Coordinator, Disability Services

Title: Coordinator, Disability Services (2 positions)

Pay Rate: $45,900 - $56,800.00/salary. Monthly stipend will be determined based on related work experience above required. To be considered in determining pay, all related work experience must be listed on the application.

Type of Appointment: Full-Time

Number of Positions: 2 Positions

Department: Disability Services

Position Numbers: 100290 & 190110

Required Documents Needed to Upload at Time of Application:

·    Resume

·    Unofficial Transcripts

·    Three Professional References (See below)

Reference check requirements:

·  Non-supervisory roles: three (3) current or former supervisors

·  Supervisory roles: two (2) current or former supervisors and one (1) current or former direct report

Personal references (friends, clergy, customers, relatives) are not considered acceptable references

Job Summary: This job requires expertise in the area of specific types of disabilities and knowledge beyond that of most coordinator positions within the college.  The peer level jobs with which might compare are the Dual Enrollment Specialist, Certificate Programs/Cohort Specialist, and Instructional Technology Specialist.  The legal ramifications for incorrectly performing the job duties could result in the College and/or individual faculty and staff being sued, loss of college revenue, and undue financial burden for the College. 

Essential Functions:

50% Coordinate support services for students with disabilities by reviewing and interpreting appropriate documentation and developing accommodation/ academic adjustment strategies; work with faculty and staff to facilitate student accommodations/academic adjustment issues. 

10% Provide direct services to students with disabilities (proctor, scribe, note-taker, alternate materials development, etc.). Provide academic advising for new and returning students.

10% Maintain database by entering daily contacts with students and/or about students and entering documentation information and additional paperwork as necessary; assist director with office operation and preparation of reports.

10% Assist director with presentation of workshops on disability issues and facilitation of student groups. 

10% Represent Disability Services at events on and off campus in order to assist incoming students with registering with the office by reviewing appropriate documentation needs and providing an avenue for smooth transition and communication.

5% Recruit, assess skills, hire, schedule, supervise part-time contract interpreters, transcriptionists, note-takers, readers, scribes, etc.; manage temporary contracts.

5% Assist director with presentation of workshops on disability issues and facilitation of student groups. 

Key Result Areas: If this job is being performed correctly, new disclosing students will receive assistance with navigating the intake procedures including completing initial paperwork and obtaining appropriate documentation illustrating functional limitations to help with determining appropriate accommodations to present to instructors. This position also assists new disclosing students with the admissions process if they need accommodations with any entrance testing.  The individual in this role is responsible for updating returning students’ accommodation plans which includes evaluating coursework and requirements and making any necessary changes to plans to reflect accommodation needs.  The measurable outcomes include the number of accommodation plans completed, the number of faculty-student disagreements successfully facilitated, the number of services such as proctoring, testing, creating alternate formats, and lack of discrimination complaints filed by students regarding accommodations. 

Job Requirements:

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field with 2 years of experience and specialized knowledge working with people of varying disabilities particularly psychological/ psychiatric disorders, Autism Spectrum, and Veterans with disabilities;  along with a working knowledge of the ADAAA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and other disability laws, knowledge of The Office of Civil Rights’ legal policies and issues, and the ability to independently develop appropriate accommodations/academic adjustment strategies.  This position needs to be able to understand psychoeducational testing and understand how to interpret the data as functional limitations to apply to the college setting.  This position also requires the ability to negotiate and mediate potentially heated situations between students and faculty/staff, the ability to work with minimal supervision and make appropriate decisions that affect the College’s compliance with federal disability laws related to requiring equal access to the College’s programs.  Education/training for this position is typically acquired on-the-job.  No licenses or certifications are required to qualify for this position. After being hired or moved into this position, a year of on-the-job training and experience is necessary for a person to learn all of the major duties and be able to do them well and with confidence.

Part-time work experience is calculated at 50% of full-time experience.

Complexity & Creativity: Pellissippi State provides policies and procedures for guidance regarding intake and grievance procedures but no guidance regarding trouble shooting and mediating difficult issues.  The problems and issues that cannot be solved in Disability Services could end up as an Office of Civil Rights complaint or a lawsuit. It is extremely important that the employee be able to mediate and think outside of the box to help students and faculty/staff develop a resolution.

