Academic Advisor

Description

POSITION:  Academic Advisor 

SUPERVISOR:   Dean of Retention and Persistence

DEPARTMENT:  Student Success and Dragon Pathways

LOCATION: On-campus, located in Tiffin, OH

JOB TYPE: Full-time

GRANT-FUNDED: No

SOC Code: 21-1012

General Job Description for Academic Advisor:

The Academic Advisor serves as a student-centered advisor, advocate, and student success professional within the University’s Dragon Pathways model. The Academic Advisor supports students throughout the student lifecycle, from onboarding and transition to the University through persistence, degree progression, and graduation.

The Academic Advisor develops meaningful, proactive relationships with assigned students and helps students understand and successfully navigate their individual Dragon Pathway. Through developmental advising, individualized academic planning, proactive outreach, early intervention, and coordinated support, the Academic Advisor helps students overcome barriers, remain engaged, make informed decisions, and progress toward timely degree completion.

The Academic Advisor utilizes student success data, including academic records, enrollment activity, attendance, early alerts, predictive analytics, and other indicators, to identify students who may need additional support. The Advisor coordinates with faculty, academic departments, and campus partners to connect students with appropriate resources and create a coordinated student experience focused on persistence, retention, and completion.

Major Duties and Responsibilities for Academic Advisor:

• Serve as a primary student success partner within Dragon Pathways by building meaningful relationships with assigned students and providing consistent support throughout their University experience.
• Provide proactive and developmental academic advising to new and continuing students, including first-year, transfer, international, and other student populations, with an emphasis on engagement, persistence, academic success, and timely degree completion.
• Guide students through their individual Dragon Pathway by helping them understand academic requirements, expectations, milestones, resources, and opportunities from enrollment through graduation.
• Develop individualized academic plans and degree pathways by assisting students with course selection, registration, major and program exploration or changes, academic standing, degree progression, and graduation planning.
• Support the transition and onboarding of new students by providing proactive outreach, advising, registration assistance, resource connections, and follow-up beginning prior to enrollment and continuing through the first year.
• Monitor student engagement, academic progress, and enrollment activity using academic records, registration information, credit completion, attendance, early-alert notifications, predictive analytics, and other student success indicators.
• Identify students who may be at risk of stopping out or withdrawing and provide timely, individualized intervention based on academic performance, attendance, engagement, registration activity, financial or administrative barriers, academic standing, and other indicators.
• Develop individualized student success strategies and connect students with appropriate academic, financial, career, personal, and campus resources. Maintain consistent follow-up to ensure students are connected to and utilizing available support.
• Serve as a student advocate and navigator by helping students identify and resolve academic, enrollment, financial, and administrative barriers that may interfere with their ability to persist and progress toward graduation.
• Collaborate across the University to support the student lifecycle, working closely with faculty, academic departments, Student Accounts, Financial Aid, Admissions, Career Services, academic support services, athletics, and other campus partners.
• Coordinate and support student success initiatives and campaigns designed to improve onboarding, engagement, persistence, retention, and graduation outcomes.
• Support registration and academic progression by assisting with course adds, drops, withdrawals, schedule adjustments, prerequisite issues, course cancellations, unsuccessful coursework, academic standing concerns, and other circumstances that may affect degree completion.
• Use student success data to inform advising and intervention and document outreach, interventions, referrals, and student progress accurately within University systems.
• Maintain consistent and proactive communication with students through appointments,    email, phone, text messaging, and other appropriate communication methods to provide information, reminders, encouragement, resources, and follow-up.
• Contribute to a coordinated Dragon Pathways experience by identifying gaps, barriers, and opportunities within the student lifecycle and collaborating with campus partners to improve processes and the overall student experience.
• Support student belonging, engagement, and connection to the University by helping students identify opportunities for involvement, leadership, academic support, career development, and other experiences that contribute to persistence and success.
• Contribute to the broader student success mission of the University through teaching      DEC100 Engage as an adjunct faculty member, supporting the Murphy Academic Support Center as needed, participating in student success programming and professional development, and contributing to institutional retention and persistence initiatives.
• Participate in continuous improvement efforts related to Dragon Pathways, advising practices, student communication, early intervention, onboarding, retention, and degree completion.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications for the Academic Advisor:

Education:

· Bachelor’s degree required.

· Master’s degree preferred

Experience:

· Previous experience in Higher Education curriculum or academic advising

· Must demonstrate ability to work with faculty and/or students in group and one-on-one situations

· Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks and work in an environment with continuous interruptions.

· Strong problem-solving skills

· Maintain a current understanding of the requirements for FERPA, Financial Aid, and Disability Services in a university setting

· An understanding of and commitment to Tiffin University’s Vision, Mission, and Values.

Why Join Tiffin University?

Tiffin University offers a collaborative, mission-driven environment where your financial expertise directly supports student success and institutional growth. We value innovation, transparency, and partnership and provide the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

At Tiffin University, we believe in taking care of our employees. That’s why all full-time employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support their health, financial security, and work-life balance:

· Medical, dental, and vision insurance to keep you and your family healthy.

· Health Savings Account with annual employer incentive contribution & Flex Spending Account with options to save pre-tax dollars for medical, dental, and vision expenses.

· Employer-paid basic life insurance and long-term disability, plus voluntary plans for supplemental life insurance and short-term disability.

· A 403(b)-retirement plan with employer matching contributions to help you plan for the future.

· Generous paid annual and sick leave, plus paid holidays throughout the year.

· Educational tuition benefits for you and eligible family members.

· Access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for personal and professional support.