transfer credit applies towards a business degree.

5. Ensures the effectiveness of the advising process by maintaining advisee files, regularly updating advisee academic reports, and validating the information contained in the advisee files with the student database.

6. Promotes the advisor-advisee relationship by effectively using the various tools of communication, including email, telephone, face-to-face meetings, online meetings, and electronic advising notes.

7. Effectively assists transfer students in transition to the University and College of Business by providing accurate information and resources available to the student.

8. Assists business students to develop a plan for completion of a degree by evaluating computerized degree audits that compare the degree requirements with the student's academic record, reviewing the audit with students to determine remaining courses required for degree completion, and assisting with developing plans for completion of those required courses.

9. Ensures continuity in the management and operation of the Business Advisement Center by assuming the duties and responsibilities of the supervisor in his/her absence, when requested.

10. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses, and maintains professional certification and/or memberships as required by the Director, Business Advisement Center.

11. Contributes to the overall success of the Business Advisement Center by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

SUPERVISION

The Academic Advisor/Retention Specialist is supervised by the Director, Business Advisement Center and may exercise supervision of clerical staff, student employees and graduate assistants working in the Business Advisement Center.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

REVISED JANUARY 2025

JOB FAMILY 4

Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery

Level 3.0 - 1500 Points: Entry-level knowledge of the principles, concepts, practices, and methods of an administrative, managerial, technical, or professional specialty. Knowledge permits employee to carry out basic recurring tasks and routine portions of assignments or to carry out less demanding professional elements of assignments in professional or technical areas including accounting or auditing, financial management, business administration, human resources, law, engineering, science, or medicine, while gaining familiarity with the University's policies and goals, business practices, and/or accounting systems. This level of knowledge permits the employee to schedule and carry out the steps of a limited operation or project, or to complete stages of a multi-phase project. Alternatively, knowledge at this level might also permit the employee to carry out recurring tasks and routine assignments requiring moderate experience in specific areas within higher education. Knowledge at this level is typically acquired through a combination of formal education and/or training and experience that includes a requirement for a college degree in a specific technical or professional specialty. Knowledge requirements may also include a limited amount of related work experience. Alternatively, equivalent knowledge requirements at this level include a non-technical or general Bachelor's degree requirement with a moderate level of additional related work experience or a non-specific Master's degree requirement with some related work experience.

Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility

Level 1.0 - 50 Points: Typically, little, if any, supervision of others is required. The job may require irregular but occasional responsibility to direct the work of student workers and/or temporary or part-time workers. The nature of supervision is largely confined to assigning tasks to others and does not include a full range of supervisory responsibilities. The amount of time spent on directing the work of others is normally a small portion of total work time.

Factor 3: Interactions with Others

Level 3.0 - 250 Points: The purpose of interactions is to advise or counsel others to solve recurring and structured problems, and/or to plan or coordinate work efforts with other employees who are working toward common goals in situations where relationships are generally cooperative. Interactions are moderately structured and routine and may involve employees in different functions, students, and/or the general public. These types of interactions require normal interpersonal skills.

Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines

Level 2.0 - 250 Points: The employee carries out a group of procedures using the general methods and desired results indicated by the supervisor. Typically, standard operating procedures, handbooks, and/or reference manuals exist for most procedures, but the employee must select from the most appropriate of several guidelines and make minor adjustments to methods. Unforeseen situations are normally referred to others for resolution. Assignments are related in function and objective, but processes, procedures, or software varies from one assignment to another. Based on the assignment, the employee uses diverse, but conventional, methods, techniques, or approaches. Employees in jobs at this level may perform work that is moderately complex, but normally performed within a fairly narrow and specific functional area.

Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility

Level 2.0 - 400 Points: Work involves services including collecting, processing, and disseminating information and providing advice to others. Work activities may be complex and likely affect the accuracy, reliability, or acceptability of further processes or services to the extent that others rely on the advice given in order to make decisions. Work activities typically affect the efficiency of the department but have relatively minor effects on operations within the cost center. Individuals in jobs at this level are often responsible for actively documenting, monitoring, and controlling expenditures. Incumbents may recommend minor expenditures, but have no substantive authority over budgets.