Magnitude of Impact: The magnitude of impact if a problem is not resolved within Disability Services could be potentially catastrophic for the College.  The time-frame would not be immediate as the student would need to file a formal complaint with the Office of Civil Rights.  Long-term, if the Office of Civil Rights found the student’s rights were violated, then the entire College would have to intervene in order to correct the problem. 

Responsibility for Accuracy: The typical error might be failing to deal with a request for accommodations in a timely manner by a student.  The error would be a “catalyst” for the student and result in an official complaint if not detected by the employee.  Work quantity and quality is verified by a monthly narrative report and quantitative data entered monthly into a spreadsheet regarding the employee’s work.  In addition, the employee in this position enters case notes in a shared database used by Disability Services regarding interactions and assistance to individual students.  The information is reviewed by the supervisor on a monthly basis.  Errors that were not detected could lead to official complaints of discrimination which could result in lawsuits or complaints to federal agencies; the worst-case scenario for an error in accommodating a student or not providing a service in a timely manner would be loss of federal funding for the College as a penalty by the federal Department of Education. This would be of detriment to the College due to monetary loss of Pell grants in the form of financial aid to students.

Judgement & Decisions: As a professional staff person, the coordinator is expected to work independently and make decisions based on experience and knowledge of federal civil rights legislation (Americans with Disabilities Act and its amendments and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974 and all amendments), regarding access for persons with disabilities to the College’s programs.  As an employee with specialized knowledge and experience, the coordinator’s decisions are not reviewed before becoming effective because it is expected that the coordinator will act within the parameters of the law and correctly review presented functional limitations.

Nature of Contacts: As a coordinator in Disability Services, the person in this position refers students to all offices within Student Affairs and Curriculum and Advising in Academic Affairs.  Students with disabilities often need assistance with navigating many college offices and understanding the requirements and needs.  This position also interacts closely with some students’ therapists, doctors, counselor, and parents as granted permission from the student with a FERPA form to coordinate support.  The Coordinator also frequently contacts Vocational Rehabilitation, Veteran’s Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation, and/or other student support agencies to assist with continued student success. 

The nature of interactions described above involves finding out where students are in the admissions process and helping them to understand what is needed, assisting students with navigating financial aid, referring to TRiO or the Academic Support Center for tutoring and extra assistance, referring students to counseling for academic and/or personal issues, helping students determine an appropriate semester by semester schedule of classes in order to proceed on track with their degree of choice, referring students to the appropriate office for grievance procedures, referring students to placement for assistance with resume writing and job search assistance, referring students to the appropriate academic offices to answer specific questions.

Physical Demands: The physical demands of the Coordinator are minimal.  The majority of the job is done sitting at an office desk and navigating the computer.

Hazards: The Coordinator could possibly come in to contact with a student who is experiencing psychological symptoms and is suffering from an exacerbation of their disability.  A person who is off medication or experiencing an exacerbation of psychological symptoms could potentially be a hazard to themselves and others.  In this instance, behavior is not predictable and could be dangerous to the Coordinator.  In order to remedy the situation, the Coordinator would need to contact Counseling, Campus Security, or Mobile Crisis to assist the student.  

Full-time Employment Benefits:

• Insurance Options Health, dental, vision, life, short/long-term disability, FSA/HSA Wellness Incentive Program, if  enrolled in health plan

• Educational Assistance Fee Waiver Spouse/Dependent discounts Audit/Non-Credit Reimbursement Program

• Employee Assistance Program

• Retirement options Tennessee traditional pension plan option (TCRS) 401k with $50 company match/457/403b

• Employee Discount program with over 900+companies

• 13 Paid Holidays/Year Includes paid days off the last week of December

• Sick Leave Bank

• Longevity Pay

• Many opportunities for professional development

Special Instructions to Applicants: To be considered for a position at Pellissippi State, you must create an on-line application. Your skills, abilities, qualifications, and years of experience will be evaluated using only what is recorded on your application. Work experience that is not listed on the application will not be considered towards compensation. Please note: attaching a resume does not substitute for completion of the application form. Part-time work experience is calculated at 50% of full-time experience. Please note: to scan, upload, or attach documents, a computer and scanner are available at the Hardin Valley Campus Educational Resources Center, if needed.

Pellissippi State Community College is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA employer

If you have any problems or questions please contact Human Resources at Pellissippi State Community College’s Human Resource Office at 865-694-6607 or by email at recruiting@pstcc.edu.

If you are interested in this position, click on the link to the left to apply.

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