Retention Specialist

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, United States

Updated: 26 days ago
Location: La Crosse, WISCONSIN
Deadline: ;

Posting Details 
Position Information


Recruitment Number 1463
Number of Vacancies 2
Working Title Retention Specialist
Classification Title Outreach Specialist
Proposed Salary to be Offered 44,500
Appointment Percentage (Budget) 100
Position Summary
Under the leadership of the Director and Assistant Director for Retention in Multicultural Student Services, the Retention Specialist will provide on-going support to multicultural students at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. This position responds to students’ academic and financial needs through coaching and referral to appropriate campus resources. Retention Specialists supports students to navigate the university system, focusing on academic, financial and student engagement with a holistic approach to advising. Our goal is to provide students an atmosphere that supports connection, access, authenticity, and sense of belonging. This role works to ensure students receive accurate, timely, and holistic advising to promote student success, retention, and persistence.
UW-La Crosse Office of Multicultural Student Services is seeking 2 full time Retention Specialists:
The new Retention Specialists will have the same focus on Academic and Financial retention but they will work on different Retention Program Initiatives. Below is a short breakdown of the focus of Initiatives:
  • Work with Assistant Director to create strategies and coordinate efforts for living/learning community, advising student participants and co-supervising mentors. Caseload focus will include transfer students.
  • Coordinate programs and initiatives that that relate to the retention and graduation of underrepresented multicultural students, such as Peer Tutoring and Lawton Retention Grant. Caseload focus will include Lawton grant recipients.


When applying, please be prepared to bring your expertise to either of these initiatives and to share how you plan to contribute to the department in these areas.
Position Type Staff/Administrative
Pay Basis Annual
FLSA Exempt
Contingent Upon Funding No
Is this position eligible for employment sponsorship, (H1B or PERM)? No
Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in education, counseling, sociology, ethnic & racial studies, or related field.
  • Minimum of one-year experience of demonstrated ability to work with low income, first generation, transfer, multicultural and/or racially diverse students in an educational setting.
  • Experience coordinating and facilitating small group discussions.
  • Experience working with event planning, organizing, marketing and communication strategies, and working with multiple stakeholders on projects
  • Ability to work collaboratively with students, staff, faculty, and community members, especially when working with student leaders
  • Demonstrated proficiency in oral and written communication skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Strong computer proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a part of a team.;
Preferred Qualifications
  • Bilingual in English/Spanish, Hmong, or other languages
  • Master’s degree in education, student affairs and higher education, or related field.
  • Experience with training and/or development
  • Experience working with financial aid programs.
  • Strong computer proficiency with Peoplesoft, Canvas, and EAB Navigate
Physical Demands
Reasonable Accommodations
UWL provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact [email protected] or 608.785.8013. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.
All position descriptions are required to provide physical demands and working conditions/environment and may not be published in the job announcement. For information on the physical demands and/or working conditions/environment for this position, please contact Human Resources at [email protected] or 608.785.8013
Working conditions and environment
Office setting
Miscellaneous Information
Information about your benefits
Your benefits add an additional 40%+ to the overall financial package from the university.
Highlights include:
  • excellent flexible health insurance with low co-pays and good coverage.
  • paid holidays and sick days.
  • sick leave may be converted at retirement to pay for health insurance post-work at UWL.
  • after 5 years of employment, you become vested in our retirement system which ensures income post-career.
  • benefits at UWL are highly competitive with local industry and some of the strongest in state and nation.


Learn more at: https://www.uwlax.edu/globalassets/offices-services/human-resources/benefits-info/fasl.pdf

Benefit eligibility is determined at point of hire. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only. Benefits are also pro-rated based on the appointment percentage.
Information about UWL and the Surrounding Region
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is a top-rated, comprehensive University of Wisconsin campus, located in the beautiful Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin. Known for scholarship, academic rigor, physical activity and a close-knit community, UWL remains dedicated to its century-old mission to train the whole person — “the mind and body.”
UWL has earned a strong reputation nationally for factors such as graduation rates, return on investment and great outcomes for low-income students. It is the No. 2 public college in Wisconsin on Forbes’ 2023 America’s Top Colleges list. And it is Wisconsin’s top-ranked public university with fewer than 25,000 students, according to U.S. News & World Report’s list of the Best National Universities.
UWL offers 130-plus degree programs from undergraduate to doctoral levels in the arts, social sciences and humanities; science and health; business; and education. UWL has three colleges: the College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Humanities, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Science & Health, as well as the School of Education and the School of Visual & Performing Arts. UWL has about 447 full-time faculty and instructional academic staff, including 82% with doctoral or terminal degrees.
UWL has strong student success programs that have contributed to a strong retention rate. This fall, students returned to UWL at one of the highest rates on record with 86.5% of the 2022-23 first-year class retained — the highest mark in a decade and the fifth-highest mark in the past 50 years.
UW-La Crosse’s strategic plan Sustaining Excellence continues to move our community forward through its four pillars: increasing community engagement, achieving excellence through equity and diversity, investing in our people, and advancing transformational education. More information about the ongoing work of Sustaining Excellence is available at www.uwlax.edu/info/strategic-plan.
The UW-La Crosse campus is in southwestern Wisconsin, nestled in a residential area of the City of La Crosse and positioned as part of a larger metro area with a population close to 140,000. The area, known as the 7 Rivers Region, is famous for its exceptional natural beauty, which includes the Mississippi River on one side, majestic bluffs on the other, and views of rolling farmland and forested valleys in between. Abundant water, woodlands and varying terrain provide ample opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation. Only a couple of hours from Minneapolis or Madison, La Crosse enjoys the affordability and charm of small- town living with larger city benefits. Three colleges, two world-class medical institutions, the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, a restored 19th century downtown business district, and a number of galleries and art centers have made La Crosse a regional center for culture, entertainment, medical care, shopping, sports and recreation. More information about the La Crosse metro area can be found at Explore La Crosse and Choose La Crosse.
Learn more about UW-La Crosse here: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/services/talent-acquisition-and-employment/finalist-welcome/
AA/EO Statement
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. We strongly encourage women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans to apply. UWL, in compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, or protected veteran status.
DEI Statement
UW-La Crosse’s diversity and inclusion efforts are guided by our adherence to Inclusive Excellence. We define Inclusive Excellence as “… our active, intentional and ongoing commitment to bridge differences with understanding and respect so all can thrive." The goals of Inclusive Excellence are to increase the retention of diverse faculty, staff, and students while encouraging a campus climate that is inviting and welcoming to all. UW-La Crosse strives to promote acceptance of all facets of diversity from racial/ethnic diversity to diversity of thought and experience. UW-La Crosse ranks 6th nationally among the Top LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges for 2018-19 by AffordableCollegesOnline.org (ACO).
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)
For the UWL Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., Clery Report), which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, see https://www.uwlax.edu/police/annual-security-report/ or contact the University Police Department at 608.785.9999.
Redbook Position Yes
Division/College Diversity and Inclusion
Description of College / Department / Program / Division / Unit
The primary role of the Division of Diversity and Inclusion is to ensure that diversity, in its many forms, is understood, respected, and valued. The Division advocates for access, equity and inclusion while encouraging critical dialogue, thinking, and meaningful educational interactions on campus and in the community. The Division includes the following departments: Campus Climate, ACCESS Center, Diversity and Inclusion, Multicultural Student Services, Pride Center, Student Support Services, and Upward Bound.

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