City : Hamilton

Category : Other

Industry : Education

Employer : McMaster University

The School of Nursing requires an Academic Advisor to provide academic advising to Bachelor of Science in Nursing students. Reporting to the Program Manager, BScN Program, the incumbent will be responsible for provision of advising services from admission to degree conferral. The Academic Advisor will frequently work as a conduit between faculty and students. The Academic Advisor will also contribute to special projects in the BScN Program office and have accountability for admissions and enrolment. This position is a 24 month limited-term appointment.

Should the successful applicant be a Unifor Unit 1 bargaining unit member, who meets the eligibility conditions of Article 19.02 of the Unifor Unit 1 Collective Agreement, then the Limited Term Assignment will be defined as a Career Growth Opportunity in accordance with Article 19 of the Unifor Local 5555 Unit 1 Collective Agreement.

Job Summary:

The Academic Advisor provides accurate and informed academic advice to students. Responsible for recruiting academically strong students, assessing admission applications, and scrutinizing and approving registrations for a large, multi-disciplinary Faculty.

Purpose and Key Functions:

• Make independent admission decisions based on established requirements, requisites, University guidelines, and enrolment numbers.
• Warrant consideration for acceptance of students who do not meet academic requirements.
• Develop customized strategies to assist students who are not academically eligible to continue in their program.
• Conduct formal reviews and evaluations of students' academic records.
• Create, modify, and maintain customized degree audits.
• Produce convocation lists.
• Review, assess, and approve requests for accommodation regarding missed academic work.
• Evaluate transcripts of students requesting transfer from other academic institutions for equivalencies and applications to degree programs.
• Liaise with faculty and staff to advocate on behalf of students.
• Develop and implement an integrated recruitment plan.
• Assess student priority for limited registration and provide suitable alternatives.
• Coordinate grade submissions, authorize grade changes, and maintain accurate records for Faculty-based courses.
• Develop and present academic advising and registration sessions.
• Schedule, plan, and coordinate events.
• Respond to inquiries regarding programs, admissions, course selection, registration, and correspond with faculty and other University departments.
• Provide information for the development of recruitment publications. 
• Scrutinize documents such as the University Calendar for changes.
• Mediate extensions, accommodations, and exam deferrals on behalf of the student where there are extenuating circumstances.
• Review and process requests for Letters of Permission permitting students to complete appropriate courses at other universities.
• Develop academic plans for students with identified disabilities and advise on appropriate course selection, load, and request for accommodation.
• Calculate information including sessional and grade point averages, and enrolment statistics.

Supervision:

Ongoing responsibility for supervising up to 9 casual employees at any one time.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Requires 3 years of relevant experience.

Assets:

• Experience advising in a professional program that is subject to both accreditation standards and institution-specific academic regulations.
• Masters prepared preferred.
• Understanding of Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing accreditation standards and College of Nurses Ontario (CNO) entry to practice competencies.

Additional Information:

The sucessful candidate will have/demonstrate the following: 

• Experience navigating with different stakeholders (i.e. faculty, support staff, management, and students) through the intersection of academic and operational policies and practices using tact and professionalism.
• Experience crafting and proposing policy and process changes in a postsecondary setting at the institution or program level.
• Experience communicating effectively to a diverse audience through various communication platforms (i.e. online and in-person).
• Excellent problem-solving and judgment skills.
• Ability to work in fast paced environment with multiple timelines.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively utilize information systems, e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Mosaic (PeopleSoft).
• Knowledge of admission policies and processes in a university or college setting.
• Experience working in a university setting.
• Demonstrated advising skills with the ability to support students through difficult situations.
• Proven ability to articulate and communicate guidelines or policies to others clearly and without error.

The successful candiate may be required to work on occassion at Conestoga College main campus to provide support for the Conestoga site learners.