Penn State Job Catalog

Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Academic Advising

Academic Advisers provide academic evaluation, guidance, and assistance to students; assess student interests and performance; identify needs and opportunities to advance student academic goals; advise on course selection, scheduling, program requirements, and degree progress; contribute to the unit's advising program including orientations, workshops, and recruiting and retention efforts; implement improvements to advising services.

• Provide holistic and proactive advising services; evaluate student needs; advise students in course selection, registration, scheduling, credit transfers, and degree requirement satisfaction; monitor academic progress; maintain and ensure confidentiality of student records
• Identify students experiencing academic difficulty; develop academic improvement plans; connect students with student support services, wellness, and learning resources; make referrals as needed; develop partnerships with faculty to coordinate academic interventions
• Discuss and explore academic, personal, and professional interests and goals with students; develop comprehensive plans to support academic and career advancement; identify learning experiences to complement and advance student goals including research, study abroad, service learning, and co-curricular opportunities
• Utilize the student success platform to communicate with advisees, document interactions, track student progress, compile and analyze student data, and generate reports
• Coordinate, develop, deliver, and direct college or major specific advising programs including New Student Orientation, peer advising programs, first year seminars, information sessions, or curriculum planning workshops; participate, contribute to, and present at various college and University-wide educational programs including Commencement, Parents and Families Weekend, Summer Bridge programs, and college prospect sessions
• Interpret, apply, and ensure student compliance with University academic policies and procedures
• Contribute to the development of enrollment enhancement plans; participate in recruitment and retention activities; conduct meetings for prospective students/families, high school counselors, and University staff
• Represent and provide expertise related to assigned major; maintain knowledge of specific educational requirements and opportunities; conduct surveys of industry trends and pursue relevant internship opportunities; highlight degree program strengths, achievements, and benefits to prospective students and families
• Liaise with college undergraduate office or departmental advising offices; provide information relevant to assigned major or undergraduate program; develop resources for various audiences including faculty, students, departmental staff, and external audiences
• May evaluate academic advising services; research, propose, and implement new evidence based advising approaches or technologies
• May supervise or mentor staff members including hiring, training and development, and performance management

Level:

– Principal Professional

Base Description:

– Completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Displays mastery of defined skill areas/applications, principles, theories and practices. Evaluates and enhances existing practices. Recognizes emerging trends in area of expertise. Works independently on complex or strategic assignments. Directs and delegates appropriate tasks to others. Implements strategies to ensure achievement of initiatives. Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and deliver to broad audiences. Identifies and implements innovative solutions to important, highly complex strategic and/or operational issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Indirect supervisor for other full–time employees
– May serve as direct supervisor for part–time, student, and/or temporary workers, volunteers, or a full–time employee

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Validates and pays invoices
– Monitors and tracks budgets and funding
– May plan and forecast budgets

Problem Solving:

– Encounters complex and novel problems
– Applies policies, practices, specialized knowledge, and skills to resolve problems
– Understands benefits, limitations, and impact of potential solutions
– Anticipates potential problems and recommends possible solutions within general guidelines

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on complex or strategic assignments
– Uses existing practices as guidelines as well as working knowledge to determine specific work methods
– Carries out work activities independently, with supervisor available to resolve problems
– Reviews work of others to verify technical soundness

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members and area leads across the University
– Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and delivers to a broad variety of audiences
– Establishes and maintains networks to facilitate successful communication among units

• Comp Grade – 10
• Minimum – $61,800.00
• MidPoint – $75,700.00
• Maximum – $89,600.00

• Advising
• Consulting
• Customer Service
• Data Analysis
• Data validation
• Database management
• Document management
• Records management
• Reporting
• Scheduling
• Writing