POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Director of the Business Advisement Center
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1150
GRADE 46
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Associate Dean, College of Business (COB)
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Director of the Business Advisement Center (BAC) is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the operations of the BAC which provides the essential student services of academic advisement, course enrollment, and degree program checks to undergraduate COB students. The Director of the BAC enforces admission requirements for all applicants to COB programs, ensures all academic records for COB undergraduate students are maintained in the online advising note system, and serves as a member of the College Leadership Team and an Ex-officio member of the College's Academic Appeals Committee.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: An MBA or related graduate business degree is required along with a Bachelor’s degree in a business-related discipline.
Experience: At least five years of experience in higher education is required. At least three years of experience in office management, which includes the supervision of personnel, is preferred. Experience in academic advising is preferred. Extensive knowledge of the University, its requirements and regulations, is preferred.
Skills: Management skills, including the ability to organize, plan, motivate and supervise as well as manage and de-escalate conflict, are required. Strong oral and written communications skills are required. Excellent interpersonal skills are required. Computer literacy including word processing, spreadsheets, and database management are required.
Other: Scope of the position requires occasional weekend and evening work, particularly during scheduled advisement/registration periods.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Ensures that the essential student service of quality academic advisement is provided to COB students by ensuring all students have an assigned advisor, establishing an environment for advising which is student-oriented through the development of policies, procedures, and guidelines, preparing long- and short-range goals and objectives for the BAC, setting priorities for meeting student needs in advisement, hiring and supervising qualified advising personnel, and evaluating progress toward accomplishment of those goals and objectives.2. Enforces COB admission requirements by supervising the prerequisite checking process for all applicants to the College, coordinating the degree check and degree program processes, and monitoring and managing enrollment in business classes.
3. Supervises the academic suspension appeals process by serving as an ex-officio member of the COB Academic Appeals Committee, reviewing and providing student records to Committee members, and organizing the meetings for student appeals.
4. Enables COB to comply with AACSB International accreditation standards regarding academic records by reviewing curricular proposals, attending COB Council meetings, monitoring and limiting enrollment in COB courses by non-COB majors, and supervising the maintenance of academic records for COB undergraduate students.
5. Facilitates the registration and recruitment processes of COB students by preparing and compiling advisement materials in coordination with the academic units of the College and planning, organizing, scheduling, and presenting individual and group advisement sessions that provide information and assistance regarding the requirements for admission to COB.
6. Helps ensure the success of MSU’s Student Orientation Advisement and Registration (SOAR) Program by presenting incoming business students with requirements unique to COB, ensuring COB academic unit leaders offer sufficient sections for SOAR participants, supervising the registration of COB majors, advising individual students on courses, and determining how approved transfer credit applies towards a business degree.
7. Enables Business students to develop a plan for degree completion by evaluating computerized degree audits which compare the degree requirements with the student's academic record, reviewing the audit with the student to determine remaining courses required for degree completion, assisting with developing a plan for completion of all required courses.
8. Provides academic advisement to COB students by being knowledgeable of the academic policies and procedures unique to COB as well as the University, guiding students in decision-making and learning how to accept responsibility for their decisions, assisting all students (not just advisees) seeking academic information, and directing students to resources within the University which provide additional assistance (e.g., financial aid, testing, tutoring labs, career services, and student employment).
9. Promotes and maintains positive, cooperative relations with the West Plains campus, Dalian Campus, various Missouri community colleges, junior colleges, and other universities that historically provide transfer students to Missouri State University by serving as a liaison to these colleges and universities, and providing information and advisement materials to assist them in advising students about COB admission requirements.
10. Coordinates the development of a retention plan for COB by researching the literature on student retention, attending workshops, conferences, and seminars specifically addressing student advisement and retention issues, and recommending alternatives designed to assist students in progressing towards degree completion.
11. Develops a competent and effective advisement staff by hiring qualified applicants, providing an opportunity to receive in-service training both on-campus and by attending national conferences and workshops, assigning appropriate academic advising responsibilities, and evaluating individual performance.
12. Maintains professional competence and expands the knowledge base and ability of the BAC to serve COB and its students through involvement in professional organizations, attendance at professional development conferences/workshops, self-directed training on advising technologies, and other related activities.
13. Participates as a member of the University community by serving on committees as assigned by the Provost and the Dean or Associate Dean of the College of Business. Serves as a standing member of the Provost’s Academic Advising Council, which evaluates the administration and delivery of advising services to all University students.
14. Coordinates BAC academic advisement services with the academic units in COB regarding policies, procedures, and changes to academic programs.
15. Acts as liaison with University departments outside COB by meeting with faculty, staff, and academic unit leaders regarding policies, procedures, and changes to academic programs.
16. Manages BAC funds by overseeing departmental purchases.
17. Contributes to the overall success of the BAC by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
SUPERVISION
The Director of the Business Advisement Center is supervised by the Associate Dean of the College of Business and supervises professional, clerical and support personnel, graduate assistants and student employees.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED APRIL 2025
