Academic Advisor

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Communication Disorders Advisor provides comprehensive academic advising to department undergraduate majors and to students in the post-baccalaureate pre-clinical program: this includes leading in the development and delivery of programs and services to enhance student learning and retention, supervising and training a team of peer advisors, problem-solving to respond to changing student needs, and providing career and graduate study advising specific to the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology.

Essential Functions

The Communication Disorders Advisor’s primary responsibilities are to:

• Ensure appropriate and effective advising services, programming, and communication for undergraduate Communication Disorders majors and post-baccalaureate students in the department pre-clinical program. Meet with incoming students and those considering the major to educate them on the major, school, and professions, and facilitate the transfer of students into the major. Provide individualized academic advising to majors and post-baccalaureate pre-clinical students on department, school, and university requirements, prerequisites for graduate study, campus resources, and opportunities beyond the major.
• Facilitate all aspects of course registration and ensuring advising continuity for all students: maintain records, via campus database(s), of interactions with students that contribute to the student’s official academic record, facilitate referrals to campus partners, work to solve a variety of course and registration issues, input course overrides when appropriate, determine the outcome of department waiver requests, and facilitate graduation clearance.
• Monitor the academic progress of majors from matriculation to graduation, determine completion of requirements and certify such to the Registrar for graduation and recommend a course of action for students in academic jeopardy. Determine and approve equivalent transfer courses by evaluating course materials from other institutions in collaboration with the Undergraduate Program Director. Collect data on student success, analyze data regarding student needs, and provide leadership for the development and implementation of innovative programs and events designed to enhance students’ transition, retention, degree progress, and career development, especially programming to support a diverse student population.
• Communicate with majors and prospective majors regarding regulations, deadlines, relevant department and university events, and information related to academic advising, internship opportunities, and career advising, including state and national licensing requirements in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology. Manage, review, and maintain print and online advising resources and correspondences. Provide updated content relevant to the undergraduate program for the department’s website, social media accounts, and newsletter.
• Provide leadership in the continued development of a dynamic peer advising program. Select, train, support, and manage peer advisors to ensure that students receive high quality peer advising.
• Represent the department at university, college, and department at events (e.g., Open House, New Students Orientation, Majors’ Meetings, transfer advising sessions) and work collaboratively as needed with campus and community partners. Administer and provide advising and materials for New Students Orientation, transfer advising sessions and other department and university events.

Other Functions

• Work cooperatively with other advisors in the school, including Student Success Advising, to provide continuity of services.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in counseling, education, psychology, cognitive science, communications, communication disorders, or related field.

Required skills:

• Ability to learn about the field of communication disorders and the careers of speech-language pathology and audiology, with the understanding of how undergraduate education contributes to future educational and career success.
• Excellent problem solving, writing and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to interact effectively with students, parents, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to broadly understand the needs of department undergraduates to create and implement a variety of programs and workshops to support student success.
• Ability to effectively manage situations that involve interaction with distressed students, and ability to offer appropriate counsel to help resolve difficult academic or administrative problems.
• Ability to make sound and mature judgments and decisions and to carry out assignments in an organized and timely manner, balancing the demands of concurrent and potentially competing projects.
• Ability to work with a high degree of assertiveness and initiative, and ability and desire to quickly learn relevant academic requirements and procedures. Ability to work both independently and cooperatively with staff, faculty and students.
• Excellent computer skills including MS office and the ability to learn university student records systems.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

Master’s degree preferred. Preferred work experience in academic advising and/or student success programming.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical Office environment.

Additional Details

Required to work some nights and weekends in order to represent department at university and school events.

Work Schedule

43-week/year appointment, 22 hours per week

Salary Information

PSU Level 25

UMass Amherst Exempt Salary Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

To apply please submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three (3) professional references. The priority date for applications to receive full consideration is August 19, 2021, but the position will remain open until filled.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action

Advertised: Aug 2 2021 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: