Associate Director of Accessibility

The Associate Director of Accessibility is a professional position that reports to the Interim Executive Director of Career and Academic Success to provide strategic and transformational leadership through challenging and supporting students to Go Beyond™.  As Stetson has made a commitment to inclusion, this position will be pivotal in helping to ensure that all students with disabilities have equal access to the educational programs that Stetson has to offer, as well as empower those students to be independent, successful, and confident learners. This position also works with the Director of Academic Success to shape and carry out the vision for the department. As part of a collaborative and connected university, the Associate Director works synergistically with departments within Campus Life and Student Success (CLaSS), the university in its entirety, and faculty and academic leaders from all of Stetson's educational programs in the development and implementation of programs to challenge and support students, specifically those students with disabilities.  

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

·    Serves as the official 504 Coordinator for Stetson University (position required for the institution by the ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act) 

·    Takes part in campus efforts to increase accessibility for the entire student body, such as advocating for increased physical accessibility on campus, as well as providing opportunities for students not registered with Academic Success to use adaptive software

·    Contributes to social justice education initiatives to promulgate the aspect of disability as a facet of diversity on our campus and work in general to increase inclusion on campus

·    Serves as an information resource for students, faculty, staff, and parents in matters related to disabilities, universal design, and best practices of learning acquisition for students with disabilities

·    Reviews and accepts disability documentation, assess the need for and authorizes accommodations through documentation review, as well as meeting with students in a one-on-one introductory interview

·    Communicates and collaborates with appropriate college departments, faculty, and staff to coordinate and implement services

·    Stays current on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the ADA, Universal Design, adaptive equipment and software, and best practices for institutions of higher education in providing services for students with disabilities

·    Ensures quality content-based and general academic skill-building support meets the changing needs of the Stetson student body

·    Implements and monitors targeted individual and group outreach efforts (e.g., student alerts within Stetson Student Success Collaborative (SSC) and midterm deficiency outreach)

·    Assesses data related to student offerings and provides data-driven recommendations to the Director of Academic Success on strategic changes to available services

·    Contributes leadership to the growing Academic Success team to include strategizing for staff development, interpersonal connections of the team, and strategic planning for the department

·    Provides success coaching to students

·    Perform outreach efforts in response to student alerts within Stetson Student Success Collaborative (SSC)

·    Creates and manages efficient operating systems and protocols for Academic Success

·    Maintains and implements new programs to enhance and ease the transition to and from college for students with disabilities

·    Research opportunities for grants and work collaboratively with the Office of Grants, Sponsored Research, and Strategic Initiatives to apply for grants

·    Performs other intentional duties that contribute to the University mission as assigned, including shared governance through community work

·    Promotes diversity within the units and supports existing University programs designed to create a welcoming environment while ensuring academic success for all students

·    Other duties as assigned

INTER-DIVISIONAL COLLABORATION:

This position will closely collaborate with many divisions on campus. This area is a dynamic, evolving division driven by transformational leadership and continuous improvement. We seek highly motivated team members, strategic thinkers, and relationship builders who thrive on shared governance. Our high expectations are matched by a robust professional development curriculum that promotes achievement and significance through self-assessment, reflection, and holistic goal setting. We actualize a philosophy of challenge and support grounded in liberal learning and development as it relates to student persistence and success. We are committed to facilitating student discovery and exploration consistent with the aims of a broad liberal arts education; offering impactful learning opportunities based on current research and empirical data; cultivating the unique strengths and perspectives of individual students; fostering global awareness, social justice values, and civic engagement; and providing a healthy and vibrant educational environment conducive to holistic well-being.

Minimum Education: Master's degree

Required Skills

·    Must have excellent computer skills and proficiency with main operating systems, such as the Microsoft Office Suite, and familiarity with assistive technology for students with disabilities

·    Must have excellent interpersonal skills and demeanor and work well with university faculty, staff, students, and the public

·    Ability to be flexible in one's-work assignments

·    Ability to compose, edit and proofread documents

·    Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in writing and oral presentations

·    Ability to plan and organize one's work, to work independently with little or no supervision, and to work effectively in a team

·    Maintain appropriate records

·    Ability to understand the confidentiality of all information within the university
 

Required Experience

· Master's degree in a relevant field or equivalent  experience in a disability services position

·    Must have experience working with students with disabilities, specifically those in the post-secondary setting; as well as experience reading, evaluating, and interpreting disability documentation, such as psycho-educational evaluations

·    Must have a working knowledge of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and other appropriate laws pertaining to higher education and disability

·    Knowledge of good academic practices and ability to instruct and coach students in these skills

Salary Grade:  6

Completed COVID-19 Vaccine status required