Disability and Accessibility Associate

The Academic Success Center’s Disability and Accessibility Associate provides administrative and direct-student support for the Center’s Disability & Accessibility Services, which provides academic accommodations, auxiliary aids, and services to students with disabilities in order to facilitate meaningful access and equal educational opportunities.  The Disability & Accessibility Associate will assist the staff of the Academic Success Center in the mission to provide effective and timely academic support services to Springfield College students.

The Disability & Accessibility Associate will have two primary responsibilities:

Academic Coaching: Disability Specialist

  • Provide specialized strategy instruction and academic skill-building for a caseload of students whose coaching needs are related to the student’s disability or effective use of their accommodations.

  • Assess each student’s academic progress, personal and professional goals, and strengths and limitations to develop a success plan that incorporates quality interventions with measurable outcomes.

  • Maintain effective communication with students, faculty, and staff.

  • Maintain case notes and communicate expectations, challenges, and goals required reporting mechanisms

  • Attend case review conferences, coaching roundtables, and other trainings or professional development opportunities provided by the ASC.

  • Conduct small group workshops, in collaboration with the Center’s other academic coaches, on academic success strategies like effective time management, stress management, campus resources, and study skills.

Administrative Support

  • Assist with database management, record maintenance, research, and reporting.

  • Collaborate on special projects to enhance the delivery of services in the ASC.

  • Provide general ASC office administration, as needed, which will include monitoring the front desk, welcoming students and visitors, answering phone calls, and responding to inquiries appropriately.

  • Offer promotional or informational presentations on behalf of the ASC for students, faculty, staff, or visitors, as needed.

  • Assist with shared office responsibilities like test proctoring, appointment scheduling, and other other duties, as assigned.

 

Fellowship Required Qualifications

Candidates for this position should be motivated, organized, and have previous experience assisting others in personal development. In order to get to know and understand the student, the ideal Disability & Accessibility Associate would be personable, have relationship-building skills, and be able to use reflective language to let students know they have been heard. The Disability & Accessibility Associate needs to have the analytical ability to determine some of the key stumbling blocks and concerns an individual is experiencing that is negatively affecting their academic progress.

This position holds a considerable level of responsibility and requires a high level of independent judgment, initiative, and discretion. The Disability & Accessibility Associate makes frequent decisions regarding tasks, time, and data and may be required to deal with sensitive or confidential information.  The Associate will be expected to strictly adhere to confidentiality policies. This position can be challenging with the high volume of communications, follow up with student clients, and prioritizing numerous projects and tasks. A student in this position must be tactful and supportive as well as protective of student privacy. 

Fellowship Preferred Qualifications

  • This role utilizes a wide variety of technologies and software platforms.  Ideal candidates should have a good familiarity with using technology and a good comfort level to learn new software

  • This ASC fellow will work his/her hours on a set weekly schedule with their hours spread over multiple days per week in the ASC. Therefore, candidates who live at a reasonable distance from campus may find this a more rewarding position than those who live far from campus.

  • When scheduling interviews for potential candidates, incoming graduate students who have been accepted and deposited will be given preference.

  • Successful applicants for this position need to be in good academic standing. Graduate students currently in their program need a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher and new graduate students need a cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher.