Senior ASL Interpreter

Department:

Counseling and Student Access Services

General Statement of Job

The Senior ASL Interpreter coordinates and provides interpreting/transliteration of spoken language using American Sign Language, and vice versa, to facilitate communication between hearing and deaf or hard of hearing individuals. Typically provides in-classroom, outside classroom interpreting, and other student support services for all students requesting services from Counseling and Student Accessibility Services.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Schedule part-time interpreters for college events, such as commencement, etc.
• Plans and arranges for adequate staffing to meet accommodation needs of students registered with the department.
• Monitors and reports data related to Deaf/HOH services.
• Prepares and submits projected and final cost reports related to services provided by approved vendors.
• Creates and maintains schedules of part-time interpreters each semester to fill interpreting needs for academic courses and related activities.
• Assesses interpreter skill levels and assigns interpreters to appropriate assignments.
• Supervises part-time interpreters and familiarizes them to department services and procedures.
• Communicates with appropriate faculty, staff and students to obtain preparation materials for interpreting appointments and share prep materials with interpreters in a timely manner.
• Maintains thorough written communication of student cases within the SAS records management system and maintains confidentiality of student information. Interprets/transliterates into American Sign Language (ASL) all in classroom and outside classroom activities as assigned by the supervisor or other department staff.
• Collaborates with SAS team regarding accommodation services, case management, and program development.
• Serves as a mentor to other interpreters, including conducting or coordinating professional growth workshops.
• Recruits, selects, and hires qualified sign language interpreters.
• Recruits deaf students through transition fairs from local high schools.
• Interprets/transliterates using the mode of communication preferred by the student and adapts or modifies methods of communication as needed.
• Prepares for interpreter assignments by reviewing specific terminology and content related to assigned material.
• Serves as a resource for information for students with disabilities and deaf or hard of hearing students.
• Attends appropriate professional development training and staff meetings as requested by the supervisor.
• Maintains knowledge of and adheres to the College's programs, policies, procedures and academic standards, National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics, and applicable state and federal laws and regulations including FERPA and HIPPA.
• Provides support services to all students under Counseling and Student Accessibility Services, as needed.
• Develops, organizes, and presents workshops on various topics regarding disabilities, ASL, and the functions of the office.
• Assists with internship program for students from the Interpreter Training Program every semester; presents orientation and provides ongoing mentoring for assigned novice interpreters accepted into the program.
• Assists with all students and prospective students with registration process, orientation, outreach, recruitment, campus tours, special projects, and presentations for students within the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, as assigned by the supervisor.
• To facilitate communication between hearing and Dear/Hard of Hearing individuals.
• Demonstrated knowledge and compliance of and implement the Texas State Interpreters for the Deaf (TSID) code of ethics.
• Prepares reports as requested by the supervisor and/or director.
• Travels throughout the college district, as needed.
• Serves as Campus Security Authority.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• Associate's degree required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• At least three (3) years of sign language interpreting experience required.
• Experience in a higher education institution, preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent oral, written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong computer skills with knowledge of Microsoft Office including, but not limited to, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, the Windows environment, and internet research skills.
• Knowledge of enterprise systems (e.g. Banner).
• Knowledgeable of the psycho social, linguistic, and cultural aspects of deafness as related to various groups.
• Bilingual, English/Spanish, preferred.
• Ability to Interpret/transliterate expressively and receptively using manual and oral methods of communication for the deaf and hard of hearing.
• Ability to prioritize, organize, and complete multiple tasks with attention to detail, within stated deadlines.
• Ability to work independently as well as a team player within department and with others.
• Ability to adapt to constant change and periods of fast-paced, high-intensity work situations.
• Ability to work evenings and/or weekends as needed; willing to travel throughout the district using own means of reliable transportation.
• Demonstrated commitment to achieving the vision and mission of South Texas College.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to inquiries from groups of students, faculty, staff, and the general public.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Checks, Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations

• Security Sensitive position: all applicants are subject to a criminal background check under South Texas College policy.
• Must have or qualify for a valid Texas driver's license and proof of liability insurance.
• A minimum of a Basic or Level 1 certification from the Board of Evaluators of Interpreters (BEI) or from the Registry of Interpreters (RID) is required. Must complete the continuing education units required by Board of Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI) to maintain certification.

Physical Requirements

• Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
• Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction.
• Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
• Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Sitting and standing particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading.
• Mobility to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to indoor and outdoor environments; large crowds; frequent public speaking. Services are provided in a variety of settings including classrooms, college offices, activities and events, and tutoring sessions. Work hours frequently include evenings and weekends throughout the year depending on interpreter assignments and office coverage needs.

The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.