Access Specialist

Advertising Summary:

Unit: Student Affairs (Vice Provost) MBU

Department: Student Accessibility & Edu Opportu

Department Summary: Who We Are
Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity (SAEO) is the designated office on VCU's Monroe Park Campus that fosters an environment where all students have equal access to the University's programs, services, and activities.

Our Mission
Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity champions holistic student development and success by creating a campus culture that strives to ensure equal access and inclusion.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Position Description:
The Access Specialist will assist the Office of Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity to provide accommodation and coaching supports for students with disabilities to ensure equal access and promote success at Virginia Commonwealth University. The Access Specialist works with individual students to determine eligibility for reasonable accommodations and provides appropriate follow-up and disability-related supports. They serve as the campus resource specialist in the development of accommodations and academic adjustments for this population, providing ongoing consultation and problem-solving assistance to faculty and staff.

Duties and Responsibilities

Case Management

• Review medical, psychological, educational, and other appropriate documentation to determine students’ eligibility for accommodations.
• Conduct initial intake interviews with students to identify barriers to full participation in the curricular and co-curricular environments.
• Provide guidance for students on how to initiate and maintain services (e.g., completing intake forms, requesting accommodations, scheduling with the Testing Access Center, communicating with faculty, etc.)
• Serves as a resource for faculty, staff, and advisors on all matters related to student accessibility.
• Maintain comprehensive records of accommodation process and interaction with students, faculty, and staff.
• Input meeting notes and communications into a database system.

Office Support

• Assists with Student Access Office workshops and conferences presented to faculty, students, and other professionals
• Occasional assistance with the Testing Access Center, as needed (proctoring, final exam support, reading and scribing for exams, etc.)
• Serves on the various VCU committees
• Assist in the development and implementation of programs
• Performs other duties as assigned by Director and Assistant Director
• Represent the SAEO office at various campus events (occasionally during evening or weekend hours)

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Special Education, Rehabilitation Counseling, Social work, Higher Education Administration, or related field.
• 1-2 years direct experience working with students with disabilities in a higher-ed setting
• Working knowledge and/or field experience interpreting and applying the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Experience reading and interpreting psychological, psychiatric, medical, and educational documentation.
• Experience creating presentations and offering training opportunities in both virtual and in-person environments.
• Excellent collaborative skills and ability to work with a diverse range of professionals from varying backgrounds.
• Demonstrated ability to determine eligibility for reasonable accommodations in an academic setting.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education in a field such as psychology, counseling, special education, vocational rehabilitation, etc.
• 2-3+ years direct experience working with students with disabilities in a higher-ed setting
• Experience working with students with physical, sensory, learning, psychological, and/or other disabilities in a higher education setting.
• Experience and familiarity with graduate programs, field placements, and flexible arrangements.
• Basic experience with assistive technology, hardware or software, and auxiliary aids used by students with disabilities to support educational access.

Salary Range: 45,000

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement:

University Job Title: 35221N - Specialist SS 1

State Role Code: 29133