Director, Student Accessibility Services

St.-John; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Director of Disability Services at St. John’s University provides leadership for the Office of Disability Services within the Department of Student Wellness on the Queens campus, supervising staff, managing a budget, and ensuring compliance with federal and state laws.

You will design data systems and coordinate across campuses. You will develop disability awareness curricula for faculty and staff, plan service delivery, supervise staff including student workers, and advocate for accessible

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or JD required; doctoral degree preferred in related field.
• 7-8 years of leadership in disability services.
• Proven track record of developing innovative programs for students with disabilities.
• Knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504, and amendments.
• Understanding of physical, cognitive, and emotional/mental impairments.
• Ability to interpret psychological assessments and determine accommodations.
• Awareness of best practices in adaptive technology.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead administration, organization, and daily operations of the disability services office.
• Set up and maintain a database system for tracking disability data and program impact.
• Supervise staff, including student workers and graduate assistants.
• Develop policies to improve services and ensure compliance with laws.
• Collaborate with HR, Facilities, and campus divisions on accessibility.

Skills

Leadership

Disability services

Budget management

Policy compliance

Collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Master’s degree or JD

Doctoral degree preferred

Job description

Reporting to and in consultation with the Assistant Vice President of Student Wellness, this position provides overall leadership, planning, and supervision for the disability support services function to ensure compliance in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations (e.g., Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990). The Director is responsible for designing and managing the data information systems, directing, and evaluating program activities, developing disability awareness curricula for faculty and staff, supervising professional and support staff, maintaining a caseload of students, and collaborating with all areas of the college. Responsible for managing the annual departmental budget.

The ODS is housed within the Department of Student Wellness at St. John’s University. The Department of Student Wellness engages in an integrated approach to wellness that fosters collaboration between Student Health Services, Wellness Education and Prevention, Center for Counseling and Consultation (CCC), Office of Student Accessibility Services (SAS), Campus Recreation, and Sexual violence Outreach, Awareness, and Response (SOAR). The Director will be based on and provide leadership and oversight to the ODS office on St. John’s flagship campus in Queens and oversee services for students attending its Staten Island campus.

Provide leadership in the administration, organization, and daily operations of the SAS office, including but not limited to the scheduling of service provision, and the maintenance of records and tracking systems.

• Set up and maintain a database system for monitoring and reporting on the number of students with disabilities, their needs, and the effectiveness of service delivery for program improvement purposes.
• Provide direct supervision of management of staff including student workers and GAs.
• Plan and implement effective policies and procedures to improve services and ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to the rights of students with disabilities.
• Promote understanding and awareness of programs, needs, and innovative services in the field of disability including but not limited to Universal Design; maintain current knowledge of legislation and technology related to disabled students’ programs and services.
• Develop a disability awareness curriculum for faculty and staff promoting enhanced disability inclusion, community awareness, and retention for students with disabilities.
• Develop and implement a plan for promoting ODS programs and services to students, parents, and faculty including the development of marketing materials, updating the website, social media, etc.
• Review documentation of disability, including psychological, medical, academic, and educational assessments, and recommend reasonable accommodations for students for both academic programs and residence life housing needs.
• Oversee requests for Emotional Support Animals and manage Committee on Service and Assistance Animals.
• Coordinate services and equipment necessary for reasonable accommodation, as well as work with third-party vendors when relevant to providing assistive technology, note-takers, transcription services sign language interpreters, etc.
• Identify and implement assistive technology resources to ensure students with disabilities have access to university curricula and programs.
• Develop and implement program orientations and other transition and success activities for students with disabilities and their parents.
• Identify and collaborate with public and private entities that provide services, assistance, or information to students with disabilities, including other postsecondary institutions, social service agencies, secondary schools, etc.
• Assist in college efforts to ensure that all programs and services are accessible and consult with Human Resources, Facilities, and all other college divisions regarding campus and program accessibility.
• Act as a liaison, advocate, and resource person for students with disabilities.
• Identify sources of grant funding and scholarship programs for students with disabilities.
• Manage annual departmental budget.
• Other duties as assigned by the Assistant Vice President of Student Wellness.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with colleagues in an environment that promotes innovation, teaching, learning, and service to a diverse student population.
• Ability to effectively interact with persons of diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.
• Ability to work with community agencies that serve people with disabilities. Ability to apply legal and policy provisions to various problems consistently and correctly.
• Ability to manage categorical budgets and grants.
• Ability to work with interruptions, frequent deadlines, and multiple assignments.
• Knowledge of federal and state laws as they pertain to working with students with disabilities in an educational setting.
• Knowledge of accommodations and support services typically provided to students with disabilities in higher education.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or JD required, doctoral degree preferred in Special Education, Psychology, Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, or related field.
• 7-8 years of experience in leadership developing, coordinating, and managing disability-related services
• Proven track record of developing innovative programs that strengthen the quality of services provided to students with disabilities.
• Knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Sections 504 and Amendments
• Understanding of physical, cognitive, and emotional/mental impairments
• Ability to comprehend and interpret psychological assessments, disability documentation, and diagnostic testing and determine appropriate reasonable accommodations.
• Awareness of best practices of adaptive technology
• Strong oral and written communication skills