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Director of Student Success and Academic Advising. 

This person will work alongside our Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, the Director for Enrollment Management, and the Director for Effectiveness.  It is a newly- designed senior-level position at a small school.  The Director will be charged with transitioning UMN Crookston from a faculty advising model to a professional advisor model, building a team among academic advisors, the registrar’s office, and the academic success center, and creating inclusive educational practices that leverage students’ cultural and community wealth.  The Director will also work closely with our new first-year student seminar courses and our work with the NASPA Center for First-Generation College Student Success.  The position requires a master’s degree and six years of experience; a doctorate (completed or in progress) is preferred.

About the University of Minnesota Crookston

UMN Crookston serves the highest proportions of first-generation students, students from low-income families, students from rural communities, and non-traditional adult learners in the University of Minnesota System.  While not as racially and ethnically diverse as I would like, we have had an 18% increase in Asian students and a 46% in Latinx students over the past five years and we serve the second-highest proportion of African American students in the UMN System.  Our total headcount is approximately 3,000 students who are nearly evenly distributed among high school dual enrollment, on-campus, and online programs.

UMN Crookston is dedicated to high-quality equitable and inclusive education as well as to its access mission as a land-grant university. With an enrollment of more than 700 on-campus students and nearly 1,100 online students, UMN Crookston serves the highest proportions of first generation, Pell-eligible, and adult learner populations within the University of Minnesota system. The racial diversity of the student body is growing and is significantly higher than that of the region, though it lags behind the demographics of area elementary and high schools. UMN Crookston has committed to closing this gap with area secondary schools by further diversifying its faculty, student affairs educators, and student body with strategic emphasis on the growing Latinx population in northwestern Minnesota. Additionally, in Fall 2018, UMN Crookston enrolled the highest proportion of new international students of any campus in the University of Minnesota system. As a part of its commitment to comprehensive equity and inclusion, UMN Crookston prides itself as a leading educational provider for college students from rural communities. 

Located in the affordable college town of Crookston, Minnesota, UMN Crookston proudly carries on a tradition of over a century of educational service to northwestern Minnesota. UMN Crookston delivers educational programs that build upon a broad academic foundation, leverage a hands-on learn by doing approach, and combine theory, practice, and experimentation in a technologically rich environment. UMN Crookston has equipped all on-campus students and faculty with laptop computers since 1993 and has offered fully online degrees since 2001. UMN Crookston has received national recognitions for the value of its education, and U.S. News & World Report has named UMN Crookston as one of its top three “Midwest Top Public Regional Colleges” for 22 consecutive years. 

UMN Crookston has strong new leadership

Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause came to the University in July 2017. Dr. Holz-Clause has a rich background in Agriculture Business, Economics, and Marketing. She served as principle investigator on over $40 million in grants while working in Extension for Iowa State University, and has since worked as the Vice President for Economic Development at the University of Connecticut and as Dean of the College of Agriculture at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). John Hoffman was named the new Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs in July 2018. Dr. Hoffman has extensive experience as a dean of students, faculty member, and academic administrator with a strong record for growing enrollments, closing achievement rate gaps, and attracting and developing diverse faculty and student affairs educators. Dr. Holz-Clause and Dr. Hoffman provide strong new leadership for UMN Crookston that is committed growing and diversifying undergraduate enrollment as the institution’s top strategic priorities.

The following are among UMC’s distinctive points of pride: 

? Money Magazine’s value rankings placed UMN Crookston second among public universities in Minnesota and in the top 26 among the more than 200 public and private colleges and universities in the seven-state region (IA, IL, MN, ND, NE, SD, & WI). 

? U.S. News & World Report has ranked UMN Crookston among its top three Public Regional Campuses for 22 consecutive years. 

? UMN Crookston boasts a number of unique, high-quality academic programs in areas such as equine science and animal science, software management, and criminal justice. UMN Crookston is home to one of two nationally accredited online health management programs and the nation’s only aviation program with an emphasis on agriculture and natural resources. Online programs in communication and accounting are ranked as top programs in their respective disciplines. 

? UMN Crookston is also proud of its “economy of small scale,” which drives numerous interdisciplinary programs that combine management, marketing, and communication emphases with fields in agriculture, natural resources, and education. 

? UMN Crookston ranks 5th in the state of Minnesota for lowest average loan debt held by graduates, 31% of whom graduate with no debt. 

? Thirty-six percent of incoming on-campus students are student athletes. Student-athletes at UMN Crookston maintained a 3.09 GPA across all sports in 2017-18, and 69 Golden Eagle student athletes were named to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) All-Academic teams. 

The Position and the Leadership Opportunity 

Enrollment management is the top strategic priority at UMN Crookston, and we believe that enrollment growth begins with student retention and success. UMN Crookston is currently transitioning from a hybrid model in which academic advising was provided by both faculty and professional advisors to a model in which faculty will retain mentoring functions while all formal advising is completed by professional academic advisors. The Director of Student Success and Advising will provide leadership for this newly formed team of professional advisors and the Academic Success Center. UMN Crookston’s second strategic priority—enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion—will be closely aligned with and embedded into the work of the Director of Student Success and Advising. Tied with strong support from institutional leadership, the Director of Student Success and Advising role is positioned for significant growth and success in the coming 3-5 years. 

The position is a 12-month, full-time, annual renewable position based on funding and performance starting July 1, 2019 or as soon as possible thereafter. Budgeted salary range is $65,000-80,000 plus an excellent benefits package. Benefits package includes retirement, medical, dental, disability and life insurance. Complete benefits package can be viewed as the following web page: http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/eb/uplan/summary.htm. 

