Director of Student Disability Center - Colorado State University
Posted: Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Colorado State University is a land-grant institution classified with the Carnegie Doctoral Very High Research Universities and is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado State's rankings include its recognition as a top tier university in U.S. News and World Report's rankings of "America's Best Colleges and Universities," as well as Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine's ranking as one of the top public universities in the United States for educational quality and affordability. CSU enrolls approximately 33,000 undergraduate and graduate students and is located an hour north of Denver. Fort Collins is a culturally vibrant and progressive community that is situated on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with views of 14,000 foot peaks and offers easy access to numerous outdoor opportunities.
Reporting to the assistant vice president of student affairs, the director of student disability center provides leadership for and oversight of the student disability center's (SDC) operations, programs, and services delivery. The director is expected to work closely with Student Diversity Programs and Services (SDPS) and to serve as a leader within the cluster. The director employs a strategic approach to develop the overall vision/mission and oversee implementation of programs and services designed to meet identified needs of the campus community along the broad continuum of physical, mental, emotional, and learning. Additionally, this position leads and oversees the strategic planning responsibilities for the center and its programs and services as well as all assessment efforts for the SDC's programs and services. The director serves as a key voice in advocating for and addressing accessibility issues institution wide utilizing a solid knowledge base of applicable state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to disabilities including, but not limited to, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Additionally, the director builds strong relationships and collaborates effectively with SDC staff, division of student affairs departments and offices, and with CSU academic departments and colleges integral to accomplishing the SDC mission and goals. Working closely with two assistant directors, three program coordinators, three specialist positions, one administrative assistant, approximately 30 student hourly staff, and an average of 30 part-time non-student auxiliary staff to ensure seamless delivery of daily programs and services to CSU students, the director also develops and manages multiple fiscal accounts (state funds, gifts, student fees) with budgets totaling $900K. The desire is to find someone who can lead SDC from a proactive framework to address the environmental constraints unfairly placed upon students with disabilities to which they must adapt, including the physical and electronic/virtual environments. The director will have a strong understanding of disability as an issue of equity which will be reflected in the focused efforts of the SDC.
The Student Disability Center is part of the SDPS cluster within the Division of Student Affairs, which includes the Asian Pacific American Cultural Center, Black/African American Cultural Center, El Centro, Native American Cultural Center, Pride Resource Center, and the Women and Gender Advocacy Center.
The successful candidate will have a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, occupational therapy, special education, disability studies, or student affairs administration and a minimum of seven years of professional, progressive full-time experience working with college students with disabilities, including three years of successful experience in a related role within higher education. The candidate must have demonstrated experience with the supervision of professional and support staff; budget development, management and fiscal reporting; the coordination, planning, and facilitation of social justice educational programming on topics related to intersectionality, power, privilege, and oppression across multiple identities (i.e.: race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, disability, etc.). A strong working knowledge of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its amendments. In addition, the successful candidate will have demonstrated experience presenting on, and/or advocating for, a wide variety of disability issues/topics.
Preferred qualifications include a doctorate in a field related to disability and/or higher education; knowledge and understanding of the social model of disability and independent living philosophy; strong interpersonal skills necessary to interact with the general public; diplomatic approach to problem solving; and sensitivity to the needs and concerns for students with disabilities. Further, the ability to translate and interpret effectively the Center's mission and philosophy to all members of the University community; acknowledge the important priorities of education and student development; provide services; and build a sense of institutional community are all preferred qualifications.
Review of applications will begin March 25, 2020, and continue until the position is filled. A resume with an accompanying cover letter may be submitted via the Spelman Johnson website at www.spelmanjohnson.com/open-positions. Nominations for this position may be emailed to Heather J. Larabee at [email protected]. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895.
Visit the Colorado State University website at www.colostate.edu
· CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer.
· Colorado State University conducts background checks on all final candidates.
· Reflecting departmental and institutional values, candidates are expected to have the ability to advance the Department's commitment to diversity and inclusion.
