Student Support (Student Services Specialist, 0096560, 0096568)

Title: Student Support (Student Services Specialist)

Position Number: 0096560, 0096568

Hiring Unit: Student Affairs

Location: Windward Community College

Date Posted: March 28, 2025

Closing Date: April 14, 2025

Band: B

Salary : salary schedules and placement information

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

Temporary/Permanent: Permanent

Other Conditions: Recruitment is for two positions, to begin May 2025, pending position clearance, available funds, and actual staffing requirements. Assignments will involve travel to off-campus locations (subject to change), and may include evening and weekend hours, and air travel. 

Duties and Responsibilities

1. *Assists Pu‘uhonua Program Coordinator with operation of the Windward Community College (WCC) Pu‘uhonua program, which serves incarcerated, transitional, and post-release individuals at various correctional facilities.
2. *Using appropriate pedagogy and strategies, assists in the coordination and implementation at the college centers at specific facilities.
3. *Develops procedures for working with the incarcerated education programs.
4. *Provides for planning, scheduling, staffing, organizing and implementing instruction leading to certificate and degree completion for program participants.
5. *Serves as a liaison with faculty and staff at WCC, education officials in the justice system, and other community and state partners in support of students and the Pu‘uhonua program.
6. *Provides proactive advising and academic guidance to individual students.
7. *Leads classes, activities, workshops, and assessments, as appropriate and needed.
8. *Incorporates tutoring and mentoring as appropriate with potential supervision of student workers.
9. *Responsible for maintaining a regular schedule of travel and scheduled work at both WCC and remote locations (e.g., participating incarceration facilities). Commutes to target sites daily.
10. *Must be available for special program hours (including evenings, weekends, and holidays).
11. *Maintains accurate documentation and updates information weekly, or as needed, to ensure program information is current.
12. *Collects data and analyzes trends on enrollment, student success, graduation, and recidivism for the incarcerated student population. Collects and analyzes data on program initiatives, barriers and needs.
13. Recommends best practices in supporting the student population.
14. *Implements financial aid at site through targeted Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) support and processing, as well as scholarship support.
15. *Works with instructors, WCC Business Office, and UH Bookstore to procure and provide student materials in line with parameters of financial aid and Prison Education Program statutes and rules.
16. *Investigates barriers to student enrollment and provides appropriate solutions (e.g. student loan default, University of Hawai'i debt, unsatisfactory academic progress).
17. Other duties as assigned.

*Denotes Essential Functions

Minimum Qualifications

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree in Social Work, Education, Counseling, Social Sciences, or Humanities or related field and 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience with responsibilities for educational program implementation and/or student support; or any equivalent combination of education and/or professional work experience which provides the required education, knowledge, skills and abilities as indicated.
2. Considerable working knowledge of principles, practices and techniques in the area of education program implementation as demonstrated by the broad knowledge of the full range of pertinent standard and evolving concepts, principles and methodologies.
3. Considerable working knowledge and understanding of applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations and theories and systems associated with the area of education program implementation, the justice system, and/or state and local government policies.
4. Demonstrated ability to resolve wide ranging complex problems through the use of creative reasoning and logic to accurately determine the cause of the problems and the resolution of the problems in an effective, innovative and timely manner.
5. Demonstrated ability to interpret and present information and ideas clearly and accurately in writing, verbally and by preparation of reports and other materials.
6. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups, team leaders and members, and individuals.
7. Demonstrated ability to operate a personal computer, apply word processing software, and Microsoft OfficeSuite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and student information systems.
8. For supervisory work, demonstrated ability to lead subordinates, manage work priorities and projects, and manage employee relations.
9. Ability to complete all requirements to enter the correctional facilities, including, but not limited to, training and background clearance, which must be regularly reviewed.

Desirable Qualifications

1. Master's degree in Counseling and Guidance, Counseling Psychology, College Student Personnel Services, Communications, or related fields; Related fields include: Education (to include all degrees in this field), Family Resources, Human Development, Psychology (to include all degrees in this field), Public Health, Rehabilitation Counseling, Social Work, Sociology, and Student Services Personnel.
2. Direct experience working within the justice system.
3. Implementation of an off-site educational program.

To Apply: Click on the "Apply" button on the top right corner of the screen to complete an application and attach the following required documents:

1. Resume;
2. Cover letter indicating how you meet the minimum and desirable qualifications of the position;
3. Transcript(s) verifying degree and coursework to date appropriate to the position.   (Copies of transcripts are acceptable; however, original official transcripts will be required at the time of hire.   Academic record/grade summaries will NOT be accepted.  Diplomas and copies will NOT be accepted.)  Documents issued from an institution outside the United States of America require a course-by-course analysis with an equivalency statement from an agency having membership with the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc., verifying the degree equivalency to that of an accredited institution within the USA. Expense of the evaluation shall be borne by the applicant; and
4. Transcript(s) must be attached to receive credit for degree(s).  To upload transcript(s), click on “ Add supplemental attachment” after uploading required attachments.  Applications submitted without transcripts will be reviewed based on related professional level experience and/or training.

Please REDACT references to birth date and Social Security number on submitted documents.  Letters of recommendation attesting to job performance and personal character are optional.  Incomplete applications will not be considered.  Applications are deemed incomplete if materials are unreadable.   Materials submitted become property of the College and will not be returned.

Note:  If you have not applied for a position before using NEOGOV, you will need to create an account.

Inquiries:  Windward Community College Human Resources Office, 808-235-7404.

The University of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment, including on the basis of veteran and disability status.  For more information, visit:  https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/policies/

Employment is contingent on satisfying employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; reference checks of previous employers; and for certain positions, criminal history record checks.
 
 In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, annual campus crime statistics for the University of Hawai'i may be viewed at: https://www.hawaii.edu/titleix/help/campus-security/, or a paper copy may be obtained upon request from the respective UH Campus Security or Administrative Services Office.
 
 In accordance with Article 10 of the unit 08 collective bargaining agreement, bargaining unit members receive priority consideration for APT job vacancies. As a result, external or non BU 08 applicants may not be considered for some APT vacancies. BU 08 members with re-employment rights or priority status are responsible for informing the hiring unit of their status. 
 
 Accommodation Request: The University of Hawai'i complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the EEO coordinator directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/accommodation-request/