Saginaw Valley State University·Lexington, Massachusetts
The advisor will manage a caseload of students to provide guidance on curriculum requirements, course scheduling, and academic policies. They will also implement retention-based initiatives and collaborate with college faculty to support high-risk student populations.
JOB SUMMARY: Advise new and continuing students on curriculum requirements, academic achievement, course scheduling, and university policies and procedures. Implement retention-based initiatives for high-risk students and/or specific cohorts, including students who are conditionally admitted or on probation. Work with a specific college within the university and collaborate with dean’s office and college faculty to facilitate advising within that college. ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: Provide information and assistance to students concerning academic programs, curricula, academic requirements, and related policies and procedures. Implement retention-based initiatives for high-risk students and/or specific cohorts. Manage a caseload of assigned advisees. Advise students in the selection of an academic program and related course selection. Assist students in monitoring academic progress. Maintain student records pertaining to academic advisement services. Participate in programs and services for new students (e.g., orientation programs). Establish and maintain regular contact with targeted high-risk students. Assist targeted high-risk student populations in monitoring their academic progress. Provide appropriate assistance and intervention support services for targeted student populations. Direct students toward appropriate support services and help centers. Coordinate retention programming for specific student cohorts. Serve as an embedded advisor within the designated college. Collaborate with the dean’s office and college faculty to facilitate advising of students within the college. Inform the dean’s office and faculty when encountering systematic barriers to student success. Participate in programs and services for new students when requested. (Example: Orientation, Parent Orientation, First Year program outreach.) Establish and maintain regular contact with targeted high-risk students. Additionally, assist targeted high-risk student populations in monitoring their academic progress. Establish and maintain a strong understanding of student support services offered by the institution to help support students’ success, and the ability to direct students toward appropriate support services and help centers. Coordinate retention programming for specific student cohorts. Stay up to date on SVSU curricula and catalog. Perform other duties as assigned. SUPERVISION RECEIVED: General supervision is received from the Director of the Academic Advisement Center.
Bachelor’s degree One year of related work experience Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills Ability to work independently and under occasional pressure Ability to work as a team with administration, faculty, and staff Ability to work a flexible and varied schedule Ability to work with diverse student populations. Ability to develop and implement creative strategies for program-specific recruitment. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and ability to learn new software quickly. Experience and ability to positively interact with all members of the campus community Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodations.
Three to five years of related work experience Experience with at-risk student populations Knowledge of and experience with retention programming WORKING CONDITIONS: Duties are generally performed inside and not exposed to adverse conditions. All work associated with this role must be performed within the state of Michigan. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout their employment. The university does not provide employment visa sponsorship now or in the future for this job classification. Since SVSU does not participate in E-Verify, candidates for employment are not eligible for STEM OPT extensions. The above reflects the general details considered necessary to describe the essential functions of the job. It shall not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements that may be inherent in the job. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his/her supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty. About SVSU: Saginaw Valley State University is a comprehensive university with more than 100 programs of study for its roughly 7,000 students. Located on a suburban campus in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region, SVSU is committed to a supportive and empowering environment for students, faculty and staff. SVSU was recognized as a “Great College to Work For” for 9 consecutive years (2016-2024).
SVSU emphasizes undergraduate teaching and learning, and community-based research. SVSU earned the Community Engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a distinction achieved by only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities. By their senior year, 84 percent of students have engaged with community employers and agencies in internships, field placements or some other component of their academic preparation.
SVSU is establishing itself as a leader in STEAM education for the Great Lakes Bay Region, partnering with businesses, foundations and school districts to improve students’ performance in math, science and the arts at the middle school, high school and university levels. SVSU is constructing the first university research facility on Lake Huron to improve public health and the economy in the Saginaw Bay watershed.
More than 70 percent of SVSU freshmen live on campus in student housing that has been rated No. 1 among public universities in the U.S. (2018-2025). SVSU fields 20 varsity sports at the NCAA Division II level. The average class size is 23 students. For more information, please visit our website, http://www.svsu.edu.
Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree and possess at least one year of related work experience. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and strong communication skills are required to effectively support diverse student populations.
Market context
In Massachusetts, embedded academic advisor roles in colleges of health and human services are often tied to student retention, program navigation, and support for diverse learners, so demand tends to follow enrollment and advising needs. These roles can be competitive because employers look for candidates who combine a bachelor’s degree, related experience, Microsoft Office proficiency, and strong communication skills. Before applying, compare how your background matches the program’s student support needs, and note that the job requirements and benefits on this platform are AI-summarized from the original job description, which can save time during your search.
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