Director, Student Disability Access Center

The Student Disability Access Center (SDAC) at the University of Virginia strives to build an equitable academic experience for students with disabilities and provide creative solutions to any physical, digital, and attitudinal barriers. SDAC works to empower students with disabilities by taking a proactive approach to providing accommodations, working relationships with faculty, educational workshops, assistive technology, and collaboration across the university community. SDAC is seeking a Director with management experience to provide leadership and oversight for this comprehensive disability services program.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated knowledge of disability services at the collegiate level and have extensive knowledgeable about best practices in providing appropriate disability-related accommodations within a rigorous educational program. It Is expected that the Director will create and maintain a vision for the office, establish a strategic direction, determine an appropriate annual budget, supervise personnel, maintain appropriate legal/ethical documentation, provide education/consultation to campus partners, and advocate for an inclusive learning environment for all students. The Director serves as a primary resource to educate, train, and guide the University in understanding disability access, rights, and responsibilities. Responsibilities include collaborative leadership within the Student Affairs Division, the Department of Student Health & Wellness, and the University comprised of 12 distinct schools.

Duties include:

1. Overseeing the daily operations of the SDAC, including determining eligibility and implementing academic accommodations for students with disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, as Amended, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

2. Supervising responsibility for personnel within SDAC, including Associate/Assistant Directors, Accessibility Specialists, research professionals, administrative staff, and various graduate assistants, student employees, and practicum students.

3. Developing effective policies, procedures, and programs, including but not limited to accommodation processes, test proctoring services, educational services, meaningful student-centered programming, faculty trainings, etc.

4. Serving on the Department of Student Health & Wellness Leadership team. Effectively collaborate within the other units within the Department, and throughout the Division of Student Affairs and the University at large.

5. Clearly communicating with vital stakeholders, such as students, parents, faculty, and administration.
6. Creating and implementing a strategic plan for SDAC, Department of Student Health & Wellness, and the University at large related to students with disabilities.

7. Maintaining a caseload of students. Duties would include reviewing documentation and determining appropriate accommodations on an individualized basis. Collaborating as part of overall SDAC accommodation services team on case management and program development, and providing assistance and advisement to SDAC staff as needed.

8. Monitoring and reporting aspects of data tracking and assessment related to SDAC services on a regular basis, including caseload statistics, identifying data trends, regular surveys of students and faculty, etc. Reporting duties also include mandated reporting to institutional assessment and SCHEV.

9. Managing the SDAC budget, including operational budget, disability-related accommodation budget, and local accounts.

10. Maintaining a thorough knowledge of best practices, via active membership in such organizations as Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), Virginia Higher Education Accessibility Partners (VHEAP), of the issues pertaining to implementation of disability accommodations, ADA compliance, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

11. Providing interpretation, assistance and information in coordination with University legal counsel on the legal rights of person with disabilities as well as the institutional responsibilities when implementing these laws and related policies to faculty, staff, and administrators.

12. Acting as an integral part of informal and formal grievance procedures, in coordination with the Chief Accessibility Officer, Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR), and General Counsel.

13. Acting as community liaison, maintaining cooperative working relationships across Grounds by:

• Promoting trainings and programs for students, faculty, and staff regarding disability access, rights, and responsibilities as well as Disability Awareness.
• Serving on campus committees (e.g., Barrier-Free Access Committee, Digital Accessibility, Disability Advocacy Committee). The incumbent will serve on the Leadership Committee at Student Health and Wellness (SHW). The Director will be expected to participate in any departmental projects such as AAAHC accreditation or implementation of the electronic medical record.

14. Advising/providing guidance to students, faculty, and departments on appropriate and recommended reasonable academic accommodations as well as the workplace accommodations in collaboration with EOCR.

15. Administrating various disability-related scholarships in collaboration with the Alumni Association and Student Council.

16. Continuing to address the issue of elevating the visibility and priority of disability services for the SDAC and those with disabilities on grounds in coordination with the Chief Accessibility Officer by using a number of strategies including increasing outreach activities.

17. Additional duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as Amended, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to adapt to changing regulatory and legal changes.
• Demonstrated understanding of best practices in disability services, accessible technologies, and ADA standards.
• Demonstrated successful supervisory experience.
• Experience in working with a wide variety of accessibility needs.
• Demonstrated intercultural competence, and a continuing commitment to advance equity, inclusion, and social justice practices in support of a diverse community.
• Demonstrated integrity and ability to handle complex, sensitive, and confidential issues.
• Ability to build trusting relationships with all constituencies within the university community.
• Experience in developing and facilitating professional training for students, faculty, and staff.
• Strong organizational and program development skills.
• Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with diverse populations.
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in rehabilitation counseling, counseling psychology, social work, special education, higher education or related field.
• Candidates will have a minimum of five years of relevant experience.
• Experience working with individuals with disabilities.
• Progressive experience in coordinating compliance with ADA and related accessibility laws and regulations in higher education.
• Supervisory experience and experience providing strategic and thoughtful leadership to a team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. preferred

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and the minimum salary for this role is $110,000 . Employment is contingent on successful completion of a background check and drug screen. This is an exempt-level position with UVa benefits . Employees’ benefits package highlights include:

• 22 days of paid time off, increasing with service; 13+ paid holidays each year, in addition to paid time off
• Parental and Community Service Leave
• Health plan with options to meet healthcare and financial needs available immediately
• Retirement benefits
• Tuition and professional development benefits after six months of employment
• Employee wellness program featuring activities to earn up to $500/year.

This position will not sponsor applications for immigration. This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

To Apply:

Please apply through the UVA job board , and complete an application online. Internal applicants please search "Find Jobs" in Workday. Include the following documents:

• A CV/resume
• A cover letter
• Contact information for three references (name, email address, telephone number, and address).

The position is open until filled. Applications that do not contain all of the required documents will not receive full consideration. References will be completed via UVA’s standardized process SkillSurvey. A total of five references will be requested via SkillSurvey during the final phase of the interview process. A minimum of three is required. For questions about the application process, please contact Michele Jarman , Academic Recruiter.

Located in central Virginia, the University of Virginia is a highly selective public research institution with a major commitment to undergraduate education. The student experience is grounded in the institutional core values of academic rigor, health and wellness, honor, public service, and student self-governance. For more information about the University of Virginia click here .

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Click here to read more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.