"Access Specialist - Professional Students (DRES)"

Access Specialist - Professional Students (DRES)

Disability Resources & Educational Services

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Job Summary

The Access Specialist will be responsible for working with professional students in their chosen academic program and College to determine academic accommodations, with careful consideration of the program's technical standards, curriculum, and clinical experiences. This position will work with professional students, across all documented disabilities, to determine eligibility for academic adjustments and services, to ensure equal access to curricular and co-curricular opportunities in compliance with the ADAAA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Disability Specialist will hold hours within each of the Colleges the position is a liaison with, to facilitate easy access of the disabled students to DRES. The role is a 12-month, in-person position.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Advises disabled students in professional programs at the University and instructors in the planning, determination, and implementation of academic adjustments, modifications, and auxiliary aids and services.
• Collaborates with faculty, administration, and other professionals across campus to discuss any program standards, curriculum requirements and the implication for full implementation of approved academic accommodations for disabled students.
• Advises other campus administrative and service units on the physical, programmatic, informational, and attitudinal access issues relating to the needs of disabled students.
• Collaborates with other DRES staff in the ongoing refinement of internal service policies, procedures, and practices.
• Counsels/advises students in areas such as accommodation requests for licensure exams and employment applications.
• Participates in the development and implementation of disability education training at the University.
• Serves as DRES liaison to the College of AHS and other campus departments/units as needed.
• Remains current in the knowledge and understanding of the ADAAA, ADA, and 504, as well as OCR and DOE decisions relative to post-secondary services to students with disabilities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in rehabilitation, education, higher education, disability studies, or closely related field.
• Knowledge of and experience in the delivery of ADAAA/504 mandated post-secondary academic adjustments and services for disabled students.
• Minimum 1 year experience determining disability accommodations within higher education setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with graduate and professional students in the delivery of academic adjustments and services.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to organize, categorize, and prioritize workload effectively and efficiently under minimal supervision.
• Ability to foster cooperative relationships across a diverse University community.
• Ability to work well with stakeholders, within a diverse, multi-cultural, collaborative environment.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. We strive to provide a competitive salary, considering factors such as available market data, internal equity, candidate experience and qualifications, collective bargaining agreements, and budget constraints. The salary range for this position is $55,000 to $65,000 with the final salary offer determined through a thorough assessment of these elements.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on December 3, 2025. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Bobbie Clegg at bjclegg@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.