Assistant Director of Academic Success

POSITION TITLE: Assistant Director of Academic Success 

FLSA STATUS:  Salaried, exempt 

DEPARTMENT: Division of Student Success & Engagement 

REPORTS TO: Associate Director of Academic Success 

JOB STATUS: Full-time (at least 37.5 hours/week), 12-month 

PRIMARY PURPOSE/ POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Assistant Director of Academic Success is a full-time position in the Division of Student Success & Engagement (SSE).  The Assistant Director oversees the Transitions program which supports and retains students through a summer bridge and yearlong curricular and co-curricular programs, with an emphasis on culturally relevant leadership development. The Assistant Director provides academic support and holistic care for students using a case management model. The Assistant Director is sensitive to the needs of a diverse student body, and committed to fostering students’ personal, cultural, educational, and intellectual development consistent with the mission of Dominican University.   

EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL DOMINICAN EMPLOYEES: To support the University's mission of preparing students to pursue truth, to give compassionate service, and to participate in the creation of a more just and humane world.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Transitions Program Oversight 

• Design program and learning outcomes for Transitions alongside a faculty counterpart utilizing theoretical frameworks, data on institutional and national retention trends, and considering organizational outcomes, goals and values 
• Collaborate with university stakeholders to streamline Transitions recruitment and admission process  
• Collaborate with SSE and other on and off campus partners to plan and execute a 2-week summer bridge with a residential component 
• Manage co-curricular mentoring program to plan activities and events with personal, academic, and professional development components 
• Oversee Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI) grant budget of roughly $20,000-30,000 and maintain relationships with the grant funder, ACI 
• Hire and supervise Transitions peer mentors  
• Teach Transitions First Year Seminar and serve as academic advisor 
• Design programming to facilitate Transitions students’ leadership development 
• Engage in yearly programmatic assessment which measures learning, teaching, and training 

Case Management 

• Practice effective and timely case management encompassing learning, personal development, and time management assessments which take into consideration themes of identity, inclusion, and social justice; typical caseload ranges between 80-170 students 
• Serve on the Student Care Team and craft plans based on individual student need, identity, and social positioning; document and identify interventions and revise approaches to student challenges and outreach based on a thorough assessment of coordinated care efforts and student responses  
• Research and evaluate available support on and off-campus, continuing to refine the unit’s goal of curating best resources for the Dominican population. 
• Train staff and interns on academic coaching strategies, case management best practices and resources to remove barriers to student and staff success 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

All qualifications are required unless otherwise indicated. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, in writing and in speech, to various audiences 
• Capacity to present to and facilitate in small and large groups 
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage time and tasks independently to meet work objectives 
• Ability to take initiative and follow through with minimal supervision 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all matters related to the position 
• Fluency in Spanish preferred   

Education and Experience: 

• Master's degree in education, student development, social work or related field 
• Experience with academic support (i.e. coaching, counseling, or tutoring), holistic support, or student interventions 
• Experience with mentoring or bridge programs promoting retention and student success 
• Experience with student support case-management technologies like Pharos preferred 

A background screening is required.