Disability and Retention Specialist

EVANGEL UNIVERSITY•Springfield, MO

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Disability and Retention Specialist is the primary contact for disability services, including new student intake interviews, student tracking, record-keeping, and ensuring accommodations are being effectively provided; evaluating documentation for disability accommodations requests; and handling administrative functions for Academic Support. Additionally, the Specialist provides outreach and academic coaching services to students otherwise identified as “at-risk”.

Requirements

Strong ability to assess student needs in the academic setting.
Knowledge of disability support services in a post-secondary setting, including providing support services and academic accommodations to students.
Familiarity with legislation relating to disability access in post-secondary settings.
Ability to foster positive relationships with students and instructors, as well as various administrative university personnel.
Ability to facilitate effective communication between students and faculty.
Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
Ability to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously.
Ability to administer goals, objectives, and activities within student interaction.
Ability to work autonomously.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Ability to supervise student workers.
Familiarity with basic computers skills and programs.
Experience working with college-age students.

Responsibilities

Providing disability services with an emphasis on securing the best outcomes for students; including: Performing initial assessment of student needs and referral to specialists for evaluation if necessary, Establishing an individualized education plan with the student, Encouraging and developing appropriate self-advocacy skills in students, Assisting the student in communication with faculty, Networking and consulting with faculty on an individual basis to come to solutions for students with disabilities, Maintaining confidential file for disability students, including record of contact, medical and/or psychological reports, and other pertinent data, Developing and maintaining handbooks and other guidance materials for students, faculty, and staff regarding disability support services.
Communicating approved accommodations with students and faculty members.
Maintaining effective communication with faculty and consulting with them regularly on ways to meet the individual learning needs of students with disabilities.
Researching best practices and on-going developments in the field of disability support services, including methodological, technological, and legal developments.
Consultation with necessary parties, to include the Director of the Center for Student Success, the Housing Office, the Office of the Provost, the Office of Student Development, individual faculty members, and other offices as applicable, to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable legislation, as needed.
Assisting the Assistant Director with academic outreach, interventions, and academic success planning for students on academic probation.
Contributes to decisions on academic suspension appeals, as needed.
Also assists the Assistant Director with formal withdraw processes when students leave the university, as needed.
Providing outreach services to students who are underperforming or identified as generally “at-risk”.
Meeting with “at-risk” students to assess individual need.
Establishing rapport with students by promoting a friendly and caring atmosphere.
Advising students on effective use of accommodations (if necessary), self-advocacy skills, and/or other academic support needs and skill development.
Tracking student achievement and identified areas of difficulty for early intervention by the Center for Student Success.
Serving on EU Care Team committee as representative for disability support/CSS.
Coordinating testing accommodations with the Testing Center, including serving as reader and/or scribe as needed.
Consultation with the Housing Office to evaluate the documentation supporting requests for emotional support animals as an accommodation in EU housing.
Developing and maintaining a Student Handbook for Students with Disabilities.
Ensuring continued compliance with the American Disabilities Act and other applicable legislation.
Developing and maintaining online web resources for disability services, retention, and persistence.
Coordinating with the Assistant Director of the Center for Student Success for regular maintenance of retention and persistence reports.
Performing other duties as assigned by the Director of the Center for Student Success.
Foster a positive environment within the Parents and Families Facebook page; approving new members, monitoring and approving parent posts, providing feedback to general questions, as needed.