Director of Disability Services

Description of Earlham:

Earlham College is a Top 100 National Liberal Arts College located in Richmond, IN, a small city that’s just a short drive away from several major metropolitan areas—including Dayton, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Chicago.

Richmond and Earlham have a symbiotic relationship. Through research, studies, internships and volunteering, Earlhamites offer Richmond expertise and service as Richmond offers our students the chance to gain valuable, real-world experience. Our community assumes no religious affiliation but follows Quaker principles and practices, which include respect for persons, integrity, a commitment to peace and justice, simplicity, and consensus-based community decision-making. Earlham is committed to and proud of being a diverse and inclusive place most clearly visible in our student body: 20% of our student body are international, coming from 60+ nations in 2022, and 24% are domestic students of color. Faculty and staff also bring tremendous diversity to the College; many have lived and worked outside the United States, and they make a point of drawing on those experiences in their interactions with students. Additionally, Earlham makes it a priority to serve as a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ communities and has a four-star rating on the Campus Pride Index. Our community is characterized by respect for every person and a commitment to social justice. Equity and inclusion are central to Earlham's institutional priorities and our leadership is committed to widening the path to an Earlham education.

Position Summary:

Earlham College is accepting applications for the position of Director of Disability Services. This is a full-time, 11-month administrative faculty appointment.

The Director is the 504 Coordinator for students with disabilities, serves as the campus coordinator of Kurzweil 3000, administers the one-on-one tutoring program and provides academic skills assistance for undergraduate students. The Director is also an ex-officio member of the Academic Advisory Committee, Orientation Committee, and the Early Alert Team. As a member of the Student Life team, this position serves in the on-call rotation.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities :

Earlham College is seeking a knowledgeable, dynamic, motivated, and collaborative professional to serve as Director of the Office of Disability and Accessibility Services (ODAS) . As the Section 504/ADA Coordinator and campus administrator for accessibility services, the Director will provide oversight of programs and services that enhance the student experience with a specific focus on both the support and retention of students with disabilities and compliance with federal regulations. Committed to providing student-centered and integrated student support, this individual ensures that all students have equal access to participate in and benefit from curricular and co-curricular programs and services at Earlham College through reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities, learning and living strategy support, disability advocacy, academic and life skills workshops, and collaboration with other support services. Additionally, this person provides consultation to students, faculty, and staff on support of reasonable accommodations and diverse learning styles in academic and student life programs. This is a full-time, exempt-level position reporting to the Vice-President of Student Life and Dean of Students.

The Director of Disability and Accessibility Services is an ex-officio member of the Academic Advisory Committee, New Student Orientation Committee, and Early Alert Team. As a joint member of the Divisions of Student Life and Academic Affairs, this person reports to the Vice-President of Student Life and Dean of Students and the Associate Academic Dean of Students.

Department Overview

The Office of Disability and Accessibility Services (ODAS) is guided by the mission of Earlham College—to assist every student in discovering the teacher within. ODAS focuses its work on aiding and enhancing the broad range of academic skills necessary for student success. ODAS offers a variety of support services to all students including reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, individual learning strategy support (e.g., working sessions with students on time management, creating a schedule, and personal advocacy), academic and life skills workshops (e.g., effective studying and test-taking, strategic note-taking, reading with a purpose, campus living, and interpersonal conflict resolution), and advocacy support for students with disabilities in faculty meetings, student conduct processes, and referral to support services. With the goal of transformative student experiences, we understand the support and individualization needed to help students achieve their fullest potential. An accessible education is every student’s right. Serving students with and without disabilities alike, we believe that everyone encounters obstacles and challenges that can impede their educational access. It is for this reason that ODAS offers services to all Earlham students, working closely with our partners in the Quantitative Reasoning Center, Peer Tutoring Center, Writing Center, Residence Life, Health and Counseling Services, and the Offices of the Registrar and the Associate Academic Dean for Students, to ensure collaborative support toward successful graduation.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Evaluates and interprets disability documentation for eligibility determination and coordinates services for students with disabilities
  
  
• Adheres to federal regulations and institutional policies and procedures for providing individualized accommodations and equal access for students
  
  
• Implements reasonable accommodations consistent with current law and best practices within the field
  
  
• Writes Letters of Academic Accommodation for distribution from students with disabilities to faculty
  
  
• Writes Letters of Housing Accommodation for students with disabilities and coordinates with the Office of Residence Life for residential accommodations and assistance animals
  
  
• Meets with prospective students, current students, and family members to consult, review documentation, and discuss eligibility for reasonable accommodations.
  
