Job Description

Academic Success Coach

This position will report directly to the Associate Dean, Retention and Persistence, and work collaboratively with a dynamic and supportive team in the Center for Academic and Student Achievement in Student Life. Academic Success Coaches (ASCs) in the Center for Academic and Student Achievement (CASA) support a university-wide goal of increasing student retention and graduation rates of our undergraduate population of approximately 5,300 students. In partnership with faculty and staff advisers in the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing and Health Professions and School of Management, and other campus offices, CASA supports student success initiatives guided by University strategic priorities. In this context, academic success coaches are assigned a diverse caseload of 450-500 students, including first year through seniors, transfer students and students in every major, who they will support from orientation to graduation. The primary focus of this position is to be a student success generalist who will meet students where they are, and empower them to achieve academic success by connecting them to academic programs and resources on campus, helping them understand academic policies and requirements, and supporting skill development to successfully navigate their academic journey. As one of the top universities for ethnic diversity, USF is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging for all students. As a member of the larger staff in Student Life, each academic success coach supports student development in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. The mission of Student Life is to support the holistic wellbeing, co-curricular development, and academic and professional success of all students within a culture of equity and justice that prepares them to be caring, socially and environmentally responsible citizens of our global and interdependent world.

Specific Responsibilities

• Provide individualized and accessible student support services through daily appointments, weekly drop-in hours, and virtual platforms to meet student needs through university wide referrals and resources;

• Assist students with understanding class registration and graduation requirements by reviewing their academic transcripts and DegreeWorks, and connecting them with their school/college major/faculty adviser;

• Develop strong campus partner relationships in order to provide students with "high touch" referrals to campus resources;

• Clearly articulate USF's academic requirements and policy, campus procedures, and CASA's student support model to students, families, faculty and staff;

• Provide early academic interventions and support, including following up on faculty referrals and Early Alerts;

• Discuss options for adding/changing majors, and/or minors, and refer students to appropriate departments for advising by major/faculty advisers;

• Utilize case management tools and University data reports to monitor student persistence trends and outreach to specific student groups as needed. This can include first-generation students, unregistered students, students with low grades, etc.;

• Outreach to students who are on a Leave of Absence; assisting in plans to return to USF;

• Monitor the academic progress of students on Academic Probation; fulfillment of academic probation contract requirements, and implementation of our "Back-on-Track" program strategies;

• Encourage students to realistically assess their own strengths and weaknesses, and develop habits of self-reflection, embodying a growth mindset.

Collaboration with Faculty and Staff

• Discuss and resolve issues related to student success when students are referred by faculty for support;

• Encourage early intervention and appropriate response, specifically through our Early Alert notification system, mid-semester reports (various student populations) and Student Life Care Referral Program;

• Collaborate on key academic status issues related to their assigned advisees (e.g. academic probation, disqualification);

• Support student registration processes.

Collaboration with Campus Offices and Programs

• Student Disability Services (SDS)

• Learning, Writing and Speaking Centers

• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

• Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM): Admissions, Financial Aid, Graduation Center and Registrar's Office

• The Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

• Cultural Centers

• Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Center

• Black Achievement, Success and Engagement (BASE) initiative

• International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and Academic English for Multilingual Students (AEM);

• Office of the Dean of Students, including Care Response Team, Case Management, Basic Needs and Title IX

• Student Housing and Off-Campus Living

• Office of Student Conduct Rights and Responsibilities

Team Collaboration

• Implement and maintain consistent standards related to academic policies and coaching support;

• Assist in planning and presenting webinars and workshops, (in-person and virtual), for New Student Orientation and New Student Registration support;

• Support all aspects of our first-year transition survey, (New Student Success Survey), including case management, student outreach and referrals, and related initiatives to support student persistence throughout the academic year;

• Champion and support our Muscat Scholars Program (summer bridge), PACT mentoring program, First Generation Initiatives and Transfer Student Success Initiatives;

• Participate in the Major/Minor Fair each fall, and represent CASA at other workshops, events and fairs throughout the year;

• Actively engage as a member of internal and University wide committees in support of strategic priorities;

• Strengthen cultural competencies and their application in all aspects of our work;

• Participate in campus-based and regional professional development opportunities to strengthen best practices for coaching and student success, (e.g. NACADA, NASPA, JASPA, ACPA, etc.);

Technology

• Maintain accurate academic records in accordance with FERPA, and other relevant policies, using Salesforce and other online tools for case management.

• Engage with various apps and communication channels (e.g. Salesforce, Zoom, Slack, Webex, Google Suite, Canvas (LMS)), for staff communication and student outreach and support;

• Utilize Salesforce, Tableau, and other platforms to identify retention trends in student caseload.

Other Responsibilities

• Some evening and weekend assignments where Academic Success Coaches will be expected to represent CASA in a variety of locations across campus, including offices, classrooms, residence halls, library, and other student facilities.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required; higher education, student affairs, or counseling degrees preferred;

• A minimum of three years of experience in a higher education advising, counseling or coaching-related capacity, and ability to apply student development theory;

• Experience working directly with students from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds;

• Background supporting first generation and transfer student populations preferred;

• Ability to effectively and efficiently manage complex student cases, and adept at building trusting relationships with students from diverse backgrounds;

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a proven ability to interact effectively and professionally with students, faculty

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