Senior Academic Advisor - School of the Museum of Fine Arts

About the position The professionals in Undergraduate Education foster student growth, empowerment, and success by serving, advising, guiding, nurturing, and celebrating our students, and working with them and our faculty to solve problems so that students may successfully navigate the university. We focus on the academic aspect of students’ lives at Tufts, providing information, advice, and support to help them successfully complete their degrees in a timely manner while ensuring that our students have an enriching and rewarding academic experience. To that end, we provide students with tutoring, advising, academic support, direction, and accurate information. We also provide academic enrichment programs and opportunities so that students may reach their full potential and achieve their best. We collaborate with faculty and other departments to advocate for students and improve the academic experience for all students as well as the policies governing undergraduate study at Tufts.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a proactive academic advisor to undeclared undergraduate students.
• Supports students in their engagement with the curriculum, helps them navigate university procedures and make informed decisions about choice of major, and acts as an accessible source for information about curriculum requirements, course selection, and campus resources.
• Provides logistical support, programming, research, and data analysis for a team-based approach to pre-major advising, New Student Orientation, the First Year Experience, and undergraduate retention efforts at Tufts.
• Acts as a liaison between the SMFA Advising team and programs in place to advance student success as they pursue the various post-graduation degree programs and maintains active collaboration with the undergraduate advising team through regular meetings, shared advising practices, and coordinated student support efforts.
• Provides programming support to the department Combined Degree program within the SMFA Advising team. Duties may include creation and editing of advising materials for program students, planning and logistical support for on-campus events, and delivery of presentations, online seminars, and interactive events for students in and interested in the department.
• Conducts research, compiles data, and provides analysis and program assessment on various efforts to track, promote, and improve student retention and on-time graduation, related to program advising.
• Assists Associate Dean of Advising & Undergraduate Studies for the SMFA in supporting Combined Degree students who need more attention or are struggling with academics or adjustment to Tufts.
• Keeps up-to-date and professional notes in Portfolio system and promptly shares concerns with Associate Dean.
• Maintains discretion and student privacy when communicating with faculty, staff, and other students; keeps student records confidential.
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of SMFA undergraduate students.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Studio Art or related field
• Two or more years’ experience in college or university setting as an instructor, advisor, tutor, mentor or administrator
• Commitment to advising, mentoring, and guiding college students
• Superior interpersonal skills, including flexibility and approachability
• Excellent skills in written and oral communication; able to write, edit, and proofread educational documents and other publications.
• Confidence and experience in teaching, public speaking, or giving effective presentations before large groups.
• Proficient with technology, including various software programs and applications for writing documents, making spreadsheets, creating databases, producing brochures and slideshows, and communicating through web-based audio-video services.
• Ability to work independently, think on one’s feet, set priorities, and manage time effectively.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's Degree in Studio Art or related field
• Additional experience working in the arts or other areas of university student services, such as student affairs, campus life programs, college learning center, multicultural affairs, bridge programs, and retention programs is beneficial.
• Dedication to serving and supporting a diverse student population, including students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, students with disabilities, and students who do not conform to gender stereotypes.
• Proficient with a variety of social media platforms and tools for sharing documents, images, and video online.