  
• Supports campus partners in campus visits of prospective students with disabilities, incoming student orientation events, and faculty and staff trainings
  
  
• Acts as a disability advocate, meeting individually with students to discuss current accommodations, assessing need for reevaluation of accommodations, fostering student self-advocacy, and improving communication with faculty and staff throughout their academic journey
  
  
• Advocates for students with disabilities during the Academic Advisory Committee meetings for course load reduction or other academic consideration
  
  
• Advocates on behalf of students with faculty and staff to ensure proper facilitation of accommodations. Maintains close communication with Residence Life, Dining Services, Facilities, and Public Safety regarding the provision of housing, dining accommodations, and campus accessibility
  
  
• Serves as a liaison to the faculty and campus community on issues related to a range of disabilities, classroom and curriculum accommodations, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968
  
  
• Acts as a resource/referral for students, faculty, and staff, and develops resource lists as useful to students (e.g., community referral for psychological evaluation)
  
  
• Collaborates with the Divisions of Academic Affairs and Student Life on consultative support requests from faculty, staff, and students on disability-related matters and early alert concerns
  
  
• Collaborates with Athletics Staff for support of student-athletes with disabilities and aid in requests for course load reduction waiver per NCAA guidelines and institutional policy
  
  
• Develops curricula for academic and life styles workshops and leads presentations and small group sessions
  
  
• Provides psychosocial, academic, professional, and life skills support to students self-identified and referred through several referral and intervention processes
  
  
• Oversees coordination and execution of accommodations such as testing, note-taking, alternative academic material formats and texts, assistive technology, etc
  
  
• Learns, applies, and trains others to administer adaptive technologies
  
  
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of diagnostic and instructional methods and emerging technologies that help students with access and learning
  
  
• Maintains accurate and complete records for students receiving disability and accessibility services, properly documenting and maintaining confidentiality of student files
  
  
• Provides strategic leadership for the Office, engaging in goal-setting, program evaluation, and reporting as requested by the Vice-President of Student Life and Dean of Students or designate
  
  
• Develops and updates as needed web pages and essential publicity and educational materials for department services
  
  
• Manages the Disability Grievance Process for any complaint, coordinating with campus partners on a need-to-know basis and keeping informed the Vice-President of Student Life and Dean of Students and the Associate Academic Dean of Students
  
  
• Delegates tasks and supervises the work of staff and any student-workers
  
  
• Manages staff and student-worker timecards, vacation requests, and sick days
  
  
• Serves on College committees as assigned
  
  
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned such as special projects, programs, and developmental activities.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited college or university in Education, Special Education, Psychology, Social Work, Social Sciences, Human Services or related field required; Master’s degree from accredited college or university in Education, Special Education, Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, Human Services, Higher Education Administration or related field preferred
  
  
• Expert knowledge of disability laws and implications for higher education, including the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 required
  
  
• Development and provision of academic support workshops required
  
  
• 3 years of work experience with disability and/or accessibility resource and support required; certification of disability and administration of reasonable accommodation at the postsecondary level preferred
  
  
• 3 years of supervisory administrative experience in higher education preferred
  
  
• Student success survey and program evaluation preferred
  
  
• Policy writing experience preferred
  
  
• Be a positive example and resource to all Earlham Students
  
  

To Apply

• Please submit the following application materials through our Earlham Careers Portal:
  
  
• Cover letter - Please address your thinking and experience with matters of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, as it relates and specifically pertains to this position.
  
  
• Resume
  
  
• List of Three References with Contact Information
  
  

PLEASE NOTE: Applications for this position will be accepted through Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Earlham College requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or apply for and receive a qualified exemption within two weeks of the employment start date.

Earlham College is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse community, one that reflects the makeup of society at large and that particularly welcomes and supports individuals from groups that have been historically marginalized because of factors such as race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, and physical ability. The College strongly encourages applications from women and people of color. As an institution with a Quaker identity, the College also solicits applications from members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Earlham's Work Authorization Policy

Earlham utilizes E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility for all newly hired employees within the United States.