Assistant Director, The Office of Disability Services

Working Title: Assistant Director, The Office of Disability Services

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Accessibility and Belonging

Department: 100170 - Office of Disability Services

Pay Rate: Pay Range

Specify Range or Amount: $54,000 - $59,000

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 01/13/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

Commitment to University Mission: Demonstrates a sense of responsibility for helping the university achieve success through a commitment to the university’s mission, vision, values and appropriate defining characteristics.
Leadership: Communicates effectively, shares vision, focuses on people, initiates positive change, values differences and fosters collaboration. Inspires others to achieve university, unit, and individual success. Challenges processes and is willing to break from the status quo to improve individual and unit performance.
Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates self-awareness, self-control, motivation, empathy, social skills and group work skills. Is known as trustworthy, understanding and helpful. Considerate. Works well on committees.
Professionalism/Judgment: Acts with integrity. Makes the right decision even when that may not be the most popular decision. Tactful. Coachable. Respects authority and the rights of others. Fair.
Execution: Identifies/addresses problem areas before they escalate into crises. Solves problems courageously and creatively, plans effectively and carries out those plans. Improves individual and unit performance. Manages ambiguity and is able to align unit and university values with performance. Is productive, demonstrating a strong work ethic and sense of ambition. Makes good use of resources. Accountable.
Professional Development: Committed to learning and growth. Pursues improvement and encourages and empowers others to learn.

Duties and Responsibilities:

#1: Direct Student Services

• Independently review disability documentation for eligibility and accommodation purposes. Engage in consultation, when appropriate.
  
  • Provide direct student services that include, but may not be limited to:
  • Initial intake consultations
  • Registration for services
  • Prompt response to student requests for accommodations
  • Assist with the identification and development of appropriate academic accommodations, auxiliary aids and services.
  • On-going disability-related support
  • Academic Coaching support, as needed
• Effective collaboration with appropriate university units to facilitate the coordination and timely provision of accommodations and services for students with disabilities.
• Support the Associate Directors with the fundamental alteration process.

#2: Graduate Assistant Supervision

• Hire and directly supervise ODS Accommodation Graduate Assistants, providing guidance, mentorship and support for them to fulfill their responsibilities (reviewing disability documentation, conducting initial intake consultations, registering students for services, timely communication with students and faculty, identifying appropriate academic accommodations, auxiliary aids and services, and other responsibilities as assigned).
• Independently provide training to the ODS Accommodation Graduate Assistants to facilitate their effective fulfillment of their responsibilities, in alignment with relevant departmental and university policies and procedures.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations of the ODS Accommodation Graduate Assistants, assessing strengths, areas for improvement, and goal attainment. Provide constructive feedback and establish action plans to address performance gaps and promote continuous growth.
• Provide collaborative support to the ODS Accommodation Graduate Assistants to provide developmental opportunities for them to problem-solve, make decisions, and coordinate services and accommodations for students with disabilities through liaising with faculty, staff, and other stakeholders as needed.

#3: Departmental & General Program Support

• Positive contribution toward, and participation in Disability Services mission, vision, values and objectives.
• Assist with and contribute toward departmental, and program planning and reporting processes.
• Provide general program support to Disability Services, as assigned. Support may include, but is not limited to:
  
  • Quality improvement and program development projects
  • Maintenance of confidential student records
• Support departmental assessment efforts
• Engage in design and delivery of staff training and development activities

#4: Outreach & Disability Awareness

• Provide key leadership and event management in cooperation with ODS Associate Director and colleagues in departmental leadership
• Represent and DS to prospective students and their parents.
• Provide training to faculty and staff, as requested.
• Represent DS to various local high school transition fairs/college exploration programs and coordinate efforts with other JMU units in outreach programs.
• ODS liaison for Screening & Referral program. Provide onsite supervision to Graduate Assistant and represent ODS in Triage meetings with ISLA.

#5: Supporting others in the JMU community

• Work collaboratively within academic and student affairs to enhance existing services
• Offers training on the role of ODS and disability issues across campus.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Master's Degree
• Candidate must demonstrate experience with disability services or similar field.
• A record of collaboration across functional work areas related to the field.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders across the University.
• A record of advocacy.
• Have a wealth of knowledge of the field of disability services, the accommodations process, current trends, and policies and laws associated with the work.

Additional Posting Information:

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.