Graduate Student Disability Specialist , Disabled Students Program

Graduate Student Disability Specialist 4 (4557C), Disabled Students Program - 82780

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff. As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice.

Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value. We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice.

Departmental Overview

The Disabled Students' Program (DSP) provides a wide array of legally mandated services to students with disabilities and consists of approximately 41 FTE, serves over 5,600 students, and hires over 400 service providers and student volunteers to provide educational support to this growing population. DSP's mission is to promote an inclusive environment for students with disabilities and to equip students with appropriate accommodations and services to pursue their individual academic goals.

DSP is dedicated to supporting students and collaborating with the campus community to remove barriers to educational access and embrace the University's values of equity and inclusion. DSP is responsible for ensuring compliance with state, federal, and local regulations ensuring that disabled students are provided with equal access to participate in their academic programs.

Position Summary

The Graduate Student Disability Specialist position primarily focuses on determining and facilitating the provision of accommodations for a caseload of disabled students enrolled in graduate and professional programs at UC Berkeley. The Graduate Student Disability Specialist collaborates with other Graduate Student Disability Specialists and with the broader DSP Disability Specialist and Auxiliary Services teams and DSP staff and Management. In addition, the Graduate Disability Specialist works with staff, administrators, and faculty in the Graduate Division to ensure the equal access of disabled graduate and professional students to their academic programs.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 12/15/2025.

• Conduct intake appointments and follow-up meetings with graduate and professional students to determine accommodation eligibility and necessary auxiliary services referrals.
• Craft nuanced accommodations when necessary for complex settings such as labs and fieldwork sites.
• Evaluate student self-reports and disability documentation provided by physicians or other appropriate professionals to determine students' eligibility for disability services.
• Work as an interdisciplinary team member to ensure required accommodations are efficiently and effectively provided.
• Engage in ongoing consultation and coordination with relevant service providers within and outside of DSP.

• Thoroughly document individual assessments.
• Ensure timeliness of response to communication and meeting requests from students, staff, and faculty.
• Communicate deadlines, policy changes, and relevant opportunities or concerns to all members of caseload in a timely manner.
• Ensure that information in all students' case files in AIM is up to date and accurate.

• Function as a campus resource expert for graduate and professional students with disabilities as related to ensuring their equal educational access.
• Provide guidance and instruction to faculty and departments regarding the implementation of accommodations in the graduate and professional academic setting.
• Serve as a DSP liaison to the Graduate Division and assigned departments.
• Serve as an experienced resource to faculty, staff, departments, and campus community on disability access for graduate and professional students with disabilities, including outreach and in-service training.
• Evaluate, introduce, and implement new or latest techniques, methods, and practices for the most effective and efficient provision of services to graduate and professional students with disabilities.
• Present these practices to the wider professional community.

• Responsible for engaging in ongoing professional development.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Advanced knowledge of the legal framework involving accommodations for students with disabilities through state and federal laws and regulations.
• Advanced knowledge of procedures for determining appropriate accommodations to ensure disabled students' legally-mandated equal access to their academic programs.
• Advanced knowledge of the academic expectations of graduate and professional academic programs and accommodations that may be appropriate in these settings to allow for disabled…