Director of Academic Advising
The Director of Academic Advising serves as the college-wide leader for academic advising, providing strategic vision and leadership for a faculty-led advising program. The Director advances a culture of advising excellence through an appreciative, holistic, and proactive advising approach that fosters student belonging, academic success, timely degree completion, and career readiness. Working collaboratively with Academic Deans, the Academic Advising Council, faculty advisors, and campus partners, the Director leads advisor development, assesses advising effectiveness, and continuously improves advising policies and practices. This position coordinates first-year advising in partnership with the FYE Director, provides secondary advising support, and advises selected student populations as needed. Through effective advising, enrollment monitoring, and cross-campus collaboration, this role also supports student retention and graduation.
Essential Functions:
Strategic Leadership of Academic Advising
- Lead the development of Barton College's advising program by designing, implementing, and assessing comprehensive onboarding, training, and professional development for FYE Mentors and faculty advisors.
- Chair the Academic Advising Council and facilitate collaboration among Academic Deans, faculty advisors, and campus partners to strengthen advising.
- Recommend and implement advising policies, practices, and initiatives that advance student success and institutional priorities.
Advisor Development and Support
- Collaborate with Academic Deans to support faculty advisors
- Develop and maintain advising guides, templates, and reference materials for students and faculty advisors, including major-planning tools, four-year course-sequencing resources, and policy updates.
- Communicate key advising information, updates, and procedural changes to students and faculty advisors in a timely and accessible manner.
Assessment and Continuous Improvement
- Develop and implement an annual assessment plan for academic advising.
- Use advising outcomes, student feedback, and institutional data to evaluate advising effectiveness and recommend improvements.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and excellence in academic advising through assessment, professional development, and the sharing of best practices.
- Prepare reports and recommendations related to advising outcomes for institutional leadership.
Student Advising and Academic Planning
- Coordinate first-year advising and course registration in partnership with the First-Year Experience program and New Student Programs Committee.
- Serve as a secondary advising resource for students.
- Maintain flexibility to advise selected student populations as institutional needs evolve.
- Support declaration of major and advisor transition processes.
- Collaborate with faculty to coordinate math and Spanish placement for students requiring placement testing.
- Coordinate advising and registration support for new transfer students by facilitating communication between students and assigned faculty advisors; monitor course registration to ensure timely onboarding.
Enrollment Monitoring and Student Success
- Monitor continuing student registration and enrollment activity and coordinate outreach with advisors and campus partners to assist students experiencing barriers to registration.
- Partner with the Director of General Education and Academic Deans to monitor course enrollment trends, identify unmet student demand, and provide enrollment data and recommendations that support course planning and student progress to degree.
- Promote registration timelines, processes, and key deadlines (including summer school registration) in collaboration with the Registrar’s Office.
- Review first-semester grades in writing and math courses, and communicate necessary schedule adjustments or academic support interventions to students and faculty advisors.
- Prepare enrollment updates and projections for senior leadership.
- Collaborate across campus to promote timely academic planning, registration, and progress toward degree completion.
Other Areas:
- Serve as a member of the Office of Academic and Career Planning team, supporting all academic and career planning activities as needed.
- Support the Office of Academic and Career Planning in budgeting, reporting, assessment, and program review initiatives.
- Promote Office of Academic and Career Planning services and events to students, staff, and faculty.
- Represent the Office of Academic and Career Planning and the Division of Academic Affairs on college committees and at college events, including Open House and New Student Orientation.
- Perform other duties as assigned.