Description

Description: The University of Tennessee College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies (CECS) invites applications for the position of Director of Advising. This position reports to the dean. The Director of Advising (DoA) will provide advising to undergraduate CECS students both directly and by managing the CECS advising team. As CECS programs are intercollegiate and interdisciplinary, the DoA will liaise with other advising directors across UTK to ensure that CECS students can attain graduation in specific and customizable degree programs on time. Advising priorities include scheduling courses that meet a range of student interests while achieving the requirements of the degree, course prerequisites and Vol Core.  The DoA will manage academic planning, petitions, registration issues, retention initiatives, graduation and degree completion matters for students enrolled in CECS.  The DoA supports CECS initiatives in recruiting, retention, interdisciplinary course and program collaborations, international transfer and dual degree agreements, domestic transfer, and dual degree pathways. The Director represents CECS and Advising on various college and UT committees.

Qualifications

Advising:

The role involves managing student advising for CECS programs, collaborating with campus directors of advising to support students from other majors, providing academic advising for CECS minors and majors, representing CECS at student success advising meetings, and serving as a proxy for the Associate Dean in various committees. The responsibilities also include overseeing internal transfers and change of major advising, academic advising development, assisting in problem resolution, and using positive open-ended questions and intentional strategies to help students explore their goals and interests. Additionally, the advisor educates students about curricular requirements, collaborates in developing academic plans, advises on majors, minors, honors, and college policies, assists transfer students, and conducts academic reviews each semester.

Administration:

The position involves informing campus directors about advising on CECS programs, collaborating on curriculum, and scheduling matters, and ensuring student success. It also includes handling petitions, registration issues, graduation, and degree completion matters for CECS students. Staying updated on CECS degree requirements, coordinating with advisors, and collaborating with Enrollment Management and Student Success Office are key responsibilities. The position involves collaborating with CECS leadership on enrollment projections and orientation programming, keeping documentation. Additionally, teaching or supporting teaching of First-Year courses, assisting the associate dean with dual degree agreements and student transitions, directing data gathering and assessment for student success, helping build the advising team, and supporting CECS commencement each spring are important tasks. 

Recruitment, Retention, Outreach:

This role provides support for recruitment, retention, and orientation activities within the CECS department. This includes participating in outreach, recruitment, and retention initiatives, representing CECS in university orientation events, and developing new orientation and onboarding programs for CECS students. The position also manages transfer outreach and initiatives by coordinating with community colleges and university offices and developing transfer pathways and partnerships with Tennessee community colleges. Supporting the launching and implementation of new CECS recruitment initiatives, meeting with visiting families, delivering presentations about advising and CECS at college and campus recruitment events, and serving as an active member of CECS committees focused on recruitment, retention, and student success are additional responsibilities.

Orientation and Professional Development:

This position will assist with annual orientation development and planning, training advisors in the future. In doing so, a person in this role will need to continue to work on their professional development by attending conferences and working closely with AALG. Additionally, this position will support and attend all welcome week events each fall and collaborate with other departments for the production of these events. 

The College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies is one of UTK’s newest colleges recently launched to address the rapid changing landscape of future careers and how higher education can meet them. As a land-grant, flagship, R-1 research institution, UTK maintains a vision for “a world enriched by our ideas, improved through action, and inspired by the Volunteer Spirit of service and leadership.” (https://chancellor.utk.edu/vision/).  Under the dynamic leadership of Interim Vice Provost of Academic Affairs and Dean, CECS has been created to move this vision forward through research on the future of higher education. CECS will be a unique and innovative model for creating and launching new courses and programs on emerging, interdisciplinary by leveraging expertise across all colleges on campus.

Knoxville is a vibrant, mid-sized city in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. The region is a hub for research and design with a focus on environmental research, urban studies, and advanced technologies such as additive manufacturing technology and advanced fiber composites. East Tennessee benefits from collaborative synergies with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Innovative companies are headquartered in the area including Branch Technology (architectural scale additive manufacturing). Downtown Knoxville boasts an effervescent nightlife with theater, film, art, music, and world-class arts festivals like Big Ears, a lively live music scene across all genres, excellent restaurants, minority-heritage celebration events, farmers’ markets, and community gardens. Unique and walkable residential and business districts include Knoxville's historic Market Square and Old City, North and South Waterfronts, and the Urban Wilderness recreational area. Within a fifteen-minute commute of campus, Knoxville offers a diverse range of housing from downtown lofts to homes in historic tree-lined neighborhoods. The city and county offer strong public and private K-12 educational options including public international baccalaureate, art and science magnet programs, as well as private, religious, and Montessori schools. Knoxville's neighborhoods benefit from easy access to parks and multi-use trail systems. The nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park and TVA reservoir-lakes provide stellar outdoor recreation including biking, water sports, climbing, and hiking.

Minimum Qualifications:

·         Masters degree

·         Minimum 4 years of professional experience in academic advising, admissions, student development, or related higher education experience.

·         Understanding of best practices in undergraduate advising and is a highly skilled advisor.

·         Excellent writing and communication skills.

·         Supervisory experience and strong management skills- multi-task.

·         Able to communicate effectively with diverse students, faculty, and staff.

·         Strong user of technology (Office suite, SIS Banner, Navigate, Degree Audit).

·         Demonstrated college and campus wide leadership experience in the area of undergraduate advising and student success.

·         Sound judgment.

·         Demonstrated commitment to diversity.

·         Understanding of confidentiality requirements under FERPA and Title IX.

Preferred Qualifications:

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Demonstrated knowledge of academic advising and student development approaches, knowledgeable in IT technology and tools that support advising functions.

Screening of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the position has been filled. For full consideration, interested individuals should provide a cover letter addressing professional experience relevant to the required minimum qualifications, a resume, and complete contact information for three professional references. Priority will be given to applications received by June 21^st. 

The salary for this position will be commensurate with experience. The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including reduced tuition for employee’s dependents that attend college in the University of Tennessee system.

Job: Other Professional
Primary Location: US-Tennessee-Knoxville
Organization: College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies
Schedule: Full-time

Job: Student Services
Primary Location: US-Tennessee-knoxville
Organization: Coll Of Emerging & Collaborative Studies
Schedule: Full-time
Job Posting: Aug 29, 2023, 10:50:19 AM