EEO Statement:
The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.
Job Title
Academic Specialist
Division
Academic Affairs
Requisition Number
2026-00229
FTE (full-time equivalency)
1
Work Schedule
M-F, 8am-5pm
Does the position provide the opportunity to work Remotely/Telecommuting?
Yes – partial remote/telecommute opportunity
Appointment Term
12- 12/12 months
Is this position essential personnel according to the inclement weather policy?
No
Position Summary
The Academic Specialist exists to be the college-embedded, high-touch connector that makes the First-Year Initiative (FYI) work in real life…not as an idea, but as a coordinated, proactive support system for first-year students. The primary function of the role is to combine a reduced caseload of proactive academic guidance with structured first-semester onboarding and first-year seminar delivery, while serving as the day-to-day liaison between the college and the FYI ecosystem (peer mentoring, referrals, early alerts, and campus partners). This position exists because traditional advising loads and structures don’t reliably allow the sustained outreach, timely intervention, and cross-unit coordination required to improve persistence, especially for at-promise students, so the Academic Specialist provides the dedicated capacity to translate FYI’s design into consistent student experiences and measurable retention gains.
