Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

The Office of Academic Success supports student and alumni academic well-being, planning, and success. We collaboratively provide advising and resources to help students obtain a satisfying, enriching, balanced, holistic, and life-changing liberal arts education. The Office of Academic Success includes fellowships and prizes advising, pre-health and pre-law advising, student disability services, academic advising, academic support, and the Registrar’s Office.

The opportunity:

The Director of Student Disability Services works to ensure that disabled students have full access to all of the learning opportunities and resources offered by the college. The Director collaborates with students, faculty, staff and other constituents in the provision of academic, dining, housing, and other disability accommodations. The Director provides strategic leadership on disability inclusion for the college, with the goal of upholding the college's commitment to excellence in diversity.

Essential Responsibilities

• Determines, coordinates, and monitors the provision of disability accommodations for students.
  • Engages in the process of determining eligibility of students for disability accommodations through review of documentation, consultation with administrators and professionals and intake interviews with students.
  • Works collaboratively with additional professional staff who provide other campus-wide support services and programming - including providing education around disability as diversity
  • Communicates regularly with faculty and staff to ensure that disabled students are provided with appropriate support and equal access.
  • Ensures compliance with and effectiveness of office procedures and related documentation, utilizing the disability services software Accommodate
  • Makes appropriate, timely and effective decisions to support the work of the department.
• Provides strategic leadership around disability inclusion.
  • Serves on college-wide committees, including the Student Disability Services Faculty Advisory Committee (chair), the Accessibility Working Group (member), and the faculty Committee on Academic Requirements (observer).
  • Develop and provide training and workshops for the campus community in order to raise awareness around disability and to promote full access for disabled students.
  • Conducts systematic assessment of services provided and provides statistical summaries as needed.
  • Demonstrates and maintains knowledge of current laws and best practices regarding disability accommodations in a post-secondary setting

 Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises the work of the Assistant Director of Student Disability Services and Co-supervises Administrative Assistant for the Office of Academic Success.
• Effectively performs the following:
  • Organize workflow and ensure staff understand their duties or delegated tasks.
  • Ensures staff have a professional development plan in place. Provide and develop training opportunities. Create and conduct staff performance evaluations.
  • Communicate key issues and information to staff.
  • Provide fair, constructive, and timely feedback.
  • In partnership with Human Resources, follow disciplinary procedures as established in accordance with the employee handbook.
• Participates in supervisory training opportunities.
• Maintains a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment.

Who you are:

• An experienced, collaborative disability services professional who is committed to ensuring equal access.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills, with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with students, colleagues and parents.
• Well-versed in disability services best practices and assessment.
• Skilled in balancing daily operations and strategic priorities.

What you bring:

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree with five years of experience in disability services at a postsecondary level or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Demonstrates and maintains knowledge of current laws and best practices regarding disability accommodations in a post-secondary setting.
• This position requires occasional evening and weekend hours for a few evenings or weekends during the fall and spring academic semesters.
• The position is primarily in-person on-campus, with an option for a partial hybrid schedule when classes are not in session.

 Preferred

• Master’s Degree
• Ten years’ experience in disability services at a postsecondary level
• Experience working with disability services software, preferably Accommodate

Physical Demands

• Requires physical presence in the office including for functions like exam proctor coordination and meeting with students.
• May occasionally need to traverse campus to support events.

 What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with pay expectations, including a resume and cover letter, by October 1, 2024. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled.

PA Criminal Required

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.

Education Verification Required by Position

An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.

Review the 2024 Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.