Director of Accessibility Services

Director of Accessibility Services

This position is an on-campus, full-time, exempt, 12-month, administrative appointment based in Champaign, Illinois with an annual salary of $82,817.66.

Application Close Date/Time: Wednesday, April 2nd, at 7PM CDT

The Director of Accessibility Services is responsible for ensuring compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This role includes overseeing and managing the daily operations of Accessibility Services, as well as planning and coordinating the provision of academic accommodations and support services for students with documented disabilities. The Director evaluates and interprets psychoeducational and medical reports to determine eligibility for services, while also providing training and support for employees. Additionally, the Director offers personal, academic, and vocational guidance to students, establishes, and maintains strong working relationships with campus community members, external agencies, and District 505 high schools. The Director advocates for students registered with Accessibility Services and fosters an institutional commitment to supporting students with disabilities.

Applicants must submit:

• An online employment application
  
• Cover letter
  
• Resume or CV
• Copy of official transcripts from the institution where you received your highest degree. If hired, certified official transcript is required.

Essential Job Functions:

• Actively participate in disability related professional organizations to keep abreast of current best practices. While maintaining up-to-date knowledge of disability legislation, case law, and emerging issues in disability services.
  
• Serve as a resource and consultant for faculty and staff to ensure access to programs and services for prospective and current students who self-identify with Accessibility Services.
  
• Represent accessibility services on applicable college committees and provide regular presentations to the campus community and information related to accessibility, which may include presentations for "Welcome Back Week, President's Breakfast, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning," and departmental meetings. This will also include making recommendations on materials and accessibility best practices.
• Cultivate and enhance processes to facilitate and provide disability related accommodations and services for all college programs including degree and certificate programs, individual classes, Adult Education, Early College, and Community Education.
  
• Provide assessments of the overall needs of students with disabilities and plan, develop, and implement a comprehensive program of services and accommodations to address the needs of students with disabilities.
  
• Develop and manage the department budget.
  
• Hire, supervise, develop, and evaluate staff.
  
• Support, guide and train staff to advise a caseload of students with disabilities on appropriate accommodations, strategies for success in the college environment, collaborating with instructors, and campus and community supports. This will include training on proper use of assistive technology and work with Campus Technologies for troubleshooting adaptive equipment.
  
• Monitor and evaluate all aspects of the office including software for documentation, tracking, and reporting; receiving documentation; evaluation of documentation; approving accommodations; addressing concerns with accommodations; fundamental alteration of the course review; customer service; and testing.
  
• Direct the research and implementation of emerging assistive technology on an ongoing basis through collaborations with Campus Technologies and Professional Development and Instructional Technology department services.
  
• Analyze accessibility strengths and weaknesses and help prioritize goals to enhance accessibility and facilitate the process to transition students with disabilities into college.
  
• Establish and enhance processes to expedite and provide disability related accommodations and services for on-campus and off-campus events for visitors of and participants in Community Education, summer camps and community events such as art gallery, planetarium, commencement, and sports events.
  
• Serve as the liaison with rehabilitation agencies, community resources, and organizations, and making referrals as appropriate.
  
• Coordinate outreach activities for high school students and respond to inquiries from prospective students, parents, and community agencies and act as a liaison with high school staff to support college courses for students with disabilities.
  
• Other duties as assigned.
  

Minimum Requirements:

• Master's degree in counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, Special Education, Psychology, or related discipline and 5 years of relevant professional experience.
  
• Experience instructing, counseling, evaluating, or coordinating services for adolescents and/or adults with disabilities. With comprehensive knowledge of physical, psychological, neurological, and learning disabilities.
  
• Experience interpreting psychoeducational reports.
  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively present to both large and small groups, actively listen, and respond appropriately.
  
• Demonstrated expertise in leading, coordinating, and supervising teams to achieve organizational objectives.
  
• Proven expertise in independently and collaboratively researching, developing, and implementing strategic plans.
  
• Proficient in Microsoft Office software with the ability to learn the Parkland information system and adapt to new programs as technology progresses.
  
• Must successfully pass a criminal background check with fingerprinting.
  
• In an effort to comply with SURS return-to-work restrictions for employers (40 ILCS 5/15-139.5), candidates for employment at Parkland College must either not be a SURS annuitant or must be willing to suspend his/her SURS annuity upon employment. This applies to all SURS annuitants except those receiving their annuity under either the Self-Managed Plan (SMP) or by lump sum payment.

Robust benefits, including medical insurance with no monthly premiums, dental, life, disability, retirement plans, flexible spending, dependent care, EAP, work/life balance with generous paid time off, and tuition waiver. More information on the benefits package may be found online at our Benefits page.

Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Applications not submitted through https://www.parkland.edu/careers will not be considered.

Please monitor your email, including spam or junk mail folders, for future correspondence from Parkland College Human Resources.
For further information on the application process, please contact Parkland College Human Resources at 217-351-2220.

Applicants with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process.

Requests may be submitted by contacting Human Resources at 217-351-2220 or by emailing hr@parkland.edu.

Equal Opportunity Employer