Apply Now Academic CounselorSouth University Pittsburgh, PA, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of AmericaReq #114 Monday, August 5, 2019 Established in 1899, South University (www.southuniversity.edu) is a private, non-profit academic institution dedicated to providing educational opportunities for the intellectual, social and professional development of a diverse student population. South University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctorate degrees.

The University traces its heritage to 1899, when Dr. John Draughon established Draughon’s Practical Business College in Savannah, Georgia. Over the past century-plus, South University has experienced continued growth transforming from a two-year college into a university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs. South University’s approach to higher education, and the resulting varied academic experiences, provides students with the pragmatic approach necessary to create the foundation for personal and professional fulfillment.

South University provides a learning environment, both on-campus and online, that helps students identify goals and the means to achieve them. With this philosophy in mind, students can learn by interacting with a community of faculty, staff and administration dedicated to South University’s academic purpose. South University offers more than 50 academic programs across its nine campuses and through online programs.

The University’s academics are organized across five colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business, Health Professions, Nursing and Public Health, Theology – and a School of Pharmacy. With the introduction of South University, Online Programs, students can pursue both undergraduate degree and master’s degree programs ranging from the areas of Criminal Justice to Business – giving South University students more opportunities to make a difference, both personally and professionally.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position manages student academic counseling from new student enrollment through student graduation. This position will provide support and work closely with the Graduation Team, consisting of staff from Admissions, Finance, and Academics. This position includes proactive student contact through both phone and email communication; new and continuing student scheduling; responding to student questions and/or requests through both phone and email communication; identifying students at-risk for academic failure and implementing strategies to promote student success; executing customer service activities within expected time frames and quality measures; and providing academic support so the student on-boarding process promotes student success. Incumbent must assure that the University goals of Quality- deliver exceptional student experiences and continuously improve outcomes; Community - cultivate outstanding reputations with our key audiences; Growth - efficiently serve as many students as possible who possesses the ability and desire to succeed; and the University Values of Student Success, Integrity, Innovation, and Excellence, are evident when carrying out the duties and responsibilities of this position.

KEY JOB ELEMENTS:

• Counsel students facing academic challenges, academic and/or personal obstacles.

• Effectively on board new students in order to drive student persistence and success through effective transition to the online education environment.

• Efficiently and accurately schedule new students, continuing students, re-entry students, and transfer students.

• Manage and inform, and counsel students on degree progress focused on graduation in the shortest time possible for the student.

• Achieve student persistence targets.

• Audit student schedules to determine candidacy for graduation as determined by school policy, and provides related information to appropriate campus staff as necessary and/or requested.

• Maintain direct contact with assigned students including but not limited to monitoring attendance and academic progress; discussing and supporting the student as she/he resolves student issues that occur in the classroom environment; informing and appraising students of available resources; and working with students experiencing difficulty academically or in other areas, helping them to develop and implement student action (success) plans.

• Complete voice-to-voice contact at least weekly for first 18 weeks of student enrollment and as needed thereafter.

• Communicate with students effectively through both routine and non-routine email contact.

• Respond to student inbound communication within established time frames.

• Identify students at-risk for academic failure, and develop and implement strategies to drive student success.

• Manage and communicate effectively academic probation, academic suspension, and satisfactory academic progress policies.

• Assist students in filing academic, financial, and/or medical appeals.

• Effectively implement the attendance probation/suspension process.

• Interact effectively with academic administrative staff (i.e. Online Program Director, Associate Dean, Online Director) and instructors.

• Understand and be able to explain the Student Handbook and College Catalog.

• Effectively access and perform assigned duties in required databases (i.e. CampusVue, HEAT, Communicator, ImageNow, eCollege).

• Meet with new student applicants by phone (prior to the first class whenever possible) to review the enrollment process, the online classroom, and graduation progression options. Also discuss advanced standing options including but not limited to transfer of credit, life credit, and testing options.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Education, Counseling or related field required, Masters Degree preferred.

• 1-2 years of academic advising or academic counseling experience desirable.

• 1-2 years of customer service experience desired.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

• Strong interpersonal skills with student and staff populations.

• Superior organization, prioritization, and self-motivation skills.

• Strong computer skills including MS Office Suite, and database usage.

ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The term qualified individual with a disability means an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate professionally in person, over the telephone, through email and other electronic means, move about the office or school, handle various types of media and equipment, and visually or otherwise identify, observe and assess. The employee is occasionally required to lift up to 10 pounds unless otherwise specified in the job description.

NOTICE:

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Other detailsPay TypeSalaryRequired EducationBachelor’s Degree

• South University Pittsburgh, PA, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America

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