Senior Academic Advisor - Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

West Virginia University's Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design is seeking applications for a Senior Academic Advisor.

About the Opportunity

This position is primarily responsible for advising undergraduate students in the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, and teaching orientation courses. This position assumes responsibility for academic advising, retention, New Student Orientation, commencement, and other duties as assigned.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year
• 18 sick days per year
  (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits (this position is a benefits-eligible non-classified staff position)
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What you'll do:

• Provides timely and effective academic counsel to assist students with selecting, progressing through, and completing baccalaureate degrees.
  
• Manages an academic advising caseload of approximately 300 undergraduate students pursuing baccalaureate degrees.
  
• Develops and prepares 8 - 10 semester matriculation plans in degree audit systems. Tracks and monitors degree progression and completion.
  
• Employs a combination of appreciative, developmental, intrusive, and prescriptive academic advising models in accordance with students' needs.
  
• Interprets the WVU Undergraduate Catalog for the purpose of remaining updated on policies and procedures that regulate conferral of degrees.
  
• Utilizes student information systems (ie. Banner, Degree Works, and Navigate) to track and monitor academic history and in-progress work.
  
• Conducts outreach to students who are identified as at-risk during early alert or midterm grade reporting processes and makes referrals to academic, career, and other support services.
  
• Assists with the degree audit process to ensure degree program requirements are fulfilled.
  
• Provides guidance to students submitting appeals for academic and federal financial aid suspensions, which includes creating an academic success plan in Degree Works.
  
• Assists students with the transient approval process by reviewing course equivalencies and matching WVU courses with courses offered by the transient institution.
  
• Assesses student concerns and makes referrals to other University representatives/units.
  
• Participates in New Student Orientation during the month of June and other scheduled sessions prior to the start of each regular term.
  
• Participates in events sponsored by the College, which may include on campus recruiting, academic academies, and commencement.
  
• Maintains current knowledge of federal statutes (ie. FERPA) protecting the confidentiality of academic records.
  
• Teaches first-year seminar and possibly, strategies courses for students on academic probation.
  
• Coordinates with faculty mentors and career services staff to support retention efforts.
  
• Serves on college- and/or university-wide committees/task forces that impact student success at WVU, including academic unit faculty or planning meetings.
  
• Other duties as assigned.
  

• Bachelor's degree with relevant experience.
• A minimum of two (2) years of advising or counseling experience
• A minimum of one (1) year of experience teaching
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Evidence of effective teaching skills
• Knowledge or ability to learn to work with Banner, Degree works, and Navigate
• Demonstrated ability to pay attention to detail
• Expertise in different forms of academic advising (appreciative, developmental, intrusive, etc)
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
• Demonstrated ability to apply critical reasoning and problem solving
• Ability to teach young adults through formal and informal instruction

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and engaging working environment and actively seek candidates who bring diverse ideas, approaches and experiences.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and received an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. We value diversity among our faculty, staff and students and invite applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.