Bard College

Director of Disability Resources and Accessibility

Employer Website: https://apply.interfolio.com/83616
Bard College seeks a Director of Disability Resources and Accessibility.  The primary role of the Director is to work with students who self-identify as having a disability (learning, psychological, physical) and are requesting accommodations in order to have access to the programs and services of the College. The Director will employ a dynamic, iterative process to coordinate academic and non-academic support services and programs.  This includes reviewing and assessing documentation; determining eligibility for services and reasonable accommodations; arranging classroom, testing, and other accommodations for qualified students; and collaborating with faculty, staff of the Center for Student Life & Advising and the Learning Commons academic support center, and other campus constituencies to implement support strategies for students. This is a full-time, 12 month per year position.  The successful candidate will excel at working in a community that is broadly diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, gender identity, nationality, sexual orientation, and religion and will demonstrate an awareness of how these issues intersect with those of disability and access. An interest in and appropriate experience for teaching an occasional course about disability and accessibility (pending administrative approval) will also be considered a plus.   

Bard College’s main campus is in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., with 1,900 undergraduate students. The College also includes multiple graduate programs. The 1,000-acre campus sits along the Hudson River and offers the Fisher Performing Arts Center and Hessel Museum of Art. 

The Bard Network also includes several Bard High School Early Colleges across the country and the Bard Prison Initiative, the largest college-degree-granting prison education program in the U.S., as well as international campuses and partnerships. Bard College is a private institution working in the public interest. Bard faculty and staff lead their students by example, building on the existing network of boundary-breaking programs focused on rethinking who can and should have access to a liberal arts education. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: 

• Review and assess student paperwork and documentation
• Meet with students to develop reasonable accommodation plans and provide accommodation letters each semester at student request, which includes providing verification letters for study abroad programs and graduate school exams
• Advocate for students to help ensure appropriate accommodations are available both in and out of the classroom
• Communicate and clarify accommodation parameters with faculty and campus departments to help ensure student access
• Develop innovative practices to create services for students in collaboration with campus constituents
• Support students in connecting to other support resources on campus, as well as help them practice and hone their self-advocacy skills
• Obtain and create accessible format course materials for qualified students with print-based disabilities
• Maintain a lending library of assistive technology and provide training to students on assistive technology
• Collaborate with the 504 Coordinator on compliance and grievance processes
• Keep up-to-date on changing laws related to disability and accessibility, developments in assistive technology, and appropriate responsiveness to emergent trends to apply best practices and keep campus constituents up-to-date
• Organize proctoring services for students who qualify for accommodated testing
• Work with Residence Life and Housing for disability-related special circumstance housing requests
• Meet with prospective and accepted students and their families
• Organize pre-arrival visits for incoming students who may need extra transition support
• Manage institutional reporting
• Consult with graduate programs and international programs

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES: 

• The successful candidate will have 3-5 years’ experience in disability service provision in a college setting 
• Master’s Degree in Education, Psychology, or a related field is preferred
• Candidate should have familiarity with the Social Model of Disability as well as the ability to meet the guidelines provided by AHEAD
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, problem-solving, written, and oral communication skills
• In-depth knowledge of disability, Universal Design for Learning, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and awareness of updates and changes to the law
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a range of individuals across the college; proven ability to provide training to students, faculty, and staff
• Attention to detail and ability to understand complex legal matters and maintain confidentiality
• Knowledge of small, liberal arts institutions preferred
• Ability to build relationships with and support a student body that is broadly diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, gender identity, nationality, sexual orientation, and religion
• Awareness of the principles of disability justice a plus

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time and work in standard office environment 
• Must be able to occasionally lift 20 pounds 
• Must be able to work occasional weekends and evenings as needed 

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and the names of three references through Interfolio at http://apply.interfolio.com/83616.  In your cover letter, please address how you view accessibility as part of a broader commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Bard College is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from those who contribute to our diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, mental, or physical disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, familial status, veteran status, or genetic information. Bard is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for all individuals in employment practices, services, programs, and activities.
 

AA/EOE