Senior College Advisor (5157C)
About Berkeley
At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.
As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.
Departmental Overview
The Student Services unit in the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS) was established in 2024 following CDSS's July 2023 college status. CDSS hosts over 4,500 undergraduate students and oversees the two largest major programs on campus (Computer Science, Data Science), as well as Statistics. One in four Berkeley undergraduate students received a degree in these majors in 2024, and one in three of these majors held a second major in a discipline outside the college. CDSS has rapidly become the second largest college on campus (roughly tied with the College of Engineering).
As new Master's, certificates, and global education programs are launched in the college, their management will fall under the Student Services unit. Co-curricular programs, including undergraduate research and specialized career services, as well as transfer student admissions and institutional research related to the success of CDSS students, are all run by CDSS Student Services. CDSS Student Services is dedicated to building scalable co-curricular and advising programs, maintaining open access to our courses to students in other colleges, and continuing to innovate and improve its academic and program offerings. Some recent highlights include the development of a fair and comprehensive process for students in other colleges to change colleges into CDSS, a college-wide mentorship program open to all incoming first-year and transfer students, and a pilot using the selection of an alternative major on college applications in admissions to CDSS.
CDSS Student Services Mission: CDSS Student Services (SS) aims to invest in all students holistically, with a commitment to their personal and professional success as students and future alumni. CDSS SS actively and respectfully support students to: gain the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to succeed in today's datafied world; receive sound advice centered on their personal experiences, and take advantage of research opportunities and career services so they are ready to masterfully engage as informed leaders to tackle the world's most pressing problems.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: May 1, 2026 - Open until filled
Responsibilities
40% Academic Advising: Apply advanced student development and academic advising theories, knowledge, and experience to support undergraduates in identifying, defining, and obtaining their educational goals. Advise students on the wide range of options and/or ways to meet complicated degree requirements. Empower students through holistic, collaborative advising to achieve their own definition of academic and personal success. Assess, monitor, and verify students' academic progress to ensure adherence to semester limits, timely advancement to degree, and degree completion. Place academic registration holds and/or develop Academic Success Plans for students who are out of compliance with College expectations. Review applications from continuing students wishing to add or change a CDSS major. Counsel students experiencing complex and simultaneous problems resulting in academic difficulty. Identify barriers, distractions, and complications contributing to academic probationary status or dismissal. Maintain thorough knowledge of College policies, rules, and regulations. Create and implement workshops for students on the organization, academic strategies, and enrichment programs. Present information effectively in individual and group situations using electronic, written, and oral formats. Review requests for exceptions, substitutions, and changes to college requirements. In collaboration with--and sometimes acting on behalf of--the Advising Director and Undergraduate Dean, makes decisions about student petitions. This may include interpreting, enforcing, and/or making exceptions to College policies and regulations to ensure uniform and consistent application.
40% Leadership and Projects: Serve as the college's academic advising expert and consultant to College Advisers, deans, departmental advisers, and key campus partners. Analyze the consequences of college academic policies/practices and recommend new or modified ones. Support the college advising team, troubleshooting complex College policies and procedures (e.g., readmission, waiver requests for College requirements, Simultaneous degrees). Make recommendations to the training and leadership teams; contribute to ongoing staff training. Help foster a culture of inclusion and belonging in alignment with the CDSS Advising mission and values and the UC Berkeley principles of community. Work collaboratively with other advising staff to implement College-wide initiatives/projects to meet college goals. Serve on committees representing CDSS Advising as assigned; participate in short-term and long-term planning. Lead complex programs such as Academic Difficulty, Advanced Academic Procedures, or Student Staff Supervision.
10% Admissions and Recruitment: Utilizing in-depth knowledge of College admissions criteria, reads and ranks junior transfer applications; organizes scoring data for review by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Determines transferability and equivalency of coursework to meet college requirements. Advises prospective students, parents, and high school and community college counselors regarding College degrees, programs, and policies. Represents the College at recruitment and yield events, including at Power in Community Day, Bridges Senior Weekend, Cal Day, Golden Bear Welcome, and transfer admit yield receptions.
5% Professional Development and Growth: Engages in training, workshops, conferences, and seminars relevant to this position.
5% Other job duties as assigned and relevant to the position.
Required Qualifications
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated effectiveness in active listening and interpersonal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to make consistent and sound recommendations, and deliver clear judgment in the application of policies affecting students.
- Strong organizational and planning skills with the ability to prioritize workload and issues and to function effectively under time constraints and rapidly changing priorities.
- Demonstrated discretion and sensitivity in dealing with urgent and/or confidential situations.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students, foster a team environment, and be adaptable to change in a diverse, inclusive campus climate.
- Advanced knowledge of advising and counseling techniques and student development theory.
- Ability to identify and effectively address the needs of students with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
- Strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace and student body.
- Knowledge of common university-specific computer application programs and knowledge of university and departmental requirements, policies, and procedures.
- Skilled in problem identification, reasoning, and the ability to develop original ideas to solve problems.
- Ability to conceptualize, design, and implement undergraduate enrichment programs, which involve multiple tasks, priorities, and deadlines.
- Bachelor's degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
Preferred Qualifications
Master's degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
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