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Academic Advisor
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Position Number: 1068736
Location: Boston, MA
Position Type: Academic Advising

Academic Advisor
Simmons College

The Academic Advisor is responsible for managing the advising functions for new and enrolled students in SocialWork@Simmons. The Advisor participates in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the academic advisement program's goals and objectives. The Academic Advisor also participates in decision making in the admissions process for "escalated" applications.

The Academic Advisor will facilitate student success by defining and implementing strategies that help students fulfill educational goals. The Advisor will monitor degree completion, interpret Simmons School of Social Work policies and procedures, use judgment to provide solutions and resolve student problems.

The Advisor takes a leadership role in addressing retention and persistence for online students. Specifically, the Advisor works more intensively with students admitted under a conditional admissions status and students exhibiting poor academic performance; these are students who are at higher risk for withdrawal, leave of absence and dismissal. The Advisor collaborates with the external partner and the Simmons College registrar to manage data on persistence and retention, the Advisor analyzes this data and presents it to the weekly Core team meeting for the purpose of addressing needs of students at risk for program non-completion and for reviewing policies impacting student retention that may be in need of revision.

The Academic Advisor works closely with the Program Director and the College's external partner and has regular contact with their student support team.

As an MSW prepared social worker, the Academic Advisor ensures that academic advising is provided within the framework of graduate preparation for professional practice as a licensed clinical social worker.

1. Provides comprehensive academic advisement to all online students including:
Providing students pre-emptive guidance on acclimating to new graduate onlinelearning environment.
Providing individual and group advising sessions in which policiesandrequirementsare communicated, concerns are addressed and problems areidentified.
Establishing and implementing referral and follow up procedures forstudentsneedingadditional services.
Ensuring all information regarding academic standards, academicrequirementsandpolicies is current and easily accessible to students.
Assessing cohort need for additional group or community supports; designs andimplements supports (group meetings, drop-in times, social events,connectionthroughsocial media).
When consulted by classroom faculty, uses discretion to advise the modification ofan academic policy (consequence for absence or late assignment, for example)and in that way interprets program policies and best practices forclassroomfacultyon behalf of program.
Understanding and applying College's interpretation of FERPA rulesregardingstudentprivacy and records.

2. Identifies at-risk students and oversees appropriate services andactions,including:
In consideration of educational risk factors, uses judgment to determine whetheran individual student needs more frequent contact with advisor or referral toadditional support services.
Works closely with students who are at risk for dismissal or withdrawal to assist in workingtoward academic success, in that way directly impacts retention rate. Inadditionmaintainsdata on retention and based on analysis of that data recommends changes inprogram's policies and procedures.
Collaborates with Director of online Field Education to determine needs of at riskstudents.
Determines whether student performance issues should be addressedthroughEducationalPlanning Committee (EPC) process ( can be in conjunction withfaculty), facilitates decision making that will address student retention.
Assists with probation, dismissal and reinstatement decisions,makesrecommendationson specific cases.
Interprets and applies ethical framework represented in Simmons School of SocialWork Social Work Standards for Professional Practice Education and theNationalAssociationof Social Work (NASW) Social Work Code of Ethics toacademicadvisingactivities and decision-making, in advisement responses to studentunethical or unprofessional behavior in classroom and school community.

3. Creates and maintains administrative structures andorganizationalrelationships(internal and external) to ensure efficient andeffectivefunctioningof academic advising services, including:
Creating and maintaining systems for tracking student performance issues.
Establishing and maintains relationships with Simmons College offices such as theWriting Center, Academic Services; help facilitate accommodation requests.
Developing career resources in conjunction with external partner and SimmonsCollege CEC.
Coordinates with College Registrar Office and External partner's Post Enrollment Services Office.

4. Reviews and improves of effectiveness of online academic advising
Collects and interprets data using student information reports and program surveys and/or assessments; analyzes data, present results to program director and Dean and to external partner; uses data to implement program improvement measures.

When policies need review or revision participates in formulating new policies; identifies policies that need revision.

5. Admissions decisions for "escalated" applications
Reads admissions applications for which there is not consensus on final decision. Makes decision on whether applicant is admitted as full or conditional admit.

Qualifications: MSW required; LICSW preferred.

Instructions to Applicants: Please submit a resume, cover letter, and the contact information for and relationship to three references in the Resume/CV section of the application.

Applications received byAugust 18thwill receive immediate consideration.

As a College committed todiversity, Simmons encourages applications broadly. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop amorediversefaculty,staff, student body and curriculum.

For full application instructions and position description, visit https://simmons.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Simmons-Careers/job/Main-Campus---Boston-MA/Academic-Advisor_R03058-2