Director of Academic and Bar Success

Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Academic and Bar Success, the Director of Academic and Bar Success (“Director”) is responsible for helping coordinate and supervise integrated academic success and bar support programs for students in the residential and distance learning JD programs at Western New England University School of Law. The successful candidate will help support law school students and graduates to succeed in law school and on the bar exam, including by teaching bar-related and academic success courses. The Director will also provide assistance with and will monitor learning outcomes, academic performance, academic support and bar preparation activities to all students, and will participate in other student retention activities as needed.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Work collaboratively with Law School Dean, Assistant Dean of Academic and Bar Success, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the faculty to assess and address the current needs for academic success and bar-related programming and support.

• Work with the Assistant Dean of Academic and Bar Success and other department members to administer the integrated academic success and bar preparation program for current students and bar- takers, including by teaching classes; providing one-on-one and small group tutoring; developing and teaching workshops; providing support and guidance to Teaching Assistants; and completing other tasks as assigned.

• Teach bar-related and academic success skills courses as needed (including Fall, Spring, Summer, and on-line).

• Work collaboratively to tailor programming, including courses and workshops to meet the needs of students and bar-takers each term (Fall, Spring and Summer, including the February and July bar cycles).

• Collaborate to improve and implement our relationships with commercial bar programs, and support students complete their bar preparation program, including one-on-one student meetings, essay and performance test grading, teaching workshops, and providing other general bar study support.

• Provide structured writing, organizational, and analytical assistance to current students and recent graduates, including through workshops and presentations.

• As needed, participate in the presentation of academic success program activities during the summer and student orientation program.

• Help to track and report information regarding bar passage, workshop and programmatic usage, and programming assessments and evaluations.

• Provide support, academic advice, and counseling to students and recent graduates. This involves counseling students on both academic issues and other issues that might be affecting their academic studies, as well as assisting students with bar exam applications and character and fitness issues.

• Explore grant and fund-raising opportunities that relate to academic and bar success.

• Participate in committees as assigned by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

• Oversee adjuncts teaching academic and bar success classes as needed.

• Represent the law school at and participate in activities designed to attract students to the law school (i.e., open houses) and outside conferences and other events organized for and/or by academic support or bar preparation professionals, as applicable.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITIES:

• J.D. from an ABA law school and a proven record of academic achievement during law school.
• Admission to a state bar in the United States, Massachusetts or Connecticut preferred.
• At least 2 years of experience practicing law or delivering writing or other instruction in an academic institution, law firm, or commercial bar prep company.
• Familiarity with Uniform Bar Exam (“UBE”) applications and format, and UBE bar-tested subjects.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel,  PowerPoint, and Learning Management Systems that support distance learning programs.
• Prior experience with academic support and bar preparation strongly preferred.
• Experience with curriculum design, including an understanding of educational learning theory, best practices in teaching pedagogy, and individual learning styles preferred.
• Experience with assessment and with data collection preferred.
• Ability to teach online is preferred.
• The ability to think imaginatively and critically about techniques to improve our law students academic development and bar passage, and to design, implement and manage innovative programs to assist learners in reaching their potential.
• The ability to work well with a diverse student body, including having a cultural awareness of different learning styles.
• Strong teaching, collaboration, interpersonal and counseling skills.
• Strong public speaking skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty and staff and other team members on tasks including course design and implementation.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities under deadlines.

ERGONOMIC REQUIREMENTS:

Typical office setting

WORK SCHEDULE:

Full time position, Monday through Friday, may include teaching evening classes and workshops. Some weekends will be necessary. Must be willing and able to teach evening and on-line classes as assigned.

Western New England University (WNE) is a private, nationally ranked, comprehensive institution with a focus on preparing work-ready and world-ready graduates. Founded in 1919 in Springfield, Massachusetts as a division of Northeastern College, WNE’s 215-acre suburban campus serves more than 3,700 students, including over 2,500 full-time undergraduates. More than 47,000 alumni have earned degrees through its 90+ undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs at Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and School of Law. Students come from 39 U.S. states and territories and 23 countries. Of 45,104 living alumni, 30% remain within the region, residing in the four Western Massachusetts counties and northern Connecticut.

WNE is classified among nationally ranked universities in US News and World Report, and among the Top 100 Undergraduate Engineering programs, and in the Doctoral/Professional Universities category in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Western New England University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We welcome candidates whose background may contribute to the further diversification of our community.