Director Of Undergraduate Advising (71101)

The office of the Provost is seeking a Director of Undergraduate Advising to provide vision and leadership for an office that works to provide Pratt’s highly internationalized and diverse student body with the knowledge, skills, and resources to succeed—and to thrive—at Pratt.

The Office of Undergraduate Advising is guided by the mission and values of Pratt Institute, promoting self-advocacy, respecting individuality, and empowering students to meet their individual goals and challenges. The Office fosters a holistic approach to education and student success, assisting students in building meaningful and professional relationships, teaching skills that encourage lifelong learning and success, and inspiring students to recognize their full potential. Guiding students’ academic planning, and providing goal-oriented, interest-focused, and academic success services and academic resources, the Office of Undergraduate Advising advances the work of Pratt Institute.

The successful candidate for this position will provide a leadership strategy for the Office as a whole, for its professional staff, and for the students it serves. They will provide senior-level administrative leadership for the Office, ensuring that work of the Office of Undergraduate Advising is understood by the campus community, and considered a partner in our shared work of fostering student success. Through collaboration with the Provost’s Office, the Student Affairs division, and academic programs and departments across campus, the Director will ensure that Undergraduate Advising is capable of meeting the needs of a diverse student body, supporting them as they successfully navigate their academic programs, build meaningful and professional relationships, and realize their full potential, developing skills that encourage lifelong learning and success.

As a top-ranked college with opportunities in art, design, architecture, liberal arts and sciences, and information studies, Pratt offers nearly 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The Institute’s impact expands beyond its 25-acre residential campus in Brooklyn to cutting-edge facilities throughout the borough, a landmark building and public gallery in Manhattan, as well as an extension campus, PrattMWP College of Art and Design in Utica, New York. Since its founding in 1887, Pratt has prioritized diversity and inclusion, welcoming students from all walks of life while developing and sustaining pathways to more equitable workplaces and careers.

Pratt Institute enrolls 5,262 graduate and undergraduate students working across 48 programs. Of the Institute’s 3,700 undergraduates, most are full-time and over 1,700 live on campus. International students make up 32% of the undergraduate student body, hailing from over 70 countries around the world, and 15% are from underrepresented minority groups. An additional 232 students are enrolled in the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute (PrattMWP), in Utica, New York; they complete the first two years of their Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fine Arts, Communications Design, Photography, or Art and Design Education in Utica and then move to the Brooklyn campus to complete their degrees.

Duties For This Position Include

Leadership

• Articulate a vision for the function of the Office and work collaboratively with professional office staff and colleagues across campus to advance that vision.
• Direct and manage a staff of 10 full-time, professional Academic Advisors, overseeing the successful registration of approximately 3700 undergraduate students.

Academic Advising & Administration

• Provide the Provost’s Office with timely and accurate reports on active and inactive students.
• Work closely with the Academic Advisors in monitoring all student flags, as well as oversee advisors' engagement with the Institute's early alert and retention software, EAB Starfish. Help students seek the proper resources needed to provide academic support.
• Advise incoming undecided students on their academic requirements, schedules, program changes, as well mentor advisors on advising in general.
• Respond to inquiries from current students, parents, and alumni when appropriate.
• Oversee academic actions and issues around academic performance, including charging the Committee on Academic Standing and monitoring students on Academic Reset and reinstatement following appeal.

Collaboration for Student Success

• With retention as a priority, identify adverse student impacts and work with institutional partners to make improvements to the student experience.
• Work closely with the various Deans and Chairs to forecast the number of courses and sections that should be offered in any given semester.
• Serve on campus committees and task forces, especially those dealing with matters that affect advising—such as academic success, academic retention, curriculum changes, among others.
• Work collaboratively with the Office of the Registrar to ensure course schedules and registration are accurate and work in an efficient manner.
• Be attentive to the needs of the student body, and collaborate with colleagues across campus as needed to ensure students receive the holistic support they need.
• Work closely with the Dean and Registrar at our extension campus in Utica, NY to create a seamless transition for the students coming from Utica to Brooklyn.
• Collaborate with the Director of Student Success, Learning/Access Center (L/AC), Senior Student Advocate and Care Coordinator, and others to strategize helping individual students experiencing difficulties both in and out of the studio/classroom setting.
• Establish and maintain respectful, cooperative, productive work relationships with a wide range of Pratt stakeholders, from students to faculty, staff, and upper administration.

Professional Development

• Engage in continuous professional development, through professional development and participation in professional groups such as NACADA and NASPA, with the goal of ensuring that the Office and its staff benefit from participation in national conversations about advising, student retention, and student success.
• Work collaboratively with professional office staff to support and assist in their professional development, keep the advising staff updated and current with trends in advising, student retention, and academic success.

The Director of Undergraduate Advising will have an in-person presence at Pratt’s Brooklyn campus, with some remote work possible, and specifics of online arrangements to be determined.

Education: Master's degree in a relevant field such as education, college student personnel, counseling, or a related field or an MFA in one of the studio disciplines taught at Pratt. Knowledge of both undergraduate advising and of art / design education and culture are essential.

Experience: 5+ years of experience in a leadership role in college advising; experience in student program development is essential.

Required Skills

• Must be empathetic, well-organized, detail-oriented, and patient; with a desire and ability to work in an artistic environment with a diverse student body.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication and writing skills are required.
• Knowledge of advising and registration platforms such as Ellucian Colleague preferred; experience with student success platforms is essential; Starfish preferred.
• Proficiency with the Google Suite, Microsoft Office, and Zoom required.
• Knowledge of research-based best practices for student development to promote student success.
• Ability to self-manage and work independently as well as collaborate in a team office setting. Strong organizational and program management capabilities, including the ability to manage a variety of complex projects and priorities related to student success in collaboration with other divisions and stakeholders.

Memberships: Active membership in NACADA and NASPA is essential.

Benefits

The salary range for this position is $95,000 - $103,000 + Generous Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.

• Paid time off - vacation days, sick leave, and major holidays off
• Additional Perks - free entry to select museums and cultural institutions, free use of campus recreation facilities, affordable
• Supplemental Retirement Account
• Tuition Benefits for Employees and Dependents
• Basic life and AD&D insurance provided by Pratt
• 403B Retirement Program
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Care Coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts - commuter, medical, dependent care
• Summer hours
• Childcare Benefit
• Tuition Exchange Program

Please submit your cover letter and resume. If you are selected for an interview, please be prepared to provide at least 5 References via our on-line reference tool system. At least 2 of your References must be, or have been, your direct managers.

For best consideration, applications should be received by March 22, 2023.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion or belief, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, marital or domestic partnership status, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pratt Institute recognizes and values the benefits of a diverse workforce.