"Academic Advisor I"

Job Details

Description

This position requires the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, student-centered environment while maintaining a strong focus on student success. Advisors must verify student compliance with degree requirements across a wide range of academic programs, each with evolving curriculum and policies. Staying current with frequent changes to university, college, and departmental procedures as well as advancements in academic advisement technologies is essential. This position requires a broad understanding of university and college policies and procedures.

Advisors are also expected to maintain strong working knowledge of career pathways and job market trends relevant to each program of study, while incorporating national best practices in academic advising. Navigating these complexities requires building and sustaining collaborative relationships with students, faculty, staff, and campus partners across multiple areas. These partnerships are essential for providing coordinated support, timely interventions, and a holistic advising experience that contributes to retention, progression, and graduation. The role requires a high degree of independent judgment in areas such as student advisement, referrals, record management, registration, and compliance with university requirements.

Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.

Examples of Duties

1. Promote an inclusive environment in which all individuals are valued, supported, and respected
2. Establish a unique relationship with each student that focuses on their interests, abilities, and values to support self-awareness and decision-making throughout the undergraduate experience
3. Assist students in developing an educational plan aligned with their academic goals
4. Help students understand degree requirements, registration processes, and other relevant academic policies and procedures
5. Maintain a strong understanding of degree requirements, prerequisites, corequisites, and course sequencing for academic programs
6. Demonstrate working knowledge of the University Core Curriculum and how it applies to specific degree programs
7. Refer students to appropriate campus offices and support resources as needed
8. Use Degree Works, the Student Educational Planner (SEP), and other technologies to monitor and track students’ progress toward degree completion, including general education, major, and degree requirements
9. Instruct students on how to use Degree Works as a degree audit tool and perform "what-if" scenarios to explore other academic pathways
10. Fully utilize student information systems, including but not limited to:
    • Viewing and interpreting student records
    • Analyzing test scores and prerequisite requirements
    • Submitting petition requests for course substitutions
    • Processing course overrides and registration forms
    • Assisting students with registration and resolving account holds -Monitoring academic progress and generating registration reports
11. Use appropriate platforms (e.g., Slate, Outlook) to communicate with students, document interactions, promote awareness of important deadlines, and encourage regular advising appointments
12. Attend and support events such as New Student Orientation, Open House, and occasional evening or weekend programs as needed
13. Maintain thorough knowledge of and compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
14. Complete compliance and mandatory training requirements
15. Participate in professional development programs, meetings, and training sessions
16. Understand transfer course processing and articulation procedures
17. Maintain a strong focus on student success and retention while collaborating with campus partners
18. Perform other duties as assigned to enhance academic advisement, student success, and support the institutional mission

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Customer service and/or professional interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail skills
• Experience working effectively both independently and collaboratively
• Self-starter who takes initiative and seeks out opportunities
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to change

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree and/or academic advisor certification
• Experience in a postsecondary environment (academic advising, mentoring, counseling, teaching undergraduates) or high school teaching
• Experience working with students from underrepresented backgrounds
• Involvement in professional development activities and organizations such as NACADA and/or demonstrated commitment to continuous growth and improvement

Required Documents

Submit a letter of application, CV, and three references.

Contact:

Kim Little, klittle@siu.edu

Supplemental Information

College of Business and Analytics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The University is in Carbondale, Illinois, approximately one hundred miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. SIUC has approximately 9,500 undergraduate and 2,700 graduate students. We offer Bachelor of Science undergraduate academic degree programs in our School of Management and Marketing, School of Analytics, Finance and Economics, and School of Accountancy. We offer graduate academic degrees with master’s programs in Business Administration (MBA), Public Administration (MPA), Business Analytics, Economics, Accountancy (MAcc), Business Analytics, and doctoral degree programs in Business Administration and Economics. Please visit our website at www.business.siu.edu.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale is an R1 Opportunity University with a statewide economic impact of $2.7 billion dollars. We offer 200+ undergraduate degrees, minors and specializations, 79 master’s degrees, and 40 doctoral degrees. Our main campus is 1,136 acres, with additional acreage in University Farms, Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center, and other facilities. The university is an essential part of the city of Carbondale and an important contributor to the culture of the entire region. While Carbondale includes many of the amenities of urban life, it retains its small-town flavor. Cost of living is considerably lower in the region than similar areas elsewhere, and many employees commute from nearby counties.

The Southern Illinois region is distinct from the rest of the state, boasting considerable natural beauty including the Shawnee National Forest, many state parks, national wildlife areas, and several lakes beloved for recreation. Local foods are readily available in the area, with a variety of eateries and a growing specialized food truck presence. The area is home to the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, an official wine appellation designation. The wineries extend the cultural reach of the community, hosting live music and continual art exhibits. The campus itself is a microcosm of the area, with a lake and forest on campus, as well as traditional collegiate architecture, quad, and residential halls. Students enjoy outdoor study areas as well as specialized computer labs scattered across campus, including in the three million volume Morris Library. To learn about employee benefits, employee tuition waivers, and find resources about Carbondale and the Southern Illinois region, visit: https://jobs.siu.edu/.

SIU Carbondale is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status.