Associate Director, SSD - Military Veterans

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

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: Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), Adaptive Sports and Fitness program (ASF), Testing Accommodation Centers (TAC), and Academic Support and Access Partnerships (ASAP) and is committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and 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:

Under the supervision of the SAAS Director, the Associate Director (AD) of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) will provide leadership, long-term vision, and daily supervision over operations for SSD and lead the work to ensure that all students receive the appropriate academic accommodations. They will also be expected to provide oversight over programs and services of the office, including direct management of the SSD department's budget, financial, and operational goals. The AD must have a working knowledge of academic accommodations, assistive technology, and auxiliary aids/services, as well as the ADA, Section 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1). The AD must be able to determine how the laws and standards apply to providing access for the participation of disabled individuals. They must be able to work with a wide range of stakeholders to implement accommodations, and be able to engage in the nuanced and often difficult conversations that arise during that process. As a member of the SAAS Bridge (Leadership) Team, the Associate Director will work in support of all departments within SAAS and lead work in unit initiatives.

Department Leadership and Program Management (75%)

• Lead SSD's short and long-term strategy as the institutional authority over determining appropriate academic accommodations. Execute SSD's strategic priorities consistently in the department around accommodations services. Lead the coordination and management of daily operations of the department.
• Oversight of Services for Students with Disabilities, which presently includes two distinct teams and bodies of work (Disability Access Coordinators and Accommodation Specialists); development and implementation of policies, processes, strategic plan and vision for Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD).
• Assume executive authority for SAAS in the absence of the Director and at the Director's request (e.g. representing the Director at divisional and institutional meetings, events, speaking and/or media engagements for the university or local communities).
• Coordinate collaborative efforts with university administration, departmental chairs, faculty, and staff around student academic accommodations, as well as long-range planning around initiatives such as orientation for all 19 U-M colleges/schools.
• Oversee the Academic Accommodations ADA Fund Budget, including managing expenses, forecasting needs, managing the Accommodations Services team, and implementing accommodations like ASL/CART, Accessible Media, Assistive Technology, Note-taking, Accessible furniture, etc. for academic accommodations at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, including the Medical School.
• Manage a team of at least 5 direct reports and 10+ indirect reports, supporting recruitment, onboarding, performance evaluations, and professional development.
• Lead in planning of a $2M annual department budget, and meeting financial, and operational goals. Oversee the management and short-term financial reporting for SSD, and assist with assessment initiatives.
• Support SSD leadership in guiding the Disability Access Coordinator Team to ensure timely, individualized evaluations for students with disabilities and the development of legally mandated and appropriate academic accommodations.
• Supervision and management of SSD professional staff and student employees by supporting the hiring process, onboarding, performance management, professional development, and other staffing necessities as required.
• Lead the continued implementation, troubleshooting, and use of Accommodate (data management software) for departments across SAAS.
• Develop, implement, and manage policies, procedures, and bodies of work, such as information protection, professional development guidelines, unit website, and onboarding/offboarding, for SSD.
• Oversee and support SSD staff with their efforts in the development and provision of educational materials, resources, workshops, and programs grounded in student development through delivering lectures and promoting an inclusive classroom climate in a developmentally, ethically, and culturally competent manner.
• Review requests for reconsideration and appeals to ensure equitable process for students seeking academic accommodations.
• Develop processes to ensure the most effective and efficient way to provide disability access through technology and services; develop procedures and maintain resources for the campus community.
• Collaborate with institutional partners (Information Technology/Institutional Equity Accessibility Team/Libraries) on accessibility best practices when creating materials and strategies for converting existing materials.
• Maintain collaboration with campus partners to support universal design concepts for disability access in the classroom, online environment, experiential learning, healthcare setting, and employment.
• Maintain a working knowledge of current disability-related civil rights laws applicable in higher education through ongoing staff collaboration and professional development to ensure institutional compliance with all state/federal mandates about non-discriminatory and equal access for students with disabilities.
• Liaise with partner and support units, such as ITS and STLS, for SSD needs.

Outreach and Campus Engagement (15%)

• Engage in outreach activities on a University, community, and nationwide level through conversations, training, and participation in local, state, and national disability conventions.
• 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.
• In conjunction with SAAS leadership, coordinate communications from SAAS to ensure clear and effective messaging for the university community. Responsible for fielding, reviewing, and tracking requests for interviews, presentations, and workshops.
• Serve as a leader and direct resource for Academic Administration with respect to academic accommodations and working with students with disabilities, as well as a content expert to guide conversations and strategic work in short and long-range planning efforts around directing academic accommodations and effective service delivery in collaboration with campus partners.

Advocacy (10%):

• Exercise professional judgment and specialized knowledge to develop comprehensive advocacy services for students with disabilities; assess the need for comprehensive advocacy; evaluate the effectiveness of advocacy services for students with disabilities at the university.
• Manage advocacy services for students with disabilities in order to ensure that students at the university have access to these services.

• Advanced Degree (Master's or Doctorate required)
• Three years of experience supervising professional staff
• Five years of experience in disability services in higher education
• Demonstrate current knowledge of disability-related civil rights and other laws applicable in higher education
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and culture, including direct experience working with students, faculty, or staff with diverse backgrounds and identities

Financial/Budgetary Responsibility:

Assist with oversight and responsibility for two budgets of approximately $2 million between the two.

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.

Direct Reports:

Five professional staff (Two Disability Services Coordinators, and three Accommodation Specialists)

This role may have reporting obligations under Title IX and Clery.

Authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment and applicants for this position will not be sponsored for work visas.

Salary may vary depending on qualifications, experience, and education of the selected candidate.

Selected candidates whose start date is 4/1/2025 or after, will not be eligible for the university FY25-26 salary/merit plan unless otherwise notified.

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Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.