Position Summary
Michigan State University has earned a reputation for excellence in facilitating inclusion of persons with disabilities in a range of educational and work-related opportunities. Access Specialists maintain and employ cutting edge knowledge in their specialty area to provide outstanding advising, outreach, and direct services related to the specialization at hand.
Please note this is a hybrid position with expectation of two non-consecutive remote days per week and three in-person days in East Lansing.
Assistant Director, Program and Assessment:
This role leads program coordination, assessment, and reporting efforts to ensure the effectiveness, quality, and strategic alignment of disability access services. Responsibilities include developing, implementing, and evaluating program initiatives; coordinating reporting for signature programs, grants, and donor-funded efforts; and leading assessment, dashboarding, and continuous improvement activities. The position partners closely with University Health and Well-Being's administration team to develop and maintain dashboards, metrics, and reporting tools that monitor program effectiveness, outcomes, and impact. Using data from AccessMSU and other assessment sources, the role analyzes trends and outcomes to inform strategic planning, resource allocation, accessibility initiatives, and decision-making. The position also provides oversight of assessment and reporting for RCPD signature programs, communicates impact to university leadership, donors, and external stakeholders, and ensures programs align with institutional priorities, compliance requirements, and evidence-based practices.
This Position:
- Provides oversight and assessment for RCPD signature programming for reporting to university leadership, donors, and other stakeholders.
- Reviews data metrics captured in AccessMSU system for data-informed accessibility initiatives
- Provides advising, direct services, consultation, and referrals to persons with disabilities to facilitate full participation in university programs and services.
- Provides outreach, consulting, and presentations to university faculty and staff to facilitate an environment of accessibility and inclusion.
- Supervises team of access specialists and oversees their work, serving as the first level of support for the specialists.
- Develops and administers programs and services intent on increasing engagement in the mission and programs of Michigan State University, fostering student success, and ultimately advancing career and life success.
- Partner with RCPD leadership and staff to align programs and services with institutional priorities, policies, and legal and compliance requirements.
Illustration of Duties:
RCPD Access Specialists are non-union, academic specialist employees.
- Provision of direct services to persons with disabilities (50%): (Specialist- Advising)
- Interact with students and employees to assess program eligibility, conduct needs assessments, and determine reasonable accommodations.
- Review, recommend, and implement auxiliary aids/services and reasonable accommodations.
- Facilitate full participation in academic, workplace, and extracurricular life through advising, service coordination, and networking.
- Utilize disability documentation and data from needs assessments to implement effective accommodation strategies that enable students and employees to meet essential functions in academic and workplace settings.
- Read, interpret, and critically analyze medical and functional capacity documentation to determine when conditions represent ADA qualified disabilities.
- Monitor academic progress and assist with academic advising.
- Assist with selection and usage of appropriate compensatory strategies and assistive technology where relevant.
- Facilitate positive peer contacts and interactions among persons with disabilities.
- Supervision of Access Specialists (20%) (Specialist- Other- Administrative Responsibilities)
- Serve as first-line support to Access Specialists, in partnership with the Director, as they address unique dynamics faced by students and faculty to facilitate legal compliance while emphasizing student development and career readiness.
- Assist the Director in developing opportunities for professional development to advance staff skills, address emerging program needs, and maintain an exemplary work environment characterized by team cohesion, topical expertise, and leadership.
- Assist staff in determining priorities, aligning resources, effective case notation, and delegating tasks where appropriate.
- Presentations, in-services and consultation with faculty, staff, and departments (20%): (Specialist- Other (Outreach))
- Provide consultation and advocacy with faculty and staff regarding individual accommodation needs.
- Make referrals to appropriate campus and community resources.
- Produce and present workshops and presentations on disability and accommodations
- Leadership of critical focus area (10%(Specialist- Other (Administrative Responsibilities)
- Work with UHW administration to develop and maintain dashboards, metrics, and reporting tools to monitor program effectiveness, outcomes, and impact.
- Analyze program data and outcomes to inform strategic planning, resource allocation, and decision-making.
- Under the direction of the Director, serve as principal organizer of a critical mission area of RCPD Accommodation work and ensure effective and efficient communication and practices.
- Work with RCPD Leadership and staff to develop, implement and uphold policies and procedures.
- Serve as content expert and maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices and current legal trends.
- Work with Director and leadership team to explore strategic direction of RCPD.
- Will serve as a representative of RCPD on internal and external committees, contributing expertise, collaboration, and leadership in support of organizational and campus-wide initiatives.
- Support innovative programs to address student needs.
- Annual reporting of programmatic needs, progress, and strengths/weaknesses.
- Collaborate on proposals that facilitate new or expanded programmatic efforts.
Supervision received:
Reports to the Director of the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities for general direction and specific projects.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Masters -Education, Student Affairs, Special Education, Rehabilitation Counselor, or a related field of disability studies.
Minimum Requirements
- 3-5 years of professional experience in disability or accessibility services or a closely related field, including direct advising and case management for individuals with disabilities;
- demonstrated experience interpreting disability documentation and determining reasonable accommodations in accordance with ADA and related regulations;
- experience consulting with faculty, staff, or organizational partners on accessibility and inclusion practices;
- prior experience supervising or leading professional staff;
- and a record of developing, implementing, assessing, and continuously improving programs, trainings, outreach initiatives, or services in a higher education or similarly complex organizational setting.
- Experience collecting, analyzing, and reporting programmatic data to evaluate outcomes and inform decision-making is required.
- Familiarity with disability services case management systems, including AIM/AccessMSU or comparable databases, and experience using data dashboards, reporting tools, and assessment metrics to support program effectiveness and strategic planning is preferred.
Required Application Materials
Remote Work Statement
MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.
Website
https://uhw.msu.edu/health-and-wellbeing-services/accessibility-and-accommodations/rcpd
MSU Statement
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
