POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Director of Advising and Academic Support
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 5667
GRADE 45
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Director of Advising and Academic Support implements the proactive academic advisement
program of the University by supervising professional academic advisor(s) and providing
training and direction to faculty advisors. The Director of Advising and Academic
Support assists assigned students in the development of academic schedules appropriate
for their stated educational goals, guides pre-majors in the selection of academic
majors, and directs students to resources within the University that provide assistance
in making career/academic major choices, as appropriate. The Director of Advising
and Academic Support coordinates veterans' services, testing services, and disability
services and provides proactive services to at-risk students.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A Master's degree from an accredited institution is required with an emphasis
in counseling or a related field preferred.
Experience: At least three years of full-time experience in teaching and/or advising
in higher education is required. Supervisory experience is required.
Skills: Requires excellent verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal
skills (particularly in working with a diverse population), and organizational and
management skills. Computer literacy in database applications is needed. The ability
to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures
or backgrounds is required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Prepares and distributes the Academic Advisor Manual to all advisors to provide
up-to-date information regarding policies and procedures related to advisement of
students.
2. Assigns advisors to students and processes change of advisor requests.
3. Supervises academic advisement personnel to ensure positive experiences for students
entering the university.
4. Provides an essential student service of academic advisement by being knowledgeable
of academic policies and procedures unique to Missouri State University-West Plains
that facilitate the advisement process and assists assigned students in the development
of academic schedules appropriate for their stated educational goals.
5. Guides students in decision-making and learning how to accept responsibility for
their decisions, assists all students (not just advisees) seeking academic information,
assists pre-majors in the selection of academic majors, and directs students to resources
within the University that provide assistance in making career and academic major
choices.
6. Ensures the effectiveness of the advising process by maintaining advisee files
on all assigned advisees, regularly updating advisee academic reports, and validating
the information contained in the advisee files with the student database.
7. Assumes full responsibility for planning, coordinating and overseeing the STAR
(Student Advisement and Registration) program.
8. Coordinates activities with other offices on campus to ensure that the process
of recruitment, admission, and advising of students is provided to students in an
effective manner.
9. Initiates contact with and provides at-risk students with proactive academic advisement
and individual counseling for student success.
10. Coordinates with the Student Support Specialist who provides assistance to students
submitting appropriate documentation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations
approval, as well as specialized guidance and counseling to those students who qualify.
11. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and
development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
12. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing
professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses,
attending training and/or courses, and encourages employee participation in professional
training and development opportunities offered at the campus.
13. Contributes to the overall success of academic advisement by performing all other
duties and responsibilities as assigned.
SUPERVISION
The Director of Advising and Academic Support supervises professional academic advisors,
success coaches, and administrative support staff in the Office of Advising and Academic
Support. The Director of Advising and Academic Support reports to the Vice-Chancellor
of Academic Affairs.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED AUGUST 2022
JOB FAMILY 4
Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery
Level 4.0 - 2300 Points: Knowledge of the principles, concepts, practices, methods and techniques of an administrative, managerial, or professional field such as accounting or auditing, financial management, business administration, human resources, engineering, social sciences, communications, education, law, or medicine. Knowledge permits the employee to complete assignments by applying established methods to recurring types of projects/problems susceptible to well-documented precedents or to schedule, plan, and carry out precedented projects. Alternatively, knowledge at this level might also permit the employee to carry out precedented projects requiring considerable 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 along with significant related work experience. Alternatively, equivalent knowledge requirements at this level include a non-technical or general Bachelor's degree requirement with substantial work experience or a non-specific Master's degree requirement with substantial work experience. Knowledge requirements generally also include a significant amount of related work experience and may include administrative or supervisory experience.
Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility
Level 3.0 - 270 Points: Supervision of a limited number of (a) operative, administrative support, or paraprofessional employees who do not exercise a full range of supervisory responsibilities over other full-time employees, (b) a very small number of professional employees, or an equivalent combination of (a) and (b). The incumbent performs a full range of supervisory responsibilities including performance reviews of subordinates. The incumbent is generally responsible for training, planning, and directing the work of permanent employees, and provides major input into hiring decisions. Supervisory responsibilities consume moderate amounts of work time and may include general work planning tasks.
Factor 3: Interactions with Others
Level 4.0 - 500 Points: Interactions with others are somewhat unstructured. The purpose may be to influence or motivate others, to obtain information, or to control situations and resolve problems. Interactions may be with individuals or groups of co-workers, students, or the general public, may be moderately unstructured, and may involve persons who hold differing goals and objectives. Individuals at this level often act as a liaison between groups with a focus on solving particular unstructured problems. Interactions at this level require considerable interpersonal skill and the ability to resolve conflict.
Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines
Level 3.0 - 500 Points: The employee operates under general supervision expressed in terms of program goals and objectives, priorities, and deadlines. Administrative supervision is given through statements of overall program or project objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are relatively comprehensive and the employee need only to fill in gaps in interpretation and adapt established methods to perform recurring activities. In unforeseen situations, the employee must interpret inadequate or incomplete guidelines, develop plans, and initiate new methods to complete assignments based on those interpretations. Assignments are normally related in function, but the work requires many different processes and methods applied to an established administrative or professional field. Problems are typically the result of unusual circumstances, variations in approach, or incomplete or conflicting data. The employee must interpret and refine methods to complete assignments. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing single-purpose programs or performing complex, but precedented, technical or professional work.
Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility
Level 4.0 - 1500 Points: Work involves the primary accountability for a smaller department, program, or process. Work activities involve managerial decisions that directly affect the efficiency, costs, reputation, and service quality of the department, program, or process. Work affects a limited range of professional projects or administrative activities of the University. Work activities have a direct and substantial impact on the department. While work activities do have some effect on the efficiency and reputation of the cost center, departments, programs, or processes at this level represent a relatively minor function within the cost center. Employees in jobs at this level may have responsibility for developing budgets, distributing budgeted funds, and exercising the primary control over a relatively small budget.