Primary Responsibilities 

Student Success: 

? Develop, implement, and assess a comprehensive student success and retention plan to include strategies and interventions informed by theory, inclusive and equitable practices, and data-informed practices that enhance student retention and graduation rates. 

? Facilitate the development of a culture that recognizes, affirms, and helps students draw upon cultural, communal, and identity-based ways of knowing, being, and doing to achieve educational outcomes. 

? Provide oversight of student progress monitoring in order to proactively and, when necessary, intrusively intervene, advocate, and recommend resources and solutions to academic difficulties and barriers student experience in policies and processes. 

? For a select number of programs directly related to first-year experience courses, provide leadership for the planning, implementing, and evaluating co-curricular programs that promote academic achievement, career exploration, and a sense of belonging for all students. 

? Acknowledge the specific and particular realities of communities of color, LGBTQ individuals, and other minoritized communities within Northwest Minnesota while also connecting communities to local and regional experience in order to foster a greater sense of belonging. 

? Generate mutual solidarity among historically underrepresented populations including but not limited to various racial and ethnic groups, first-generation college students, students from rural and agrarian communities, students from low-income families, LGBTQ students, students with disabilities, and religious minorities. 

Academic Success Center: 

? Directly supervise personnel working within the Academic Success Center. 

? Facilitate the development of an Academic Success Center space that welcomes all students, faculty, and student affairs educators who are interested in centering the voices and experiences of students from the communities that have been historically underrepresented or not well-served within higher education. 

? Provide direction for Academic Success Center programs and interventions including but not limited to advising support, tutoring, supplemental instruction, and academic skill development. 

? Manage a modest programming budget, supervise student employees, and support university efforts to pursue and secure external funding for programs. 

Academic Advising: 

? Directly supervise a team of professional academic advisors as well as a limited number of advisors who divide time between advising and either faculty or student affairs educator roles. 

? Create and utilize a network of relationships with faculty, and student affairs educators to effectively deliver advising and support services. 

? Facilitate collaboration between faculty mentors and professional academic advisors in coaching on-campus and online students through major and career decision-making processes to assist students in degree completion. 

? Oversee the review of student records and progress to certify degree completion and determine academic standing related to satisfactory progress policies and guidelines. 

? Evaluate and act upon requests for exception to policy through petitions; consult as appropriate with colleagues, faculty, and academic administrators in making final decisions. 

? Ensure that students are supported through detailed degree planning through the use of technology and interpretation of data to communicate accurate information about students. 

Leadership: 

? Demonstrate self-awareness of one’s own cultural beliefs, perspectives, and privileges as a part of one’s orientation toward leadership. 

? Maintain a bias toward making decisions that are informed by research, data, and theory and that leverage students’ unique cultures, experiences, and backgrounds as strengths. 

? Exhibit a philosophical approach grounded in the belief that all students can learn and succeed. 

? Build a culture of collaboration and teamwork among academic advisors and Academic Success Center staff as well as between these individuals and faculty and student affairs educators throughout the university. 

? Contribute to assessment, accreditation, and other continuous improvement processes. 

? Represent UMN Crookston on first-generation college student initiatives including the NASPA Center for First-Generation Student Success’s First Forward initiative. 

? Serve in a leadership capacity working with faculty, academic advisors, student affairs educators, and enrollment management professionals to ground educational practices related to equity and inclusion in developmental theory and best practices in higher education. 

Living in Crookston 

The University of Minnesota Crookston is located in Northwest Minnesota. The city of Crookston (population 8,000) is located on the Red Lake River and is just 30 miles from Maple Lake and the western front of Minnesota’s “lake country.” Crookston is one of Minnesota’s safest and most affordable cities, and it is home to a strong school system, a local golf course, and numerous parks, wildlife, and natural history sites. Spring, summer, and fall seasons in Crookston are idyllic, and while the winter season can be long, it can also be beautiful and the local community makes the most of the season with indoor and winter recreation opportunities. Crookston’s racial and ethnic diversity has increased significantly over the past 20 years. Within the Crookston school district, two-thirds of students are now students of color and well over 20% are Latinx. Crookston is just 30 miles from Grand Forks (population 65,000) and 70 miles from Fargo/Moorhead (population 165,000), each home to regional airports. 

Qualifications 

Required: 

? Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, counseling, or a closely related area. 

? Six years of full-time professional work experience in academic advising, student affairs, or a related field. 

? Demonstrated self-awareness, cultural competence, and achievement in working with diverse student populations. 

? Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. 

? Proven ability to work collaboratively with faculty, student affairs educators, and students. 

? The final job offer is contingent upon a completed background check and receipt of official college transcripts. 

Preferred: 

? Master’s or Doctoral degree in higher education, student affairs, counseling or a closely related field. 

? Professional experience in academic advising, student affairs, or a closely related field. 

? Demonstrated commitment to the land-grant mission of the University of Minnesota Crookston, especially as related to access and student success. 

? Professional experience working in a one-stop or similar multifunctional student success center. 

? Proficiency in data analysis related to student success and retention. 

? Proficiency in a second language, preferably Spanish. 

Application 

Application materials will include a current resume or curriculum vita, a cover letter, and a list of 3-5 professional references. In addition to addressing the minimum and preferred qualifications, the cover letter must address indicators of the candidate’s ability to promote equity and inclusion at a small campus in a rural context. The position, including instructions on how to apply electronically, will be made available at the University of Minnesota System employment website: https://humanresources.umn.edu/content/find-job (search for position #329433). To inquire further about this position, contact Dr. John L. Hoffman, Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs by email at jlhoff@crk.umn.edu or by phone at (281) 281-8341. 

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. 

Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply.