Career Center

The University of Minnesota’s School of Music (SOM)  is searching for an Undergraduate Advisor and Enrollment Manager. Together with the Undergraduate Advisor and Curriculum Manager, this position serves undergraduate students in their advising needs and plays an important role in retaining students and maximizing their success in degree progression and completion. This position also serves as the enrollment manager, which includes developing programming and managing recruitment events such as visit and audition days. The enrollment manager will engage with the Communications and Marketing Manager and faculty to identify key events and strategies with the goal of increasing undergraduate enrollment for the SOM.

The Student Services team includes the Graduate Program Coordinator, Student Services and Operations Specialist, Undergraduate Advisor and Enrollment Manager, and Undergraduate Advisor and Curriculum Manager and reports to the Chief of Staff. This team collaborates with SOM staff and faculty to serve students and prospective students. To be successful in this position, the candidate should be comfortable talking to students and colleagues, value diverse backgrounds and perspectives, enjoy project planning and management, and appreciate collaborative work. The School of Music values commitment to ongoing social justice and racial equity work in order to identify, challenge, and remove barriers to access at the individual, community, and system level.


RESPONSIBILITIES

Advising for Academic Support Services for Current Undergraduate Students (75%)

Help students build skills and make commitments that guide their educational plans, advising students in one-on-one meetings on program planning strategies, registration, permissions, major/minor declaration, degree progress, completion, graduation clearance, internships, study abroad, career plans, advanced educational opportunities, program requirements, and milestones. Coordinate services with collegiate advising, faculty, and or the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).

Develop realistic, efficient graduation plans for students. Update APAS reports as necessary to ensure timely and accurate degree clearance.

Enter undergraduate registration permissions based on advising and enrollment management.

Use APLUS, PeopleSoft (PS), Academic Progress Audit System (APAS), and other software systems to maintain accurate degree progress information. Maintain student records, monitor student progress, process relevant paperwork, respond to policy and procedure questions, and work with DUS, and faculty advisors to recommend solutions to academic difficulties.

Meet with advisees on probation or returning from suspension and set requirements for the removal of their academic probation.

Advise incoming students on degree program planning strategies, registration, ensemble auditions, placement exams through individual appointments, workshops, information sessions, and targeted emails.

Provide advising to students seeking minors administered by our department.

Lead orientation sessions for new and transfer students.

Serve as a Mental Health Advocate; direct students to college/university support resources in moments of crisis, including financial, social, personal, and academic.

Serve as support for SOM program curriculum during peak times in collaboration with the Undergraduate Advisor and Curriculum Manager.

Lead and organize Audition Days, normally held twice per academic year. This will include scheduling, staffing, and managing the process and communicating plans to stakeholders.

Work under minimal supervision and exercise the discretion to make daily operational decisions.  Operate with a broad latitude in a complex environment.  The position will report to the Chief of Staff and will look for supervisory approvals when significant changes to process steps are considered and additional resources for task completion is required.

Be an individual contributor who will perform research and provide procedural recommendations/reports on technical matters while consulting with other advisors and managers in CLA and the university on specific issues regarding this area of expertise.  The position will have to respond and adapt to changing conditions or circumstances, requiring creative solutions and new approaches.

No supervisory responsibility but may be assigned responsibilities such as mentor/coaching others performing similar work; may lead project teams, committees and/or other collaborative efforts.  The position may have authority to supervise student employees, when appropriate.

Enrollment and Scholarship Management (20%)

Develop programing and lead graduate and undergraduate recruitment efforts, identify opportunities and create a schedule of recruiting events for prospective students. Collaborate with faculty and marketing and communications staff to identify professional groups and organizations to include in the SOM network. Activities will include student orientations in the Fall and Spring in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts Advising Office, Office of First-Year Programs, Transfer Student Experience, and Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) Office, the DUS and AD/DGS. Other activities include attending and supporting School of Music Audition & Interview Days and Undergraduate Q&A Sessions. Work with the Ensemble Coordinator to arrange and attend the annual MMEA Midwinter clinic booth and conference, the Wisconsin Music Educators Association (MEA) conference, and the Midwest Clinic Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference.

Advise prospective students and families on the application process, program requirements, campus visits, student-specific needs including admissions, registration, auditions, fellowships, assistantships, fee waiver requests, relocation, etc.

Plan and lead yield events for admitted undergraduate students in collaboration with the DUS, faculty leadership, and student representatives to ensure a seamless experience for incoming students.

Manage gathering of internal admissions data and formulating admissions communications (emails and notifications) to ensure seamless coordination of information flow. Oversee approved admission and award offers to incoming students. Conduct ongoing analyses of admission and enrollment data to identify trends and adjust admission priorities. Lead SOM efforts to grow population of students, developing customized, long-range recruiting strategies for prospective music student populations.

Respond to inquiries related to equivalency program questions.

Coordinate with the Marketing and Communications Manager to create and maintain printed and web materials for the undergraduate programs.

Administer SOM Scholarships, ensure the scholarship application is up to date, advertise scholarship opportunities to students; review and award scholarships. Collaborate with the College of Liberal Arts Scholarship Coordinator as needed. Manage and monitor scholarship funds distribution in collaboration with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, CLA Accountant, and Chief of Staff.

Work under minimal supervision and exercise the discretion to make daily operational decisions.  Operate with a broad latitude in a complex environment.  The position will report to the Chief of Staff and will look for supervisory approvals when significant changes to process steps are considered and additional resources for task completion is required.

Be an individual contributor who will perform research and provide procedural recommendations/reports on technical matters while consulting with other advisors and managers in CLA and the university on specific issues regarding this area of expertise.  The position will have to respond and adapt to changing conditions or circumstances, requiring creative solutions and new approaches.

No supervisory responsibility but may be assigned responsibilities such as mentor/coaching others performing similar work; may lead project teams, committees and/or other collaborative efforts.  The position may have authority to supervise student employees, when appropriate.

Professional Relationship Liaison (5%)

Create a network of relationships with students, faculty, and campus staff to effectively deliver advising and support services to students, and serve as a liaison to other units.  Attend university functions for professional development and to stay current on university resources available to students. Regularly attend CLA Departmental Advisor Group (DAG), Career Readiness Departmental Workgroup meetings, Academic Advisors Network (AAN) professional development workshops and anthology training, such as the Tate Advising Conference.

Serve as primary staff liaison to Housing and Residential Life (HRL) to the Arts House Living Learning Community (LLC) program in Middlebrook Hall. Coordinate with HRL on special activities and communication for Arts House dormitory residents.

Serve on committees as needed for the University, College and Department.
 

Required:
BA/BS degree plus at least four years of relevant experience, or master's degree plus at least two years of relevant experience in advising, teaching, or other helping professions.

Demonstrated commitment to fostering student learning and applying organizational/student development theory to work with students.

Demonstrated commitment to equal opportunity, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Excellent skills in communication (written and oral), multicultural awareness, mastering and disseminating complex information, computer literacy (including word processing, database usage, e-mail, web searching, and reporting), and time management.

Ability to work professionally, independently, and collaboratively with stakeholders.

Ability to work occasional evening or weekend hours, depending on event requirements.

Experience or ability to learn web-based advising software or other technologies used to support student success. Included, but not limited to APAS, APLUS, Drupal, ECAS, PeopleSoft, PCAS.

Willingness to complete the Mental Health Advocate program through Boynton Health Services.

Preferred:
Previous experience in an educational setting performing academic advising or student support activities.

Experience with web-based advising software or other technologies used to support student success including, but not limited to, APAS, APLUS, Drupal, ECAS, PeopleSoft, PCAS.

About University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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