Director of Disability Services

Position Details Position Information Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 25230 For questions regarding this position, please contact: Kyleen Breslin(406) 994-5326kyleen.breslin@montana.edu Classification Title Managing Director Working Title Director of Disability Services Brief Position Overview Join a leader in providing access to all college programs, services, activities and facilities for students with disabilities and see the successes of your contributions first hand!Position Number 4C6652 Department Disability & Re-entry Services Division Others under the President Appointment Type Administrative Contract Term Fiscal Year Semester If other, specify From date If other, specify End date FLSA Exempt Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining FTE 1.0 Benefits Eligible Eligible Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications. Contract Type MUS If other, please specify Recruitment Type Open Position Details General Statement The Disability Services Manager and Section 504 Coordinator at Montana State University plays a crucial role in ensuring that the university is accessible to all, and that students with disabilities receive appropriate accommodations and support. The Office of Disability Services coordinates access to all college programs, services, activities, and facilities for individuals with disabilities. This includes encouraging self-advocacy for students and connecting them with resources and support services across campus to access university programs and activities, as well as pro-actively identifying and addressing barriers to access. This role is essential for fostering a supportive environment for individuals with disabilities at Montana State University. The position also plays a crucial role in accessibility across campus for other members of the campus community and the public. Lastly, this position is tasked with collaborating with other affiliate campuses on accessibility issues to ensure consistency of services.Duties and Responsibilities Disability Services Manager:

Oversee Accommodation Services: The Manager is responsible for managing the daily operation of the Office of Disability Services and for working with the Senior Director of Campus Civil Rights to establish goals, strategies, and relevant metrics to advance the objectives of Disability Services. The manager exercises discretion and independent judgment and supervises a professional staff. The manager ensures that students with disabilities have access to reasonable accommodations.

Support Students: Work directly with students to assess their needs and help them navigate available resources.

Collaborate with Faculty and Staff: Provide guidance to instructors on accommodating students in compliance with legal standards, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA ).

Conduct Training: Educate university personnel about relevant university policies, disability awareness ,and obligations under the ADA , and collaborate on training initiatives and programs.

Maintain Confidentiality: Ensure that student disability records are kept confidential and handled according to privacy laws.

Accessibility Initiatives: Collaborate on university initiatives to promote physical and digital accessibility for individuals with disabilities across campus, the Museum of the Rockies, extension programs, and university research stations.

Manage Disability Resources: Coordinate services such as adaptive technology labs, tutoring, and mentoring programs for students with disabilities.

Collaborate with Human Resources: This position will work closely with the Human Resources ADA and Leave Coordinator to develop best practices and ensure continuity and consistency of services.

Identify Barriers to Access: Monitor campus compliance with and progress on physical accessibility and identify temporary and systemic barriers to access. Coordinate with appropriate campus departments to reduce or eliminate barriers.

Section 504 Coordinator:

Ensure Compliance with Section 504: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination based on disability in programs and activities that receive federal funding. The coordinator ensures the university complies with this law.

Develop and Implement Policies: Create policies that prevent discrimination and ensure equal access to university programs, activities and services for individuals with disabilities.

Assist in Developing Accommodation Plans: Work with the Office of Disability Services, the Human Resources ADA and Leave Coordinator, and other relevant personnel to create appropriate accommodation plans for individuals with disabilities.

Monitoring Compliance: Ensure that accommodations and services provided are in accordance with Section 504 requirements.

Coordinate with External Agencies: Liaise with state and federal agencies to stay updated on legal obligations and best practices for accessibility.

Collaborate on Responses to Requests and Investigations from External Agencies: Collaborate with the Office of Legal Counsel, Campus Civil Rights, and other university departments in responding to requests from external agencies on issues related to accommodations and accessibility.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Master’s degree in education, Counseling, Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology or related field, or a bachelor’s degree in those same areas with minimum of 5 years of progressive related experience, or, an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

Progressively responsible experience working with individuals with disabilities, program coordination, and supervision, as well as developing and delivering specialized professional consultations and training on disability issues.

Experience with administering, organizing, planning, directing, and evaluating staff and ADA matters.

Experience working with a variety of disabilities including psychiatric, attention, learning, vision, hearing, and mobility issues.

Experience with analyzing requests for reasonable accommodations and developing and implementing plans for the provision of reasonable accommodations.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Experience with grant and proposal writing.

Experience with counseling, clinical and case management.

Knowledge and experience working with students.

Experience working in a higher education setting.

The Successful Candidate Will

Possess strategic planning, visioning, and ability to create new initiatives independently.

Be capable of presenting on complex issues related to accessibility at various university functions in a clear and understandable manner.

Work on campus to provide appropriate supervision, guidance, and mentorship to personnel in the Office of Disability Services and to serve as a resource for other campus partners on accessibility issues and concerns; in person work is important to success in this role.

Effectively communicate and be able to multi-task effectively.

Work well in a team environment.

Possess experience with effectively communicating complex matters related to disabilities/ ADA both verbally and in writing.

Have the ability to resolve complex challenges related to disability matters.

Work closely with the Office of Legal Counsel and the Human Resources ADA and Leave Coordinator.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.Physical Demands In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA ) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the university will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require accommodation to perform essential job functions or access programs and services, please notify the Human Resources Department. Accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature of the disability and the essential requirements of the job.To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.This position has supervisory duties? Yes Posting Detail Information Number of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date Upon completion of a successful search. Position End Date (if temporary) Open Date Close Date Applications will be: Screening of applications will begin on January 17, 2025; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.Special Instructions EEO Statement Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.