Director of Disability Services for Students

Director of Disability Services for Students

Texas Woman's University, a distinguished coeducational public university, invites applications and nominations for the position of Director, Disability Services for Students
(DSS). The Director will provide essential new insight, vision, and leadership in creating a more cohesive university-wide effort towards supporting an equitable and accessible campus environment. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of student advocacy; staying current with legal and technological changes; implementing cutting edge approaches; and engaging campus stakeholders with a strong vision to redefine access for a diverse and growing student population.

Position Summary

The Director of Disability Services for Students is responsible for the overall leadership, vision, management, and program direction for Disability Services for Students (DSS) on the Denton, Dallas, and Houston campuses. This position provides departmental, divisional, and institutional leadership to support the University in efforts to create equitable access to learning. The Director supervises all staff in DSS, serves as a disability subject matter expert for the University, coordinates appropriate accommodations for students in the classroom and in the use of facilities in order to provide equal access to educational opportunities at TWU.

The Director provides counseling and guidance to assist students with disabilities in their transition and adjustment to the University, accepts and reviews disability documentation, and determines appropriate accommodations in the classroom and other campus activities. This involves administrative responsibilities for successfully leading a comprehensive program to ensure access for students with disabilities, including response to changing needs and developing best practices.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serves as the primary knowledge expert on disability services and helps establish priorities for the University.
• Develops and implements communications focusing on the department's services and programs for students with disabilities.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining policies and procedures (i.e. determining eligibility, provision of accommodations, interpreting services, testing center, etc.), priorities, and long-range goals for the implementation and coordination of a comprehensive program of services to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
• Designs all programs and services within the framework of state and federal regulations, currently accepted learning theories, best practices in the profession and available financial resources.
• Evaluates, verifies, and interprets documentation from various professionals (physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, etc.) to determine eligibility for services.
• Supervises, hires and evaluates all staff in the department; directs and assigns duties and responsibilities, establishes job standards, and expectations.
• Provides new students with orientation to disability services within the higher education environment by providing information regarding services, resources and channels for requesting and acquiring assistance.
• Advocates for students as needed regarding possible solutions to academic barriers resulting from disabilities.
• Provides disability-related advising, counseling, support and advocacy to students.
• Leads programmatic efforts focused on skill development (self-advocacy, time management, communication, etc.) and academic success of students with disabilities and tracks/monitors progress
• Provides interpretation and assistance in implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitations Act to faculty, staff, and administrators.
• Builds associations and manages relationships between the University and community resources.
• Advises students, faculty, and departments on appropriate and recommended reasonable accommodations.
• Acts as a mediator between faculty and students for disability-related grievances.
• Responsible for the overall budget for the department; reviews and approves expenditures; responsible for all aspects of fiscal operations for DSS.
• Responsible for all DSS testing operations.
• Provides training and consultation to faculty and departments on disability awareness, reasonable accommodations, and Universal Design.
• Builds associations through participation in professional organizations and professional development activities and facilitates professional development among DSS staff.
• Assures and maintains an effective case management system including case tracking, review and analysis.
• Responsible for the acquisition, maintenance, and coordination of the use of adaptive equipment and software.
• Collaborates with the Office of Technology on the placement of adaptive technology.
• Collaborates with state agencies who provide services to individuals with disabilities.
• Collaborates with designated university committees in response to and investigations of any formal complaints made by students with disabilities regarding discrimination.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to plan, direct, and evaluate a complex operation, using human resources, time, funds, and other resources for the accomplishment of long-term and short-term goals of the institution.
• Proven ability to evaluate and interpret disability documentation to implement reasonable accommodations.
• Ability to professionally and appropriately manage sensitive and confidential information.
• Knowledge of various diagnostic assessments commonly utilized to identify limitations experienced by individuals with disabilities preferred.
Understanding and experience with assistive and accessible information technologies, including best practices.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with students, parents, faculty, staff, and the public.
• Ability to present comprehensive evidence-based information to administration, faculty, staff, and student groups.
• Ability to provide effective representation of disability accommodations and support service issues in the campus community.
• Ability to provide administrative guidance within area of responsibility, providing direct training and supervision as needed.
• Ability to apply budgetary and fiscal planning techniques within financial constraints.
• Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives, and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities.
• Ability to integrate resources, policies, and information for the determination of procedures, solutions, and other outcomes.
• Ability to communicate effectively in various forms with diverse populations.
• Ability to use a personal computer and other office equipment including University related software and email.

Required qualifications:

• Master's degree in Counseling, Psychology, Disability Studies, or related field required.
• At least five years of post-graduate related administrative and/or counseling experience.
• At least five years of related professional experience with increasing responsibility, including management or partnership with programs and services for students with disabilities.
• Experience interpreting and applying applicable state and federal laws, and regulations pertaining to disabilities including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Knowledge of disability issues and best practices in the provision of services to students with disabilities in a college setting.

About TWU

Texas Woman's University, with over 15,000 students, occupies a notable position in higher education as the nation's largest university primarily for women. Established in 1901, TWU is a doctoral/research-intensive public university, which emphasizes the liberal arts and sciences as well as specialized and professional studies in business, nursing, health sciences, and education. TWU graduates more new health care professionals than any other university in Texas. TWU operates three campuses: Houston, Dallas, and the main campus in Denton (population 115,000), located 40 miles north of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This metroplex, the nation's fourth largest urban center, has world-class museums, orchestras, opera, ballet, theatre companies, as well as an array of professional and collegiate sports venues. To learn more about TWU, visit: http://www.twu.edu">http://www.twu.edu.

Application Procedure and Timeline

Texas Woman's University has partnered with Keeling & Associates, LLC, in this search process. Applications should include a resume and a letter of interest and must be emailed to recruiting@keelingassociates.com. The subject line of the email should read "TWU-Director, DSS."A confidential review of applications will begin on March 26, 2018 and all materials submitted by that date will receive full consideration.

Confidential nominations, expressions of interest, and requests for conversations about the position prior to application are welcome and should be directed to Dr. Jan Walbert, Vice President and Senior Consultant for Executive Search, at jwalbert@keelingassociates.com.


Texas Woman's University strives to provide an educational environment that affirms the rights and dignity of each individual, fosters diversity, and encourages a respect for the differences among persons. Discrimination or harassment of any kind is considered inappropriate.

Texas Woman's University is committed to equal opportunity in employment and education and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, veteran's status, genetic information or against qualified disabled persons.

All positions at Texas Woman's University are deemed security sensitive; background checks are conducted on applicants considered for employment. TWU is a "Tobacco Free Campus."






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