Director, Student Accessibility Services

Department:  Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS)

Job Title:  Director, Student Accessibility Services

The Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS), housed within the Division of Student Life, is the unit at USC responsible for ensuring equal access for students with disabilities in compliance with state and federal law. OSAS serves undergraduate, graduate, and professional students; on-ground and on-line students; and students in all credit-granting courses and programs of study. The office has a strong track record of supporting the professional growth of staff. This position is open due to the promotion of the former director to another role within the team.

The Director of Student Accessibility Services reports to the Associate Vice President, Disability Access and ADA Compliance and has primary responsibility for ensuring that USC complies with disability discrimination laws as they apply to students. The Director contributes significantly to policy and procedure review and revision and is a leader in developing strategies that facilitate student access and simplify processes and the implementation of new materials and methods. The position is responsible for managing OSAS operations and administrative functions, including, but not limited to, program development and assessment, budgets, policy implementation, and personnel administration and management of a large staff. This role is expected to collaborate with key campus partner entities (including, but not limited to, the Office of General Counsel, individual Schools, Undergraduate Programs, the Graduate School, Registrar, Crisis Management, Student Health Center, Residential Education, Housing, and Dining). The Director is both a practitioner and a leader, managing a team of 22 professional staff members who actively foster the full and meaningful inclusion of students with disabilities at the University.

This role has a hybrid schedule with at least three days per week spent on campus and two days working remotely.

Application Procedure:  Please include a cover letter with your CV/resume. It can be added to the application at the same time/place you add your CV/resume

Key Responsibilities:

• Directs the University's Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS), including the Testing Center, managing professional staff and ensuring that all processes and workflows are professional, efficient, and yield equitable access to university programs and services for students with disabilities.
• Facilitates a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that incorporates knowledge, respect, and the development of professional skills among staff and university constituents. Serves as a key campus resource in advancing Equity and Inclusion efforts as they relate to students with disabilities. Works with external partners and OSAS staff to continually advance a culture rooted in USC’s values of Integrity, Open Communication, Well-Being, Excellence, Integrity, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• Develops and implements a data strategy that allows for the accurate collection of internal data, measures progress towards Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and allows for assessment of outcomes; Produces an annual report; Partners with campus colleagues in various units to obtain complimentary data necessary to implement data strategy; ensure OSAS is actively contributing knowledge to the field through publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national conferences.
• Develops and administers overall department budget and ensures department's compliance with university financial policies and procedures.  Ensures appropriate governance structures for the privacy/security of records.
• Develops and implements processes to ensure professional, thorough, and efficient accommodation determinations based on best practices. Develops, manages, and delegates processes by which student caseloads are assigned to staff; oversees processes by which staff review student documentation. When necessary, carries a small case load and conducts intake appointments and makes accommodation decisions. Manages the OSAS grievance process, assigning files as appropriate. Responds as point of escalation contact for students, parents, faculty, and staff when cases must be referred beyond front-line staff.
• Oversees processes by which accommodations are implemented by staff within OSAS. Experienced, dedicated professional staff are assigned to areas that include, but are not limited to, accommodated testing, note taking, alternative text and assistive technologies, deaf and hard of hearing services, blind/low vision services, and clinical accommodation services.
• Collaboratively meets and confers with academic units and faculty, as needed, to determine essential requirements for courses.
• In consultation with the appropriate University partners, prepares, develops, implements, and responds to university policies and procedures that relate to students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Sections 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to persons with disabilities.
• Serves as liaison to the campus community on disability matters and participates in Division of Student Life and University committees as requested.
• Provides professional development and collegial support to OSAS staff and university colleagues by developing, implementing, and evaluating appropriate training programs as needed and/or requested.
• Maintains professional knowledge of laws, "best practices," and other factors that affect the provision of accommodations to students with disabilities in a university setting.
• Contributes to an effective departmental unit through the completion of projects in a timely, efficient, and proactive manner. Provides program review and assessments of programs as needed/requested.

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum Education

• Master’s degree in an appropriate field of study (including, but not limited to, Education/Special Education; Counseling; Higher Ed Administration, Psychology, Law)

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible managerial and lead experience in post-secondary Disability Services.
• Knowledge of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), other federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to persons with disabilities, and the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and lead a diverse staff in accomplishing established goals.
• Demonstrated ability to develop partnerships and effectively collaborate within a higher education setting to achieve goals and priorities.
• Excellent skills in communication (both verbal and written), leadership, resource planning, and organization.
• Commitment to diversity and equity-minded practices within an educational environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

Education

• Doctorate in an appropriate field of study (including, but not limited to, Education/Special Education; Counseling; Higher Ed Administration, Psychology, Law)

Experience

• Ten years progressively responsible experience in post-secondary Disability Services with management and supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated history of successfully managing professional staff members in a collaborative and supportive work environment.
• Demonstrated history of creative and adaptable thinking in a dynamic professional environment.
• Experience working on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives involving disability as an element of diversity.
• Expertise and experience in the collection and use of data essential for legal compliance and assessing outcomes, and the distribution of information and reports both internally and externally to the organization.

The annual salary range for this position is $125,000 to $150,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

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Minimum Education Master’s degree in an appropriate field of study (including, but not limited to, Education/Special Education; Counseling; Higher Ed Administration, Psychology, Law) Minimum Experience: Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible managerial and lead experience in post-secondary Disability Services. Knowledge of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), other federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to persons with disabilities, and the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA). Demonstrated ability to motivate and lead a diverse staff in accomplishing established goals. Demonstrated ability to develop partnerships and effectively collaborate within a higher education setting to achieve goals and priorities. Excellent skills in communication (both verbal and written), leadership, resource planning, and organization. Commitment to diversity and equity-minded practices within an educational environment.