Executive Director, Student Disability and Accessibility Services

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Job Details:

The Executive Director for Student Disability and Accessibility Services provides senior leadership and oversight for the university's disability services for students, ensuring student-centered delivery of accommodations, coaching, support, community-building, outreach/education, and accessibility programs. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Health and Well-being within the Division of Student Affairs, the Executive Director oversees a $3.5M operating budget and leads a team of 51 professional staff, 13 student employees, 7 graduate assistants, and 23 contract employees all dedicated to accessibility and the student experience. This position provides strategic leadership to Disability and Access (D&A), the Disability Cultural Center (DCC), and Longhorn TIES; manages the day-to-day operations of D&A; and serves as an authority on disability law, accommodation determinations, and accessibility policy for students. The ADA Coordinator, who provides accommodation assistance for faculty and staff, and the Campus Testing Center are not a part of the Executive Director's portfolio of responsibilities.

• Disability and Access services include student accommodations, the Assistive Technology Education Center, and coordination of sign language interpreters/CART/TypeWell for students, faculty, and staff who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
• The Disability Cultural Center has dedicated space and staff to provide education, community, and advocacy for all members of the UT community.
• Longhorn TIES serves neurodivergent students through one-on-one student support and drop-in coaching and provides training and outreach to campus.

This position also serves as a key leader in the university's Health and Well-being leadership as well as the Division of Student Affairs senior leadership. Through strategic planning, direct student support, and extensive collaboration with academic and administrative units, the Executive Director advances the university's commitment to accessibility and student success.

Administrative Leadership and Operations

• Provide administrative oversight for D&A, including staff supervision, developing student-centered systems, budget management, policy development, and daytoday office operations.
• Foster a positive team environment and prioritize staff development.
• Oversee a collaborative leadership team to support the mission of the department.

Committee and Campus Representation

• Represent D&A on division, university, and systemwide committees such as the Behavior Assessment Team, Student Affairs Senior Team, Health and Well-being Council, UT's ADA Committee, and disability services director groups.

Oversight of Related Units

• Provide strategic direction to the Disability Cultural Center (DCC) and Longhorn TIES programs.
• Support directors in budgeting, programming, operations, and strategic planning.

Direct Student Service

• Conduct intakes, follow-up appointments, and maintain a caseload of students.
• Determine reasonable accommodations and support faculty and staff in implementation.
• Provide crisis management, problem solving, and conflict resolution.
• Ensure accurate and confidential recordkeeping in accordance with FERPA, ADA, and university policies.

Strategic Planning, Compliance, and Trends

• Lead strategic planning for current and future accessibility initiatives.
• Monitor changes in disability law, clinical guidelines, and emerging student needs.
• Engage with appropriate local, state, regional, and national organizations to stay current with trends and best practices.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Coordination

• Collaborate with campus communication and access teams to manage D/HH services, including interpreter contracts, RFPs, staffing, and budget oversight.

Consultation with Legal Affairs and ADA Coordinator

• Collaborate on sensitive and complex cases involving the ADA Coordinator, the Vice President for Legal Affairs office, Human Resources, Department of Investigation and Adjudication, and other campus units.

Campus and Auxiliary Unit Accessibility Support

• Partner with university auxiliary units (University Extension Courses, Extended Education Ventures, Option III programs, boot camps, etc.) to address accessibility needs and resolve accommodation concerns.

Other Duties as Assigned

• This could include supervision of graduate students and interns from psychology, social work, and related fields; other divisional or university projects; or other assignments from the Associate Vice President for Health and Well-being.

• Master's degree in counseling, education, social work, psychology, higher education administration, or related field.
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in disability services, student affairs, counseling, or related functional area.
• Deep commitment to creating systems, programs, and services that foster accessibility.
• Demonstrated success working with highrisk situations, crisis intervention, and cross-unit collaboration.
• Demonstrated expertise in ADA, Section 504, FERPA, and disability-related compliance and legal standards.
• Experience effectively supervising full-time staff and managing departmental budgets.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, political acumen, and the ability to navigate a complex environment.

• Doctoral degree in a relevant field, