"SSD Lead Coordinator"

Department Summary:

Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services (SAAS) is a student-centered unit within the Division of Student Life whose work is guided by best-practice standards and interventions utilizing a multidimensional model of student well-being. SAAS oversees four key resources: Academic Support and Access Partnerships (ASAP), Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), Adaptive Sports & Fitness (ASF), and Testing Accommodation Centers, and is committed to promoting accessibility by providing support services, advocacy, and academic accommodations to students with disabilities. SAAS is strongly committed to outreach services to the academic community at large, promoting awareness of disability issues and providing support for equal access for all students. SAAS is a partner to students, faculty, and staff in the pursuit of developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.

Position Summary:

The SSD Lead Coordinator position leads the development and execution of scalable solutions to meet the unique needs of students within a designated specialty area, ensuring compliance with relevant standards. This role involves collaborating with program leads, deans, and other stakeholders to enhance partnerships, solve problems, and share resources. Additionally, this role will conduct regular training for Disability Access Coordinators, lead accommodation review meetings, and serve as the primary contact for accessibility-related inquiries. Designated specialized program areas include the undergraduate experience/housing, health science/clinical programs, and graduate programs. This position also manages a caseload of students, guiding them through the accommodations process with integrity and confidentiality, and creating resources to educate staff and students about accessibility. Engaging in continuous professional development and representing the SSD office within the Division of Student Life, the lead works to ensure equitable access and support for all students, fostering a collaborative and inclusive university environment. An ideal candidate is a curious problem solver with a proactive mindset with demonstrated ability to take initiative and drive projects forward independently. They are versed in navigating conflict, reviewing institutional and accreditation policies, solution development, and are passionate about advancing accessibility within SAAS and the entirety of the University of Michigan.

Accommodation Review, Determination and Implementation (45%)

• Maintain a caseload of SSD students to guide them through the reasonable accommodations process using ethics, integrity, and confidentiality, in partnership with the rest of the SSD Coordinator team
• Exercise professional judgment and specialized knowledge to carry out an individualized determination process
• Responsible for maintaining case notes and communicating with students, faculty, and other partners/stakeholders in a timely fashion
• Implementation of accommodations through communication with students, faculty, and staff
• Collaborate with the SSD staff to maintain equitable practices and support students appropriately

Specialized Program Management (25%)

• Lead the development and execution of scalable solutions, through subject matter expertise, that address the unique needs of students and program requirements, ensuring compliance with relevant standards and guidelines within specialty area
• Maintain current on, document, and make changes as needed regarding specific program requirements, accommodation trends, compliance requirements, and OCR guidance within speciality area
• Facilitate and maintain meaningful outreach and collaboration with program leads, Deans, and/or Chairs to enhance partnership, problem-solve, and share resources
• Work closely with designated program to provide expert guidance on student support, academic accommodations, and related access-based issues
• Facilitate an educational network, including the with identified speciality area partners, to support cross-campus learning and collaboration toward greater equity for disabled students
• Serve as an active member of a committee hosted within designated speciality area
• Create and facilitate presentations aimed at partners in designated speciality area about addressing access needs within their area including accommodations, modification, auxiliary aids, universal design, and SAAS/SSD

Leadership/Training (20%)

• Lead regular internal trainings for Disability Access Coordinators on policies, procedures, institutional updates, best practices, and navigation of supporting student access needs in designated speciality area
• Lead regular accommodation review meetings to ensure appropriate support and accommodations for students across different settings in designated speciality area
• Serve as the primary point of contact in designated speciality area for internal and external questions
• Under guidance of SSD Leadership provide direction to a small group of DAC staff
• Collaborate with SAAS leadership to address complex compliance, institutional/cultural, and technical challenges related to ensuring accessibility speciality area across various university settings
• Create and maintain relevant resources, such as guides or flyers, aimed at educating internal staff, students, and campus partners on addressing access needs
• Provide detailed proposals of recommended updates to office-wide procedures and workflows, within speciality area, for all staff to SAAS leadership as needed

Service to Student Life and the University and Professional Development (10%)

• Continuously attend and participate in professional development learning opportunities focused on housing accommodations and implementing accommodations within university housing
• Attend and present at regional and/or national conferences in the disability accommodation field, specifically aimed at accommodations and access within university housing
• Stay informed about related needs and issues, both at the University of Michigan and nationally
• Actively represent the SSD office in activities within the Division of Student Life and provide expertise and leadership to University constituents regarding best practice policies and procedures.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree
• A minimum of 3 years working in disability services
• A minimum of 2 years of experience supporting students.
• Familiarity with disability law and its application to students with disabilities at the post-secondary level
• Direct experience and knowledge of standardized intelligence and achievement testing.

Working Conditions:

This position is primarily conducted in an office environment. May be required to travel to various locations on/off campus to conduct business and will be required to maintain their own high-speed residential connectivity service in order to work from home.

Physical Requirements:

The University of Michigan is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to ensure equitable access to the workplace environment.

Direct Reports:

Graduate student interns.