ACADEMIC SERVICES-ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, INTEGRATED SOCIAL SCIENCES

The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) is one of the largest academic units on the UW Seattle campus, employing over 1400 tenure-track and research faculty, in 43 departments and centers, and generating an average $120 million dollars in sponsored research each year. CAS is comprised of 4 major divisions – Arts, Humanities, Social Science and Natural Science – whose cutting-edge research spans from malaria treatment to solar energy to human rights.  CAS is home to diverse music, art, drama, dance, digital arts academic units and degrees, and runs one performance hall (Meany) and two major museums (Henry Art and Burke).  CAS academic programs support more than 22,000 undergraduates and 2600 graduate students. The College occupies over 1 million square feet of space spread across campus and off-campus facilities in more than 50 buildings. 

Integrated Social Sciences is an online, interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree completion program offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.   ISS uses innovative approaches to undergraduate education and provides unprecedented access, flexibility, and affordability to both new transfer students and returning UW students.  Working in partnership with UW Continuum College, ISS offer courses across the full range of social science disciplines.  In addition to mastering social science content, ISS majors are expected to develop a learning portfolio which culminates in a capstone project.  Emphasis is placed on reflection and integration, making meaningful connections between individual courses, and between formal academic and experiential learning.  Program goals are to help students become broadly trained social scientists, intentional learners, analytical thinkers, globally aware citizens, technologically literate individuals, and workplace-ready job candidates.

Integrated Social Sciences has an outstanding opportunity for an Assistant Director of Academic Services (ADAS).  This individual will assist the Director of Academic Services (DAS) in further developing and managing an advising program meeting the highest standards of support for students in an online learning environment.  ISS employs a “high touch” advising model designed to optimize student persistence and retention.   In addition to advising responsibilities, the ADA will also assume significant curriculum and program management support duties, as well as some supervisory responsibility.   The ADAS position entails contact with prospective students, enrolled students, ISS core faculty, faculty from a large number of academic units in the social sciences, and staff members inside and outside the College of Arts and Sciences and the University, the Social Sciences division dean and other members of UW administration.  The ADAS will function in all respects as right hand to the DAS and as office manager

This is a permanent 12-month, full-time position.  Because ISS is an online program, we need to provide extended advising hours.  Flexibility in scheduling is necessary and some evening and weekend hours should be expected.  Some options for telecommuting may be available, although an on-site presence is also necessary.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Undergraduate Advising
Counsel prospective students on preparation for entering the major, admissions eligibility, and application processes.  Make admission decisions independently.  Evaluate transfer credits to determine  applicability to general education and major requirements and to determine admission eligibility.

Effectively use a variety of online technologies to deliver high quality academic guidance and other student services to an unusually diverse student population living locally, across the nation, and abroad.  ISS advisers may be expected to use some of the following:  Canvas LMS, Google Tools, Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, Facebook, Twitter, and more.  Advisers also interact with students using more conventional tools, such as phone and email.  Local students may also meet in person with advisers.

Like other ISS advisers, the ADAS will manage an assigned caseload of students.  In addition, the ADAS will be available to assist less experienced advisers with difficult cases, or take up some of their caseload during extended absences.
The ADAS should be able to assist all students in identifying barriers to success and specific strategies to improve persistence and retention. This position requires knowledge of and sensitivity to individuals of all ages from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and an awareness of the issues faced by first generation college students.

Work with the Director of Academic Services and faculty to monitor student progress, identify students encountering academic challenges, and create strategies for intervention. Must be knowledgeable about campus resources available to online students and refer students where appropriate (e.g., career services, financial aid, disabled student services, health and personal counseling services, etc.). Assist students in matching educational goals with further academic and career plans.

In addition to regular academic advising duties, the ADAS should be prepared to handle escalations, assisting less experienced staff with particularly complex or sensitive cases.  This includes but is not limited to independently making decisions regarding exceptions to ISS major requirements, and managing cases of student-faculty conflict, academic misconduct, and student personal crisis.  When appropriate the ADAS should expect to interface with campus units such as Disability Resources, the Student Counseling Center, and Safe Campus.

Instructional Support
ISS advisers have a collaborative relationship with lecturers who teach the core curriculum.  Advisers work with the core faculty to build a strong sense of community and share information that will contribute to student success. Review and approve individual student Learning Plans on an annual and quarterly basis.
In addition, the ADAS will function as advising lead in assisting core faculty with their courses in Canvas, including on-the-fly changes to assignments, formal course revision, and creation of new supplemental resources.

Program Management Responsibilities
Assist the ASD and program co-directors in all aspects of program management, assessment, and development, including: