School of Pharmacy- Sr Academic Advisor BSPS

About VCU

At VCU, we are UNCOMMON and UNLIKE any other university. A premier, urban, public research university nationally recognized as one of the best employers for diversity and classified by Carnegie as R1 and Community Engaged. VCU is a great place to work. It's a place of opportunity, where your success is supported and your career can thrive.

About School of Pharmacy

The School of Pharmacy has a 125-year tradition beginning with the Medical College of Virginia and continuing to the present. Ranked in the top 20 of Schools of Pharmacy nationwide, the school is dedicated to graduating outstanding future pharmacists and scientists who will improve human health, foster exemplary research, and provide sustaining contributions to interprofessional patient care. The University recognized the School of Pharmacy as the highest-ranking academic unit for Inclusive Excellence.

All full-time staff are eligible for our generous benefits package that includes choices for health, vision, and dental coverage, life-insurance, short and long-term disability coverage, retirement planning, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, flexible spending accounts, tuition benefits, significant paid-time off,12 paid holidays, and more. Explore our benefits further here: https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/benefits/.

About the Role

The School of Pharmacy Sr Academic Advisor will provide specialized academic advising services to our Bachelor of Science Pharmaceutical Sciences students and collaborates with University colleagues and public stakeholders, such as students, family members, and prospective students. By integrating interpersonal and communication skills with advanced knowledge of curricula, policies (departmental, college, and University), resources, and student development, the advisor helps students identify and set academic and developmental goals and make progress toward those goals. The advisor assists in the development of advising programs and initiatives that facilitate student engagement, success, and retention, provides advising data and collaborates with academic and other University operational units on matters that impact student recruitment, success, and retention.

Key responsibilities

• Advise students regarding departmental, college, and University policies and procedures; programs of study; and the development of appropriate academic plans
  
• Maintain accurate and confidential records on students using Navigate advising platform to establish targeted student populations on caseload for more intensive advising and meet those students a minimum of 2 individual advising sessions per semester
  
• Document all advising interactions with students in Navigate
  
• Use DegreeWorks to determine a student's progress in completing degree requirements
  
• Write letters of recommendation and letters of support for student appeals
  
• Assist students in identifying their interests, abilities, and academic goals and in making decisions regarding their academic career
  
• Introduce students to opportunities that will enrich their academic experience, facilitate their academic and personal development, and support their educational success
  
• Teach students how to manage the college experience, navigate the University, make informed decisions, and assume responsibility for their academic success
  
• Identify and assist struggling or at-risk students
  
• Make appropriate referrals to other university resources
  
• Review and approve graduation applications, and assist students in removing barriers to graduation
  
• Coordinate and process academic appeals submitted by students for submission to the Academic Regulations Appeals Committee
  
• Collaborate with departmental and university partners on matters that impact student recruitment, retention, and graduation rates
  
• Collaborate with school and university partners to create, implement, and evaluate programming to support student success
  
• Coordinate and complete academic advising administrative duties in a timely manner
  
• Contribute to School-wide initiatives that support student success across undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs
  
• Participate in the planning and execution of School of Pharmacy events as necessary
  

Required Qualifications

This position requires an individual who possesses a complex set of technical and interpersonal skills including:

• A minimum of three years professional advising experience in a college or university setting
  
• Knowledgeable of theory and application of effective advising techniques
  
• Ability to learn and understand curriculum requirements of assigned and other departments
  
• Ability to think critically and troubleshoot/problem-solve complex academic issues to bring to a swift resolution
  
• Organized and a self-starter who can prioritize work responsibilities
  
• Excellent written, interpersonal and oral communication skills
  
• Experience using Navigate, Degree Works, Banner, eServices, Google suite, and Microsoft Office suite to implement inclusive and intentional advising strategies
  
• Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, College Student Personnel, or related area or equivalent combination of education and years of experience that equates to a master's degree
  
• The School of Pharmacy supports a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment. The candidate will demonstrate experience that shows their commitment to fostering such an environment
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience creating, implementing, and assessing programming and/or high impact practices in higher education
  
• Two years of advising experience at VCU
  
• Demonstrated experience working with at-risk student populations
  
• Demonstrated experience in collaborative work, including service on committees related to student engagement, student success, departmental service or academic advising