Academic Advisor

Position Summary

The Academic Advisor is responsible for excellent customer service and a team player for the registration and degree progress of our students. The Academic Advisor advises students regarding information, academic policy, procedures, and degree requirements of a specific program or major. The advisor assists students in exploring careers, evaluating academic abilities, and setting goals. In addition, the Advisor monitors student academic progress, prepares advising materials, communicates deadlines and important information, and walks the student through to successful completion of their degree. This position needs strong interpersonal communication skills, a passionate commitment to exemplary customer service is highly organized and can manage multiple tasks and a varied workload.

Essential Functions

Culture:

• Be in agreement with the university's Confession of Faith, found here, have a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, be active in the life of the church, and live a life consistent with a commitment to the Lordship of Christ.
• Embrace the mission, vision, and values of Fresno Pacific University.
• Be Christ-centered in all areas while working with staff, faculty, students, and or any person or organization while representing the University.
• All FPU employees are called to exercise the gifts and calling of God through their daily life and role here at FPU. As ministers to students and other employees in daily life, FPU employees seek to embody the ideals laid out in the FPU Idea.
• A steadfast commitment to the "The Fresno Pacific University Idea" and agreement to support its ideals and practices while employed by the University.

• Provide outstanding customer service for our students, faculty, and University staff.
• Meet with students one-on-one.
• Assist students in establishing realistic and attainable academic goals through an appreciative advising process.
• Identify options for students to satisfy degree requirements; evaluate and make recommendations on petitions and amendments to student’s program of study.
• Monitor student’s academic progress; determine eligibility and satisfactory progress toward degree.
• Assist with retention efforts including (but not limited to) – monitoring at risk students, performing exit interviews, and partnering with retention efforts across campuses.
• Interpret and explain college and university policies and procedures.
• Assists students with registration and Sunbird Central
• Follow up on student petitions, forms, and questions.
• Regularly meet with students and communicate all important information such as dates, deadlines, and changes
• Regularly meet with the Program Directors represented in the students served.
• Work closely with faculty and student service areas to help meet the needs of the student.
• Run regular degree evaluations to assess student’s progress.
• Respond in a timely manner to all student inquiries through phone, walk-in, and email messages.
• Track and maintain student records through Salesforce.
• Be present at specific enrollment events where an academic advisor is needed.
• Complete tasks timely with work that is comprehensive, complete, and accurate.
• Communicates clearly, listens attentively, and seeks to understand others.
• Collaborates productively with colleagues of varying skillset.
• Other job duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

• One year of experience in advising or counseling
• Experience in Microsoft Suite Program
• Willing to work one to two evenings a week/occasional weekends.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Detail oriented and able to develop new ideas and create a plan of action.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and team player
• Self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.
• One year of experience in a university setting.
• Training and understanding of Colleague software or a similar SIS.
• Knowledge of FERPA requirements and other applicable laws
• Ability to build campus relations to expedite work and projects.

University Information

Environmental Conditions:

• Indoors in a normal office environment with little exposure to excessive noise, dust, fumes, vibrations, and temperature changes at least eighty percent (80%) of the time.
• Frequent computer use at a workstation, up to eight hours per day.
• Frequently work at a fast pace with unscheduled interruptions.
• Drive personal or University vehicles to appointments.
• Public contact position requiring professional apparel, personal hygiene, and grooming.

• This position typically functions indoors in an office environment with light to moderate noise associated with business office equipment. The position may involve travel for meetings and events.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: remain in a stationary position 80 % of the time, be able to move about inside the office to access file cabinets/office machinery etc., operate a computer and keyboard and other office productivity machinery such as calculators/copy machines/printers. The employee is occasionally required to position self to reach items on the floor and in high cabinetry.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Employee must be able to communicate with others to exchange information including both over the telephone and in-person communication with callers and community members and be able to read a computer screen and paper documents.
• Reasonable accommodation for those with disabilities will be provided in accordance with the law.