Academic Advisor II

Job Title

Agency

Department

Proposed Minimum Salary

Job Location

Job Type

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University
• Texas A&M Forest Service
• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

We are seeking an Academic Advisor II, who with minimal assistance, drives engagement and empowers students to achieve their academic and career goals. This position will play a vital role in maximizing undergraduate student retention by building relationships with students and clarifying procedures and academic requirements for specific programs or majors.

The following list provides examples of the most typical duties for this level position. Individual positions may not include all of the examples listed, nor does the list include all of the work that may be assigned to this position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

65% Advises Students

• Collaborates with students to understand and develop realistic and attainable educational and academic goals and provides input on related majors, minors, future education and career options that best align with goals.

• Educates students about and prepares and assists them with full array of academic processes (e.g., registration, add/drop, Q drops, withdrawals, change of curriculum submissions, etc.) by sharing university and college policies, program requirements, transfer credit decisions, etc.
• Reviews student’s academic record and counsel students regarding core and degree course selection and implication of selected courses and/or exception requests.
• Provides input on probationary decisions.
• Creates and maintains updated relevant records and notes (e.g., student contact, advisor notes).

20% Delivers Student Success and Retention Strategies

• Consistently engages student population utilizing various outreach methods (e.g., in-person and online) to cultivate a professional relationship to keep students informed of critical and relevant personal, academic and professional deadlines, updates, information and events.
• Proactively shares with students available academic, professional, and health and wellness resources (e.g., Academic Success Center, Career Center, Student Organizations, Counseling & Psychological Services, Disability Resources, etc.) May refer students with identified needs as appropriate.
• Actively monitors students’ progress through the program by reviewing and assessing academic records to determine status of progression, completion of degree requirements as well as identifying and referring those students in which additional intervention and guidance may be recommended to reaching academic goals.
• Leads the planning and/or delivery of various department related advising, student success, retention events and academic campaigns (e.g., New Student Conference, 1st semester advising, inquiries from prospective students).
• Assesses individual students' stage of academic development and promotes their growth by determining suitable developmental tasks.

5% Team Building and Support

• Assists in training of and sharing of information for new staff members and student workers within the academic advising department.

10% Training and Development

•  Up to 10% training and development per year to complete in-class and on-the-job training programs, which may include shadowing, departmental/college/school trainings, university training, university, state, and national advisor meetings, regular staff and supervisory meetings, and other activities approved by the supervisor. Trainings must include:  
  • Advisor Onboarding Training (new to Texas A&M hires)
  • Becoming a Master Academic Advisor
• Note: Time reserved for training and development may be adjusted based on employee performance and supervisor discretion.

Required Education and Experience: 

Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of advising or related experience.

Required Licenses and Certifications:  None

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

Knowledge of:

• NACADA’s Core Values of Academic Advising.
• Theories relevant to academic advising.
• Academic Advising models, approaches, and strategies.
• Professional standards and ethical guidelines for academic advising.
• Expected student learning outcomes of academic advising.
• Expected student success outcomes of academic advising.
• Curriculum, degree programs, and other academic requirements and options, to include changes and revisions over time.
• Critical partners for academic advisors and their role in the advising process.
• Campus and community resources that support student success.
• Project management principles and processes.
• Professional standards and ethical guidelines for coaching, coaching models, and methods and techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of coaching.

Skill in:

Proficiency level of novice in the following skills, using the novice to expert model (i.e., novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, expert):

• Discussing and referring students to appropriate campus resources for mental health issues.
• Conducting research and developing and delivering training, to include:
  • Advising tools and strategies, campus resources, and relevant updates for faculty and staff.
• Supervising student employees to assist with administrative advising duties and programming.
• Ability to multi task and work cooperatively with others

Proficiency level of advanced beginner in the following skills, using the novice to expert model (i.e., novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, expert):

• Articulating a personal philosophy of academic advising in alignment with NACADA models, strategies, and approaches.
• Communicating in a respectful, and confidential manner using various communication approaches and modalities.
• Promoting student understanding of the purpose and underlying rationale of the curriculum to set expectations for student learning.
• Facilitating problem-solving, decision-making, and meaning-making for students through the advising process.
• Identifying high-risk indicators, as reported by faculty, to ensure student success.
• Engaging in ongoing assessment and development of self and the advising practice.
• Planning and/or delivering various department related advising, student success, retention events and academic campaigns.

Proficiency level of competent in the following skills, using the novice to expert model (i.e., novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, expert):

• Creating rapport and building relationships, to include:
  • Guiding, coaching, and/or mentoring students.
  • Collaborating with critical partners.
• Planning and conducting advising interactions to achieve student learning and student success outcomes, operating within your scope of authority, and connecting students to resources.
• Demonstrating high ethical standards in advising.
• Facilitating planning and goal setting, both short-term and long-term, to achieve individual learning targets and enable future readiness for students through the advising process.
• Observing and identifying trends in the impact of academic advising on student learning outcomes through data review.
• Using appropriate academic advising technologies to support students, including providing reports for advising initiatives and special populations.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

Knowledge of:

• Texas A&M University’s history, mission, vision, values, and culture.
• The history and role of academic advising in higher education and at Texas A&M University.
• Texas A&M University policies, procedures, rules, and regulations relevant to academic advising.
• Legal guidelines of advising practice, including privacy regulations and confidentiality.
• The characteristics, needs, and experiences of major and emerging student populations.
• How welcoming environments are created and maintained in advising interactions for major and emerging student populations.
• Resources and effective, appropriate responses to address mental health issues that may affect the well-being of students.
• Information technology applicable to relevant advising roles.
• Training methods and techniques for planning, designing, developing and delivering instructional content that is engaging, effective, relevant, and applicable to achieve desired learning outcomes.

Skill in:

• Conducting research and developing and delivering training, to include:
  • Topics within the field of academic advising, including organizing activities for professional development

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays  
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas  
• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

Applications received by Texas A&M AgriLife must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.