"Academic Advisor & Support Coordinator"

Job Duties

• Serve as the first point of contact for all assigned students from registration to graduation in the assigned division or academic program as a cohort.
• This position will work with students primarily at James Kerney Campus in Trenton, assist with the Prison Education Program, and serve as coordinator for testing and tutoring services at the JKC campus.
• This position will also rotate with a cohort of students in advising on the West Windsor Campus.
• Understand, apply, maintain, and ensure all student information regarding data, recruitment, and admission of students is accurate, complete, and in compliance with mandatory college, state and federal policies, such as FERPA, ADA and more.
• Provide comprehensive, individualized and small group advising to a diverse population of students in assigned caseload by academic division or program.
• Collaborate with Faculty advising staff and Division Deans staff to meet students unique academic and program needs.
• Provide comprehensive, individualized and small group advising to a diverse population of students in assigned caseload by academic division or program.
• Serve as student academic advisor throughout student's educational career at Mercer.
• Participate in developing operating goals, recommends, implements, and administers methods and procedures to enhance operations, as appropriate to the department.
• Attend training workshops/conferences, statewide, student development workshops/conferences and other professional development activities.
• Meet key performance indicators assigned by the College to meet student retention and graduation plans.
• Attend and assist in academic division ceremonies, graduation and convocations.
• Design and implement an annual calendar of communication to ensure student case load progression and graduation.
• Participate in recruitment and college wide advising events as directed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for complex graduation clearance processing, being familiar with changes in the multiple degree programs and determining any curricular exceptions.
• Advise students on transfer plans and career options.
• Advise students in managing difficult academic issues.
• Identify at-risk students experiencing academic and often critical personal difficulties.
• Advise students on academic probation, create SAP plan and provide follow up support.
• Address relevant issues and makes appropriate referrals to campus and community partners for students who have personal, financial, or emotional concerns.
• Make referrals to faculty office hours, tutoring, CARR and other student support services.
• Facilitate and assist staff in the planning of academic and student development workshops.
• Monitor academic progress to ensure students are making satisfactory advancement or implement strategies to improve performance.
• Assist in outreach efforts to increase/retain student enrollment.
• Ensure College Success classes meet advising policies.
• Assist with pre-academic advising, summer success institutes, and orientation as needed.
• Assist with division training of faculty and staff who help with advising.
• Assist with the writing of State reports, summer program analysis and other program reports required for accreditation.
• Prepare reports for the academic program and/or Academic Support division containing information and recommendations.
• Read, interpret, and communicate College policies and procedures to students, potential students, and parents.
• Assist in updating and maintaining student databases.
• Maintain current knowledge of college curriculum, rules, regulations, and guidelines applicable to students.
• Assist in students in Enrollment Center areas in a rotation to discuss high level student concerns and walk-ins in the division and enrollment center.
• Meet with assigned student to ensure they have a student plan towards graduation.
• Make appropriate referrals as needed.
• Collaborate with academic division and student service units and faculty to ensure retention and degree completion.
• Other duties as assigned that impact student retention, success and graduation.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• May assist with part-time staff.

Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use vision and talk or hear.

ADA and Other Requirements

Positions in this class typically require the ability to use a key board, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions. Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution in a related field.
• Experience working diverse population and non-traditional students.
• Two to four (2-4) years supporting or advising students in an academic setting.
• Experience working with faculty and academic staff.
• Works with special summer programs, population's retention and graduation projects.
• Has a valid driver's license and access to transportation.
• Must be available to work some nights and weekends.
• Must attend graduation, academic and award ceremonies.
• Mastery of M.S. Word suite (excel, word, PowerPoint etc.) and ability to learn and apply the use of technology.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters Degree from an accredited institution in a related field.
• Bi-lingual in Spanish and English.
• At least three to five (3-5) years of experience in a community college setting.
• Has demonstrated track record of building programs and initiatives to support students such as tutors, learning assistance and virtual/online learning.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Experience advising students in a college environment.
• Exceptional knowledge of Colleague, Student Planner, Self Service, CRM Advise and CRM Recruit.
• Must know how to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Manage projects and meet deadlines.
• Strong written and oral communication.
• Working knowledge of higher education and the needs of diverse populations of students.
• Mastery of M.S. Word suite (excel, word, PowerPoint etc.) and ability to learn and apply the use of technology.
• Knowledge of research, trends and best practices for academic advising.
• Understand the use of data, goal setting and benchmark of students of student success.
• Candidates must have strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, verbal and written.
• Demonstrate the ability to teach job-related knowledge to others in a training setting.
• Graphic design skills to create promotional materials.
• Ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals.
• Ability to review information needed to manage an organization or ongoing activities within it.
• Read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Write reports on student progress, analyzing data and provides follow up for accreditation and student success.
• Effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of Deans, Vice President and college leadership as needed.
• Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Ability to display willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process and makes timely decisions to drive student success.