Student Services Retention Specialist

Location: Seattle campus (remote until the campus reopens)
Job title: Student Services Retention Specialist
Reports to: Associate Provost
Salary grade: Non-exempt, Hourly
Posted: October 6, 2020
Open: Until Filled

Position Summary:

The Retention Specialist will provide comprehensive and culturally competent support services designed to ensure the academic success of students as measured by meaningful academic engagement, college and career readiness, and graduation rates. This position provides frontline support for student services, including records and registration, admissions, financial aid, and student accounts.

Essential Functions/Accountabilities

• Welcomes and screens visitors to Student Services offices and provides first-line assistance.
• Follows departmental policies and procedures regarding security and confidentiality of documents.
• Responds to inquiries from applicants, students, and faculty in person and by phone, mail, and e-mail.
• Refers students to appropriate staff and resources. Refer students to appropriate staff and resources.
• Assists students with orientations and acclamation to the University.
• Provides instructions in registration, transcript ordering, enrollment certification, enrollment services, and basic academic program information and application deadlines.
• Helps students connect with co-curricular activities, student leadership, and peer-to-peer relationships.
• Monitors early alert systems of performance and academic progress risk, thus identifying and providing timely interventions for those who are in need.
• Acts as liaison to at-risk students whether self-identified or faculty/staff identified.
• Researches successful college/university retention programs to identify practices, procedures, and consequences of academic standing. Researches and implements practices to enhance student persistence and completion.
• Leads the monitoring of individual retention plans for ensuring student success.
• Promotes student retention and completion through facilitating workshops, classroom presentations, group and individual check-ins.
• Prepares and implements intervention plans to work with at-risk students by connecting them with support staff and other resources to improve academic standing.
• Regularly communicates important deadlines, requirements, and updates to students.
• Identifies and implements retention related professional development opportunities for faculty, staff and administration. Assists in identifying trends and researching best practices in student persistence and completion.
• Assists with the outreach efforts including coordinating key events / meetings, maintaining regular communication with students and faculty.
• Tracks, collects, analyzes, and reports on data related to student achievement and retention.
• Analyzes retention and attrition data to identify trends and potential solutions.
• Conducts exit interviews for students who drop classes and/or withdraws from the University and prepares reports of the collected data.
• Provides direct advising services to all students requesting to drop courses or withdraw from the university.
• Determines and coordinates referrals and other University resources such as tutoring, writing centers, information technology, and disability support services.
• Assists students in the use and application of online student systems and technology such as AUView.
• Trains students in techniques to monitor their own progress toward achieving educational, personal, and career goals.
• Communicates about academic progress and behavior as necessary with students and their academic advisors with respect to their persistence and matriculation.
• Organizes and monitors campus-wide mentoring program.
• Assists with transcript requesting, transcript imaging, enrollment and degree verification (referrals to Office of Records Administration), accept requests for information or processing (GPA equivalent request, FERPA requests or authorizations, substitution or waiver form, leave of absence or withdrawal). Office and academic units and incoming mail handling.
• Processes non-matriculate registrations, clears holds to permit registration, processes registrations that have to be completed manually (overloads, drops, prerequisite overrides), provides information and assistance in: registration procedures, waitlist status, and priority registration status.
• Assists student with degree audit access and interpretation, access to narratives, updating contact information, clarifying SAP status and communications, submitting graduation application, and processing change of academic program (if no new application needed).
• Serves as the designated school official (DSO to manage international student registration and government-mandated documentation that schools must complete and keep on record.
• Performs related clerical duties as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. B.A. degree required.
2. Minimum of 2 years office experience required. Experience working with university students, admissions or student services offices preferred.
3. Knowledge of current, high-impact retention initiatives.
4. Demonstrated strong customer service skills, including strong verbal and human relations skills, including tactfulness, a sense of humor and sensitivity to the needs of students.
5. Demonstrate excellent data entry skills, and familiarity with monitoring and maintaininglarge databases.
6. Demonstrated independent problem-solving ability.
7. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize multiple tasks.
8. Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment.

Application process:

Please submit your Cover Letter, Resume and 3 references to hr.aus@antioch.edu

Antioch University provides equal opportunity for all qualified applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, family status, or disability in matters affecting employment or in providing access to programs.