Senior Assistant Dean of Advising

Position Summary

The Columbia University School of General Studies (GS) is the finest liberal arts college in the United States dedicated to making Ivy League education accessible to nontraditional students. GS was founded in 1947 with the mission of expanding access to elite higher education, and it remains the most diverse college in the Ivy League, with many transfer, first-generation, and international students. GS students are fully integrated with Columbia’s broader undergraduate population and are taught by Columbia’s celebrated faculty.

The Senior Assistant Dean of Advising advises students on academic, administrative and personal matters as relates to students’ academic goals and plans of study. Supervises the Undergraduate Assistant Deans of Advising Dual BA (DBA) team. Provides support and guidance to this team in addressing student issues and concerns.

Responsibilities

Advises up to approximately 300 students on academic planning and progress, registration, course selection, GS core requirements, degree requirements, declaring a major, leaves of absence, academic support services, and other academic and administrative policies. Includes email, phone, and in-person advising with students and contact with faculty members and other university administrators related to individual student cases.

Administrative duties associated with advising load include records maintenance, major declaration and BA degree clearance, etc.

Supervises the Assistant Dean of Advising DBA team, including training, annual review and feedback, and other management as required.

Supervisory responsibilities include weekly 1:1 meetings, quarterly or semesterly feedback meetings, and annual review conversations with each Assistant Dean. In addition to answering questions and providing guidance and feedback, the Senior Assistant Dean will discuss professional growth and goals with each supervisee.

Collaborates with Associate Dean of Advising to ensure that the DBA team as a whole maintains balanced portfolios and has the knowledge and operational support to function successfully.

Heavy focus on advising students enrolled in some of GS’s international Dual BA degree programs in France, Hong Kong, Ireland, and Israel as well potentially working with the Jewish Theological Seminary joint BA program

Serves on the GS Committee on Academic Standing, and occasional subcommittees thereof, including Academic Review, as required.

Collaborates with colleagues in GS and at DBA partner institutions on academic planning, programming, etc.

Travels semesterly to visit international partner institutions as required.

Collaborates with colleagues around Columbia in liaison roles, as required.

Performs other tasks and projects as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced graduate degree or equivalent in related experience preferred.

Minimum of 5 to 7 years of related experience in teaching or advising in an academic setting required.

Must be able to adjust to multiple demands and shifting priorities and be a team player.

Must possess excellent interpersonal, communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

Knowledge of MS Office required.

Proficiency with SIS (Student Information Services) desirable.