General Scope of Duties
Connecticut College is conducting a national search for a Director of Student Accessibility Services. The director will manage the operations of Student Accessibility Services to include developing best practices and implementing policies and procedures. Determine eligibility for students who claim a disability and/or special needs services, recommend and coordinate reasonable accommodations for equal access to academic and nonacademic activities. Provide direct services to students with documented disabilities as well as to other students at the recommendation of the dean. Collaborate regularly with college constituencies and professional disability network to continue to develop student disability awareness and services on campus. Compensation includes an excellent benefits package.
General Duties and Responsibilities
The director will be responsible for maintaining a caseload of students with disabilities/accessibility needs: determine eligibility for students who claim a disability and/or special needs services, recommend and coordinate reasonable accommodations for equal access to academic and nonacademic activities. Provide direct services to students with documented disabilities as well as to other students at the recommendation of the associate dean. The director will collaborate regularly with college constituencies and professional disability networks to continue to develop student disability awareness and services on campus; maintain accurate records in a confidential manner in keeping with FERPA and ADA requirements; maintain contact with class deans regarding individual students, and collaborate with them to provide support and accountability. Collaborate with Admission Department and meet with prospective students and their parents.
The director will collaborate with Faculty and Staff: develop and maintain a working relationship with faculty and administrative personnel across campus, serving as a resource for faculty and staff as they work to meet the academic needs of students with disabilities; consult individually with faculty as they implement accommodations and support students with varying needs; collaborate with faculty to promote classroom strategies associated with accessibility. Additonally, the director will be responsible for legal compliance: monitor alignment of Connecticut College policies and practices with disability law, regulations, and industry best practices, and must remain current with higher education issues and trends related to disability through individual study and participation in professional organizations.
Supervise the Student Accessibility Services Coordinator and assumes ultimate responsibility for student aides and other student employees.
Meet with students who have claimed a disability as well as with other interested students to provide information and advise regarding accessibility services and related resources both within and outside the college.
Review documentation to determine eligibility for accessibility services and accommodations.
Work with individual students to identify disability-related barriers and strategies for mitigating them through accommodation and the development of compensatory strategies.
Provide direct services to students with documented disabilities, including advising and strategy development, as well as to other students at the recommendation of the dean.
Inform faculty of the procedures they and disabled students must follow in arranging for accommodations.
Maintain and continue to explore efficiencies and end user interface with AIM (department database)
Consult with deans, department heads, faculty, administrators, and staff to ensure that students receive appropriate accommodations.
Maintain contact with college constituencies (faculty, administrators, staff, students), professional organizations, and disability agencies in order to take advantage of available resources for continued development of student disability awareness and services on campus.
Provide institutional leadership to foster equitable higher education experiences for disabled individuals.
Foster collaboration on disability issues among key administrative personnel (e.g., deans, registrar, facilities, information technology, campus legal counsel, human resources).
Work collaboratively with academic affairs on the development, review, and revision of policies regarding program modifications (e.g., course substitutions, extension of academic deadlines).
Participate on campus CARE team.
Support campus events and initiatives that foster dialogue, understanding, and exploration of anti-ableism, disability history, and disability culture.
Foster opportunities for disabled students, faculty, and staff to contribute to campus decision-making processes.
Provide information and training to faculty, staff, and administrators regarding institutional policies and procedures for ensuring equitable experiences for disabled students.
Note
Connecticut College is committed to fair and competitive compensation. The final offer will reflect the candidate’s experience, education, and the institution’s pay structure to ensure internal equity.
Applicant Credentialing
Thorough applicant credentialing will be conducted on the selected candidate which will include criminal records check, DMV check and depending on the position psychological exam and pre-placement physical.
