Director of Disability, Access, and Technology

St. Olaf College•Northfield, MN

5d•$68,000 - $77,000•Onsite

About The Position

To promote full educational access to St. Olaf and related curricular and co-curricular opportunities for students with disabilities. This position manages Accommodations Information Management (AIM) technology, provides accommodations to a caseload of students, and provides leadership to the campus community in issues related to disability, disability culture, accessibility, universal design, ableism, etc. Works in close collaboration with the Director of Equal Opportunity to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local legal requirements (Section 504, ADA, etc.). Keeps abreast of changing regulations and laws around disability issues and creates policies to address any of those changes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree (Education/Special Education, Psychology, Social Work, or another relevant field and/or equivalent work experience in the provision of disability accommodations to students); maintain a valid driver’s license and meet St. Olaf College driver authorization criteria with a satisfactory driving record
5+ years of experience in providing accommodations to students with disabilities and collaborating with faculty
experience implementing computing support in assistive technology.
Experience working with Accomodation Case Management Software.
Knowledge of accessibility and how to implement accommodations.
Knowledge of disability documentation and legal requirements for the provision of disability services.
Knowledge of disability and the best practices to create inclusive environments for all students.
Knowledge of characteristics and dynamics of specific disabilities, particularly with bright and motivated students at the college level.
Knowledge and skills in a wide range of assistive technology (AT); commitment to professional development relating to AT; continually working to remain current with various technologies and options for students with disabilities.
Ability to recruit, hire, and train team members.
Ability to train individuals and groups to use and understand AT.
Ability to handle sensitive issues and maintain confidentiality.
Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.
Ability to successfully advocate for accessibility and universal design when possible.
Ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
Ability to train and supervise others.
Ability to lead the work of the Office of Disability and Accessibility.
Ability to handle unexpected and potentially emergency/crisis situations in consultation with Student Life personnel.
Skill in completing tasks accurately and with attention to detail.
Skill in reflective listening to students, parents, and campus partners.
Skill in providing customer service to students (and, when appropriate, their families).
Ability to maintain accurate records.
Ability to work collaborative and independently under time constraints.
Ability and willingness to understand the selective, liberal arts college environment.
Ability and willingness to engage in professional growth through professional organizations/development opportunities; willingness to pursue and apply additional training and information in an evolving field.
Ability and willingness to support, respect, and commit to embracing diverse backgrounds, values, and points of view to build a strong and inclusive community including faculty, staff, students, and constituents.

Nice To Haves

7+ years of experience in providing accommodations to students with disabilities and collaborating with faculty
experience in successfully collaborating with faculty to support Universal Design for Learning and accessible instructional design.

Responsibilities

Supervise staff responsible for disability and access services, including an Accommodations Coordinator, in addition to the Access Specialists.
Hire, train, and retain staff to provide disability and accessibility services to students.
Responsible for creating and managing a yearly department budget to meet the needs of the office .
Supervise the Accommodations Coordinator as they provide administration of alternative testing for students with testing accommodations.
Manage the assistive technology budget and policies.
Collaborate with Residence Life, Parking, and Dining to provide accommodations for students, and with the Student Accounts to ensure accommodations are not billed.
Represent the work of the office and disability culture to the wider campus through participation in college-wide committees, working groups, meetings, etc..
Responsible for providing education to the campus community around issues of disability and accessibility.
Work with other offices and divisions on revising policies, procedures, or practices that might not be in compliance with federal, state, or internal goals and guidelines.
Provide consultation to other offices, divisions, and faculty on best practices to meet applicable accessibility guidelines.
Collaborate with the Vice President for Community and Belonging and the division’s directors to accomplish divisional goals.
Provide leadership and vision for the Office of Disability and Access Services.
Monitor alignment of St. Olaf’s accommodation policies and practices with disability law, regulations, and industry best practices, including accessible technology; implement changes as necessary.
Maintain a caseload of students with disabilities: conduct student intake interviews, determine and communicate academic accommodations, advise individual students regarding petitions to fulfill the FOL General Education Requirement by alternate means, and provide coaching and accessibility services to individual students with disabilities; maintain accurate records in a confidential manner in alignment with FERPA and ADA requirements.
Serve on the Care & Concern team.
Frequently collaborate with partners in Facilities, Residential Life, Public Safety, and other departments to ensure proper accommodations are being implemented.
Provide support to other offices as they work and support students with disabilities.
Collaborate with Admissions and meet with prospective students and their parents.
Consult individually with faculty as they implement accommodations and support students with disabilities.
Manage the design, schedule, and implementation of faculty and staff development programs geared toward implementing accommodations, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), supporting and teaching students with disabilities.
Remain current with higher education issues, trends, and assistive technology related to disability through individual study and participation in professional organizations (e.g., MNAHEAD, AHEAD, IAAP, etc.).
Regularly update the VPCB regarding issues, trends, or needs in relationship to the work of the office or disability culture in general.
Manage Disability and Access software and database administration.