Retention and Educational Planning Specialist

When you join the SUNY Corning Community College (CCC) team, you are helping to positively transform the lives of our students, their families and our communities.
                   
We are a premier two-year College, offering degree programs, certificates, and continuing education classes.  We promote intellectual and personal growth through individualized education, inspire innovation to meet the educational and workforce needs of the community and leverage a variety of partnerships to help our students and community succeed.  

The Retention and Educational Planning Specialist is responsible for assisting with student onboarding and retention through the following: advising, educational planning, registration (as needed), understanding information on student processes, accessing resources, and outreach. Assists students with general information from other student service areas (i.e. Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, etc.) Utilizes College-adopted technology tools in processes and communication.  Assistance channels include phone calls, emails, remote meetings, and on-campus face-to-face meetings.

Occasional meetings at different SUNY CCC locations and in the community may be required; travel to conferences and/or recruiting events may be required. Prolonged time sitting/standing working with computers and monitors, ability to walk/move across campus including walking up and down stairs, ability to lift up to 20 pounds (occasionally may be more), repeated motions may include keyboard typing. Typical office and indoor building environments, occasional outdoor activity may be required. Incumbent must perform the essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation. The summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work and is not intended to be a comprehensive list of duties and responsibilities.

SUNY CCC embraces diversity and values an inclusive culture where every person is able to succeed to their full potential.  If you require an accommodation for the recruiting process, please contact hr@corning-cc.edu or 607.962.9229. 

Onboarding and Retention Strategy Implementation (65%) -

• Provide efficient, student-friendly, and responsive support services for student onboarding, advising, and educational planning (in alignment with career interests), registration (as needed), understanding of information on policies and student-related processes.
• Provide students information to access campus (i.e. academic divisions/faculty, Learning Commons, DEI Center, Accessibility Services, Student & Residential Life, Athletics, Health Services, etc.)  and community resources, as needed.
• Provide students general information to complete the necessary steps to be successful at SUNY CCC, including but not limited to, financial aid, paying for college, academic advising, utilizing MyCorning, College email, completing required paperwork (i.e. Residency Form, Health Forms, etc.), and Starfish.
• Answer student phone calls and emails from students.
• Meet students for appointments (remote, phone, and face-to-face on campus).    
• Be available for on-campus walk-in student assistance.
• Collaborate with Starfish Leads to assist in the implementation and functioning of Starfish Student Success Platform.
• Utilize Starfish and workflows to identify and follow up with students identified as needing assistance from the department.
• In collaboration with Student Life, participate in student orientation programming. 
• Present/assist with workshops for student success.
• Collaborate with campus stakeholders, as needed, to implement initiatives that impact retention.

• Communicate to assigned students to promote student success (i.e. should register, Financial Aid - Audit: Courses out of Program, Starfish EAC Referrals, EdSights Alerts, and Cohorts).
• Communicate to students in regard to Progress and assist students with Academic and Federal Aid Appeals Process (i.e. Academic Plan), follow up, and tracking.
• Utilize Starfish to process academic progress interventions, such as early alert, warning grade reports, end-of-semester academic standing, etc.; intervene with students who have received academic progress warnings.
• Monitor academic success of students and conduct appropriate outreach and programming, both individual and group, that assists students developing the skills to be successful at SUNY CCC.

• Attend department training.  
• Attend other unit meetings as requested or assigned (i.e. academic division meetings).
• Review catalog and department reference documents and resources.
• Ask questions of other departments as needed to convey accurate and current information to students.

• Serve as a member of governance/administrative/ad hoc committees (as needed) related to processes, policies, and resources that impact the department.
• Participate in internal and external recruitment events, as needed, to promote services provided through the department and prospect connection with the College.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Excellent interpersonal communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interact and communicate effectively with diverse populations.
• Ability to understand and support the open enrollment/equal access philosophy of the community college environment.
• Knowledge of and willingness to follow trends/best practices in onboarding, advising, and student success.
• Ability to work effectively to meet deadlines and demonstrate good judgment.
• Demonstrated ability to function effectively and efficiently in a team environment.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures involved in advising and student retention.
• Ability to work weekends and extended days during peak enrollment times when requested by supervisor.
• Demonstrated knowledge of or the ability to learn the various Banner screens to monitor student progress through the academic, financial aid, admissions, and enrollment processes.
• Technical skills including Microsoft Office: Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; and Google: Docs, Sheets, Calendar.
• Demonstrates commitment to accomplishing work in an ethical, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
• Ability to effectively convey information verbally and in writing, demonstrate effective listening skills, and display respect for and openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.
• Ability to accept changes to job requirements, policies, workload, etc., as well as learn new methods, procedures, or techniques resulting from change with the ability to clearly approach problems and find solutions.
• Demonstrates support for the College’s goal of becoming a more diverse, inclusive, and culturally aware community and practicing anti-racist/biased behaviors.

• Associate degree and one year of experience in student or customer service-related area 
• Ability to work flexible hours and ability to work occasional weekends/after hours
• Remote Internet access
• Must have valid driver’s license for travel to off-campus sites, as required

• Bachelor’s degree and one year of experience in student or customer services related area
• Experience with Banner and/or Starfish Retention Solutions software.