Senior Disability Access Services Specialist

Senior Das Specialist

Under the direction of the AVP for Wellness, the Senior DAS Specialist will advise, counsel, and help students with disabilities become more effective learners with respect for all of the challenges they bring. The Senior DAS Specialist plays an essential role in reducing barriers and ensuring equitable access to the College's academic programs and to academic and related resources for students with disabilities.

This position leads the day-to-day operations of DAS and ensures policies and procedures are in place to meet student needs and ensure ADA compliance. The Senior DAS Specialist provides a warm, welcoming on-campus presence to students seeking support for new and continuing accommodations and communicates with faculty and staff on matters concerning Disability Access Services at Whitman.

Principal Accountabilities

Determining Student Accommodations (60%)

• Meet with current students seeking accommodations, working with them through the process of applying or renewing or modifying accommodation requests, including intake meetings, acquiring and evaluating documentation, identifying and implementing accommodations as appropriate, and providing assistive technology support.
• Meet with prospective students and families, assisting with arrangement of disability support services for incoming and returning students, evaluating documentation, identifying and implementing accommodations as appropriate, and providing assistive technology support.
• Adhere to Whitman DAS protocols for obtaining and uploading documentation to support accommodations and for recording notes about the interactive process with students in the Accommodate system.
• Ensure that accommodations decisions are made in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008.
• Maintain awareness of and fulfill responsibilities related to Title IX, Clery and other compliance requirements.
• Coordinate acquisition and accuracy of alternative format texts, and work with students and faculty to ensure all alternative texts are in a readable and/or audible format for the student.
• In collaboration with the Director of DAS, coordinate, maintain, and troubleshoot the inventory of assistive technology available for students with disabilities, including training students with disabilities on how to use specific equipment. Stay abreast of emerging technology for potential acquisition.
• Exercise sound judgment in determining when accommodation concerns can be resolved independently and when they require escalation or consultation.

DAS Liaison (20%)

• Serve as campus liaison and point of contact for DAS.
• Serve as the point of contact for complex cases.
• Convene case consultation meetings.
• Serve as an on-campus presence and resource, and be available virtually, as needed, by students.
• Collaborate with campus stakeholders to ensure accessibility of programs and services for students.
• Serve as a trusted resource for faculty, staff, and students who have questions about student accommodations.
• Participate in planning and presenting faculty and staff professional development about disabilities and disability student services.
• Advocate for disability awareness as an essential part of DEIA inclusion efforts.
• Serve as DAS designee when requested on CARE Team, Campus Accessibility Committee, Housing and Dietary Accommodations Team, and other constituencies.
• Provide support to the Testing Coordinator for accommodated testing, including advising as needed about the proper application of accommodations, the academic integrity of testing, and communication with faculty and students.
• Provide individualized academic coaching and mentoring for students with disabilities (with an emphasis on…