About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The College of Natural Sciences (CNS) Assistant Dean for Advising develops and supports advising for all undergraduates enrolled as primary majors within the college. The Assistant Dean for Advising assists students, faculty, advisors, and occasionally parents (with FERPA release) with issues pertaining to orientation to academic programs and advising relating to progress within a degree program. In consultation with Associate Dean, the Assistant Dean coordinates with CNS Office of Student Success and Diversity, CNS Center for Career and Professional Development, Academic Dean, and Pre-med Pre-health Advising Center to develop, implement, promote and assess student success needs and initiatives.

Essential Functions

Examples of duties:

Oversee advising with the central CNS Advising Center

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Dissemination of relevant policy information, initiatives or directives to CNS advisors.
• Oversight of Exploratory Track Advising (supervision of 2 professional staff) and CNS level Life Sciences Advising (supervision of 1 professional staff).
• Planning, implementation and assessment of New Students Orientation (NSO) (supervision of 1 professional staff position and 1-4 part-time student employees).
  • Training of NSO advisors and student staff.
  • Work with NSO staff to develop and deliver CNS content during NSO.
  • Oversee day-to-day advising during NSO.
  • Serve as Academic Dean for NSO-related functions: change of major, course requisite overrides, course capacity overrides (with department/faculty permission).
• Strategic planning, development, and assessment of advising, retention, and graduation initiatives. 
  • Work in conjunction with CNS Academic Alert Coordinator to promote, assess, and improve the Academic Alert initiative.
  • Contribute to monitoring college requirement completion and associated graduation clearance.
• Work in conjunction with professional staff to assess and process petitions for credit overload.
• Oversee the day-to-day operation of the CNS Advising Center including use of the Navigate system for student appointments and advising records. 
• Preparation and oversight of CNS Advising Center budget.

Perform Academic Dean functions

Duties include, but not limited to, the receipt, review, and determinations for Dean Actions including:

• Academic Discipline.
  • Appeals for immediate reinstatement.
  • Advising follow up with students in academic discipline.
• Petitions to the Committee on Admissions and Records.
• University Withdrawals.
• Approvals of Satisfactory Academic Progress Plans for Financial Aid requests.
• Approvals to exceed 10/12 semesters.
• Late withdrawals from courses.
• Late course additions.
• Exceptions to college requirements.
• Grade change approvals.

Support Academic Advising within CNS Departments and undergraduate programs

• Responsible for promoting high quality, student-centered advising within the college.  
  • Dissemination of relevant policy information, initiatives or directives to departmental advisors.
  • Work in conjunction with Associate Dean to prepare and conduct Chief Undergraduate Advisor meetings.
  • Provide and support trainings for advisors as needed and requested.
    • Serve as a primary liaison to UMass Office of Student Success, including: Promoting student success initiatives including workshops, events and promoting and assessing the use of Navigate.

Serve as CNS Lead on admissions and yield activities

• Work with university Admissions and Enrollment Management teams. 
  • Prepare and attend open house events for prospective and admitted students.
  • Recruit and train the Student Leadership Council to represent CNS at admissions and other events. These students make up the CNS Student Leadership Council. 

Coordinate the CNS First Year Seminar (FYS) Program

• Participate in the CNS FYS curriculum design, course offerings, instructor compensation, and assessment. This includes regular collaboration with stakeholders to recruit and train seminar instructors, schedule the course sections, and assess the instructor and program effectiveness.

Coordinate CNS Undergraduate Scholarships

• Recruit and train departmental faculty representatives of the CNS scholarship review committee to evaluate student applications for college-level CNS scholarships.
• Work with CNS Development and Finance offices to monitor and distribute CNS scholarship funds. 
• Coordinate with university and college Academic Works coordinators to update online scholarship applications annually or as needed.
• Disseminate scholarship information to students. 
• Responsible for final selection and awarding of college-level CNS scholarships.
• Coordinate with UMass Foundation and/or other groups related to scholarship awarding at the college level.

Participate in college and university committees

• Attend scheduled meetings of the Undergraduate Deans Council and New Students Orientations planning committee, CNS Chief Undergraduate Advisors and the Student Success Collaborative Leadership team. 
• Engage as appropriate in other cross campus activities that support CNS undergraduate initiatives including appropriate Faculty Senate Councils and other ad hoc committee focusing on academic advising.

Other Functions

• Program analysis and strategic planning and reporting.
• Application of data analytics and assessment of student success initiatives.
• Serve as Academic Dean as needed including but not limited to meeting with students in academic jeopardy, withdrawing from the university, or petitioning for exceptions to to academic regulations.
• Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the College of Natural Sciences.
• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality and inclusiveness. 

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Master’s degree in a science, education, or related field.
• 5 years of experience in college level programs focused on student academic success and progress.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Ph.D. or Ed.D. in a science, education, or related field.
• Able to successfully interact with a student body representing a range of socio-economic backgrounds.
• Understanding and appreciation of science and science education including the synergy between research and the undergraduate experience at the university.
• Understanding of and appreciation for the goals and values of an undergraduate liberal arts education within a major research university.
• Understanding of and appreciation for current principles and methods of academic advising.
• Able to fulfill responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.
• Management and supervisory skills.
• Familiarity with UMass Amherst student advising data platforms.
• Background in UMass Amherst academic policies.

Work Schedule

Monday-Friday, some nights and weekends.

Salary Information

Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Submit a letter of application, resume, a statement of your advising philosophy and experience in student success, a Statement of Contribution to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (see below) and contact information for three professional references. Apply by March 23, 2020 in order to ensure priority consideration. Search may remain open until a suitable candidate pool has been identified. 

As part of a commitment to their own multicultural community, CNS seeks an individual with a demonstrated commitment to diversity and one who will understand and embrace university initiatives and aspirations. In addition to application materials above, candidates will need to submit a Statement of Contribution to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The Diversity Statement should identify past experiences and future goals. These contributions may result from lived experiences, scholarships, and/or mentoring, teaching, and outreach activities.  (https://www.cns.umass.edu/diversity-equity-inclusion)

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.  To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.  It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.