Assistant Director of Student Services (2 Open)

About AAP:

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University (Cornell AAP) includes the departments of Architecture, Art, City and Regional Planning, the Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate, jointly led by AAP and the SC Johnson College of Business, the multicollege Department of Design Tech, and the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities. The college spans three locations in Ithaca, New York City, and Rome, Italy, each with world-class facilities and cutting-edge technologies.

Cornell AAP is about acts of transformation. We are committed to reimagining and reshaping the world in new ways, every day. A vital college at one of the nation's foremost research universities, Cornell AAP brings faculty, staff, and students together from around the world to take up some of today's most urgent challenges and advance research, inquiry, and collaborative approaches to designing, making, and doing that make a more just and resilient future.

   

About the Opportunity

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning invites applications for multiple Assistant Director of Student Services positions within the Office of Admissions and Student Services. These roles are critical to advancing a holistic, student-centered experience and strengthening innovative approaches to academic advising and student success.

Reporting to senior leadership within Student Experience, the Assistant Director serves as a primary advising resource and advocate for undergraduate and graduate students across AAP’s programs and locations. These roles are highly collaborative and student-facing, requiring creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking to support a diverse and dynamic student population.

AAP is particularly interested in candidates who are excited to reimagine and design new pathways in academic advising, integrating proactive, inclusive, and data-informed practices that support student well-being, persistence, and success.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive academic advising to undergraduate and graduate students across AAP programs, supporting degree planning, policies, and co-curricular engagement
• Serve as a primary point of contact for student concerns, including those in distress or experiencing academic difficulty, and connect them with appropriate campus resources
• Collaborate with faculty, college leadership, and campus partners (e.g., Cornell Health, CAPS, Dean of Students, Student Disability Services) to deliver holistic student support
• Develop and implement creative, student-centered advising strategies that advance innovative pathways for academic success and well-being
• Analyze trends related to student performance and persistence, using data to inform proactive interventions and continuous improvement of advising practices
• Design and deliver student transition programming, including orientation, pre-enrollment initiatives, Family Weekend, and commencement-related efforts
• Create targeted communications and resources to support student success, particularly for first-year, transfer, and students navigating complex academic pathways
• Contribute to the development and delivery of student success programs such as academic support initiatives and peer mentorship programs
• Advise and support student organizations, including leadership development, training, and alignment with university policies and practices
• Promote a culture of inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing while advocating for students in college and university forums and contributing to collaborative initiatives across AAP

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Demonstrated experience working with a broad array of stakeholders to craft and implement collaborative, high-quality academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular programming and events.
• Experience in program design, delivery, and evaluation.
• Ability to connect with students of all backgrounds and experience levels; experience advising them on academic, professional, and personal goals.
• Strong public speaking, writing, and editing skills.
• Demonstrated project management, organizational skills, and detail orientation. Must be able to balance significant complexity and competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to exercise a high degree of discretion in dealing with confidential information in accordance with University policies and FERPA regulations.
• Ability to attend meetings and events across campus.
• Ability to travel occasionally as needed outside of campus to attend conferences, trainings, and/or meetings with stakeholders and external vendors, although travel outside the university is expected to be limited to one or two times a year.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s in Higher Education 3-5 years of experience.
• Track record of success in a higher education environment and/or deep familiarity with programs and fields connected to Architecture, Art, Planning, Design or Real-Estate.

This is a three-year term, full-time, on-site position based in Ithaca, NY, with salary commensurate with education and experience. This position may be eligible for renewal based on performance, continued funding, and organizational need. No relocation assistance can be provided for this position. Visa sponsorship is not available

Rewards and Benefits:

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay.
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.
• Our leave provisions include three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell

Application Procedure: 

When applying through our system, please remember to attach your application materials (Resume and Cover Letter) in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. In the Experience Section of your application, use the "Drop Files Here" box to manually drag document(s) into your application. For a more detailed description and instructions on how to apply online, please click here as an external candidate.

NOTE: Cornell employees must apply through the Internal Cornell Career site.  

• Relocation assistance is not available for this position.
• No visa sponsorship is available for this position.
• This is a three-year term, full-time, on-site position based in Ithaca, NY.

   

University Job Title:

Student Svc Assoc II

   

Job Family:

Student Services

   

Level:

F

   

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

   

Pay Range:

$72,209.00 - $77,625.00

   

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid

   

Company:

   

Contact Name:

Samantha Pennell

   

Contact Email:

[email protected]

   

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

Current Employees:

If you currently work at Cornell University, please exit this website and log in to Workday using your Net ID and password. Select the Career icon on your Home dashboard to view jobs at Cornell.

Online Submission Guidelines:

Most positions at Cornell will require you to apply online and submit both a resume/CV and cover letter.  You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website.

Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected].

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected].

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [email protected].

Notice to Applicants:

Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

2026-06-23