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The Academic Advisor supports learning by fostering a culture of empowerment by promoting goal-setting, responsibility, and accountability. Staff members serving in this role will engage in a variety of activities designed to achieve, maintain, and improve student success and retention and provide students with access to the information and resources necessary for the attainment of academic success, professional development, and personal goals. S/he will engage students with compassion by providing an encouraging and supportive environment for students to share their goals, concerns, and interests.

Core Competencies:

1. Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner with prospective, former and current students, clients, suppliers and the community we serve.   Interacts effectively with a diverse group of faculty, staff, students and other customers of our service, learns and uses operating practices of the department and Aurora University.
2. Upholds the Mission Statement: At Aurora University, our singular goal is to empower students to achieve lasting personal and professional success. We do this by being an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful and purposeful lives.
3. Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of university business.
4. Supports learning through performance of essential job functions and performing other duties and functions as necessary or as assigned.

Academic Advising

• Possess a strong understanding of requirements and policies as stated in the University Catalog including, but not limited to, information on general education, university requirements, major requirements and academic policies and procedures.
• Deliver presentations and advise students on course selection during new student orientation.
• Conduct individual academic advising sessions and small group sessions with new and continuing students.
• Provide students with the resources to become knowledgeable about, and comfortable with, the online registration process.
• Review academic transcripts, placement exams, and student files in preparation for student appointments and new student orientation.
• Proactively communicate information to students that is relevant to their academic success.
• Demonstrate expertise in Self-Service, Student Planning, and Colleague.

Mentoring

• Assist students in confirming major/minor selection in support of their educational and professional interests and goals.
• Assist students through the process of vocational discernment by discussing their strengths, values, and interests and encouraging vocational exploration.
• Intentionally focus on moving students toward increased independence by the conclusion of the first college year.
• Listen to, advocate on behalf of, and build positive working relationships with students.
• Build positive working relationships with parents, as appropriate.
• Strategically mentor at-risk students.
• Refer students to appropriate university resources.

University Partnerships

• Establish and maintain relationships with assigned department chairs to understand and clarify departmental expectations to assist in maintaining current knowledge of assigned degree programs.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs to review academic materials for accuracy (e.g. degree audits, academic catalog, online resources) and provide feedback regarding course offerings.
• Collaborate with university departments (registrar, student accounts, financial aid, admission, athletics, etc.) to help facilitate student retention and academic progress.

Education: 

• Bachelor's degree required with 3 years of  advising experience in a higher education setting

• Master's degree in relevant field is preferred

Experience: At least one year of academic advising experience, or similar, in higher education setting or related field required.

About Aurora University

Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff. AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples’ lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work. We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a se...nsitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

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Connections working at Aurora University