Department
ARTS & SCIENCES; DEAN (BL-ARSD-IUBLA)
Department Information
The Office of Undergraduate Retention and Student Success supports the academic success of undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences to increase student retention and degree-completion rates. The team is responsible for assigning academic standing after each academic term and for assisting students who have encountered academic difficulty, connecting them with appropriate College and campus resources. We also work with students seeking reinstatement to the College or who wish to resume their studies, academic integrity procedures, various petition processes, and the election of students to Phi Beta Kappa.
Job Summary
The Director of Student Academic Support leads strategic initiatives to enhance academic support, student retention, and on-time graduation within the College of Arts and Sciences, serving approximately 14,000 undergraduate students. This role involves collaborating with campus partners, overseeing academic integrity efforts, and resolving complex student issues, often requiring sensitive judgment and policy interpretation.
Department-Specific Responsibilities
- Implements policies to address academic misconduct and appeals.
- Engages with administrators on disciplinary sanctions.
- Oversees appeal hearings and procedural compliance.
- Provides faculty consultation and delivers training.
- Handles escalated student and faculty grievances and appeals.
- Identifies and mitigates risks in complaint resolution.
- Approves policy exceptions within guidelines.
- Counsels students facing academic challenges.
- Develops advisor training and intervention programs.
- Evaluates academic standing and reinstatement petitions.
- Implements outreach programs for first-generation and transfer students.
- Reviews returning student applications and academic records.
- Determines degree requirement exceptions and expiration terms.
- Communicates policy decisions to students and advisors.
- Updates and documents policies for advising at-risk students.
- Identifies solutions for advising challenges.
- Participates in cross-unit collaborations and special projects.
- Provides guidance to associate directors and ensures that policies and procedures are effectively implemented to support student success.
- Analyzes retention data, drives innovation, and identifies solutions to operational challenges impacting the student experience.
- Serves as a key leader within the Office of Undergraduate Retention and Student Success.
- Advises faculty, students, and staff on university policies and represents the College on committees while contributing to the development and execution of strategic initiatives.
General Responsibilities
- Provides highest level of operational leadership and coordination of assigned staff members to define student services methodologies and standards; provides direction and guidance on high priority student services projects/initiatives.
- Establishes short-term and long-term operational objectives, including managing project timelines/deliverables and developing resource plans for multi-project/multi-phase student services initiatives.
- Conducts a variety of personnel actions to include, but not limited to hiring, promotion, performance management, and dismissal.
- Manages high level assignments and allocation of student services resources, including negotiating and coordinating initiatives that involve staff in other departments/areas/teams; may coordinate large-scale student services projects with wide audiences in support of academic, wellness, inclusion, and safety initiatives.
- Makes budgetary recommendations/proposals based on resource needs and ensures cost containment.
- Researches and stays up-to-date on new industry student services standards, technologies, policies, and procedures; responsible for the implementation of new protocols/procedures to address business needs.
- Works collaboratively with other student services leaders across departments in recommending standards, best practices, and related policies/procedures.
- Prepares management reports and summaries for senior administration, executive, steering and advisory committees; acts as advisor to executive committees; serves on various university committees, communities of practice, and task forces related to student services.
Qualifications
Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.
EDUCATION
Required
- Bachelor's degree in law, public health, public affairs, counseling, social work, or a related field
Preferred
- Master's degree in higher education student affairs or a related field (preferably in a liberal arts discipline)
- Ph.D. (preferably in a related field)
WORK EXPERIENCE
Required
- 4 years in student services, higher education student affairs, or a related field
- 1 year of management experience in a related field
Preferred
- 5 years professional experience in an advising, teaching, and/or in an administrative role in a university setting
- 1 year of teaching experience
- 1 year of supervisory experience
- Experience in university administration and successful collegial experience in an office environment
SKILLS
Required
- Proficient communication skills
- Maintains a high degree of professionalism
- Demonstrated time management and priority setting skills
- Demonstrates a high commitment to quality
- Excellent organizational skills
- Excellent collaboration and team building skills
- Effectively coaches and delivers constructive feedback
- Instills commitment to organizational goals
- Demonstrates excellent judgment and decision making skills
- Effective conflict management skills
- Builds and manages effective teams
- Ability to influence internal and/or external constituents
- Demonstrated ability to maintain confidential information
- Demonstrated customer service skills
- Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment
- Commitment to working with people from diverse backgrounds and commitment to cultural competency
- Ability to build strong partnerships with students and other university departments
Preferred
- Solid grounding in liberal arts and sciences
- Successful interpersonal skills, including but not limited to judgment, discretion, and considerable tact
- Ability to maintain sympathetic impartiality in resolving disputes
- Broad understanding of the majors and degrees in all disciplines, departments, and programs in the College
- Knowledge of College and University academic policies as well as College and campus student records and advising systems
- Solid understanding of best practices and recent trends in retention and student success
- Ability to multi-task, maintain high levels of attention to detail and follow-through, and to adhere to deadlines essential
- Possesses strategic thinking skills as well as innovative and creative approaches to respond to changing demands and conditions in order to support student success, retention, and increase on-time graduation rates
- Advanced knowledge of and experience with databases and spreadsheet
Working Conditions / Demands
This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.
Additional Information
$75,000 per year
Work Location
Bloomington, Indiana
This is an in-person position.
Benefits Overview
For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:
- Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
- Health savings account with generous IU contributions
- Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
- Basic group life insurance paid by IU
- Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
- Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
- Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
- Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
- 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
- Generous paid time off plans
- Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
- Employee assistance program (EAP)
Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure.
Job Classification
Career Level: Sr. Operational
FLSA: Exempt
Job Function: Student Services
Job Family: Student Services Generalist
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Posting Disclaimer
This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.
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Equal Employment Opportunity
Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.
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