Disability Specialist

Position Overview

Disability Specialists work one-on-one to provide support to students with disabilities as they navigate the transition to college and the independence of being a college student. In this role, Disability Specialists review documentation and make individualized determinations of reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities. Butler University’s SDS Office is unique in that Disability Specialists are also available to provide support to students regarding the myriads of ways their disability may impact them throughout their time as a Butler student. Several primary functions of this position include individualized student support, development and presentation of disability-awareness programming across campus, and close collaboration with faculty and other campus partners.

Note: Please submit a cover letter with your application that highlights how your skills and experiences have prepared you to work with students with disabilities on the college level, what draws you to this position, and what you would need to learn to be successful in this role. 

Responsibilities 

• Interpret disability-related documentation and lead intake meetings with families and students to determine and implement reasonable accommodations
• Maintain rigorous documentation of student interactions and uphold the highest standards of confidentiality and professional discretion
• Provide direct support services to students, including academic coaching, support with the transition to college, and training on accommodation-related software; monitor and track the progress of SDS-registered students in support of retention efforts; respond to and resolve student and faculty concerns
• Collaborate closely with SDS team members and other relevant campus partners on a regular basis to coordinate and implement accommodations & support services
• Develop and implement disability/diversity-based programming, presentations, training guides, and materials for public consumption
• Analyze disability-related data for the improvement of departmental processes and procedures, assist in the development of policies and procedural documents as needed
• Support students requesting accommodations for extra-curricular activities such as Greek Life recruitment and off-campus study
• Design and create department marketing materials, including but not limited to office bulletin boards, flyers, web content; manage social media accounts
• Serve on campus-wide committees, as assigned, to ensure accessibility is on the forefront of campus conversations
• Serve as an administrative backup in the department as needed

Required Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in higher education, social work, psychology, or a related field
• Experience providing direct support and training to people with disabilities
• Ability to interpret disability-related documentation, including but not limited to neuropsychological evaluations, medical reports and treatment plans, and IEP and 504 documents
• Knowledge regarding how the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act apply to postsecondary education
• Proven ability to rapidly master and integrate new software into daily workflows; demonstrates high agility when navigating multiple digital platforms simultaneously
• Willingness to engage and learn about diversity, equity, inclusion, and intersectionality of identities in disability services
• Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills

Ability to exercise excellent judgment and decision-making skills under pressure or in uncertain situations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education

BU Benefits and Perks  

Please check out Butler’s Total Rewards website to learn more about our benefit offerings, which include: 

• Paid Time Off and Holidays:  
  • 20 days of paid time off (vacation and PTO days) per Fiscal year 
  • 8 Paid Holidays 
    • In addition, a paid Winter Break between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day 
  • Paid Parental Leave (after 1 year of full-time employment) 
• Health:  
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans including disability and life insurance programs 
• Retirement:  
  • 10% employer contribution after 1 year of full-time employment 
• Tuition Assistance:  
  • Tuition Exchange Program for Dependents 
  • Remission of tuition for classes taken at Butler for employees, spouses, and dependent children.  
    • Eligibility after 9 months of full-time employment 
    • Employees & spouses- undergraduate/graduate degrees 
    • Dependents (under age 26)- undergraduate degree 
    • Covers tuition only 
• Butler Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks:  
  • Access to Butler’s on-site fitness facility and libraries for full-time staff and faculty 
  • LinkedIn Learning Courses 
  • Free premium subscription to the Calm App 
  • Free subscription to the WSJ, The Economist, and NYT 
  • Discount at the College Bookstore 
  • Discount on select Athletic and Arts/Events Center Performances