Director, Disability Resources and ADA/504 Coordinator

Job Summary

The Director and ADA/504 Coordinator contributes to the provision of resources in order to facilitate the University's compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding the provision of services to persons with disabilities (e.g., Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1073 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990). The Director and ADA/504 Coordinator oversees the intake of requests by students for reasonable accommodations, interprets medical documentation, determines and provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, thus facilitating equal access to programs, services, and facilities on all Drexel University campuses.

The Director and ADA/504 Coordinator serves as a critical partner in leading and coordinating efforts within the Drexel community to promote and maintain an inclusive environment that supports the success and the individual rights of all students, including individuals those with disabilities. The Director and ADA/504 Coordinator works collaboratively with the Associate Vice President for Student Success on outreach efforts with and education of campus partners and serves on various committees to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are met. The Director assists the Associate Vice President in identifying the need for and envisioning, developing and implementing programs, policies, and systems that enhance the experience of people with disabilities.

Essential Functions

• Compliance
  
  
  
  • Oversee the provision of reasonable accommodations to students and campus guests with disabilities.
  • Serve as a resource regarding reasonable accommodations, disability rights, architectural barriers, curriculum access, local, state, and federal legislation, and increasing the level of understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities as an integral part of the campus community.
  • Assess risk management and ensure compliance with Section 504, 508 and the ADAAA.
  • Assist the Associate Vice President of Student Success with prompt and equitable resolution of complaints and grievances.
  • Serve as an advocate for students and campus guests with disabilities and work closely with Faculty and Staff to ensure accommodations are being provided under the ODR-1 Reasonable Accommodation of Individuals with Disabilities Policy.
  • Work closely with campus constituencies to ensure equal treatment and access of individuals with disabilities entitled to provisions under the ODR-2 Service and Assistance Animal Policy
  • Serve as primary liaison between Disability Resources team, General Counsel, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, and Student Conduct.
  
  
  
  
• Management and Leadership
  
  
  
  • Direct all aspects and operations of the Office of Disability Resources and monitor budget expenditures.
  • Critically examine systems, policies, services and functions of Disability Resources in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the office and to provide a positive experience for students working with Disability Resources.
  • Stay on top of best practices within the field through professional networks and implement them at Drexel.
  • Establish and maintain contact with external professional organizations and groups external, in order to identify best practices and to ensure the University's adherence to industry standards.
  • Develop and maintain positive collaborative relationships with University stakeholders to ensure that all students with disabilities are aware of and can access available resources and supports.
  • Assist the Associate Vice President of Student Success in creating and updating policies and practices of the office.
  • Design and conduct assessments for Disability Resources.
  • Analyze retention and graduation data for students to evaluate and inform the services and resources provided to students with disabilities to support their success at Drexel.
  • Maintain accurate and complete records of all requests through the electronic database (ClockWork) and filing system.
  • Supervise all professional staff and provide strategic oversight for daily office operations.
  • Oversee the operations in both University City Campus and Elkins Park Campus Testing Centers including the scheduling of student exams and indirect supervision of graduate student test proctors.
  • Manage inventories of Assistive Technology software, maintain contracts, licenses and monitor upgrades (JAWS, Kurzweil, CCTV, Dragon, ZoomText).
  • Serve as the point of contact for vendors providing note taking assistance and alternative format of textbooks and other materials.
  • Assist with the purchase of office goods and equipment.
  
  
  
  
• Provision of Accommodations.
  
  
  
  • Review documentation and approve reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.
  • Recruit, hire, and develop all Accommodation Coordinators.
  • Manage all requests by students (undergraduate and graduate) for reasonable accommodations University-wide.
  • Manage accommodation requests for campus guests and visitors (convocation, admissions events, commencement).
  • Determine reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities within the Human Resources office.
  • Manage requests for auxiliary aids and services (ASL, CART, Braille).
  • Manage medical clearance requests for students in clinical education.
  
  
  
  
• Outreach.
  
  
  
  • Gather student feedback and seek to understand the particular needs of students with disabilities to support their academic, social, and professional success at Drexel.
  • Liaise with student government leaders to increase awareness of and access to DR resources.
  • Partner with critical campus constituencies (Provost's office, SCDC, Law School, Medical School, Faculty Departments, OGC, Housing and Residence Life etc.) to determine reasonable accommodations and accommodation provisions.
  • Conduct outreach and education efforts, including presentations and collaborations with departments across the Drexel University campuses.
  • Participate in and coordinate staffing for University-wide efforts including: New Student Orientation, New Student Week Programming, Commencement, Admitted Student Weekends, Family Summer Chats, and New Faculty Orientation.
  
  
  
  
• Additional Responsibilities.
  
  
  
  • Research, develop and prepare recurring and ad hoc reports for the Associate Vice President or designee.
  • Assume other responsibilities as assigned by the Associate Vice President or designee.
  
  
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Master's Degree or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. (Please review the Equivalency Chart for additional information.)
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working in disability services.
• Working knowledge of relevant laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
• Expertise in managing medical and psychological documentation to identify appropriate accommodations within higher education.
• Proven leadership ability.
• Experience in managing crisis effectively and collaboratively.
• Experience working with/knowledge of the cultural implications of the delivery of services to individuals with disabilities.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends to support admissions events.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate degree.
• Experience managing/supervising professional staff.

Location

• University City - Philadelphia, PA

Additional Information
This position is classified as Exempt, grade M. Compensation for this grade ranges from $75,200 - $112,790 per year. Please note that the offered rate for this position typically aligns with the minimum to midrange of this grade, but it can vary based on the successful candidate's qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on Drexel's compensation framework. For information about benefits, please review Drexel's Benefits Brochure.

Special Instructions to the Applicant
Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.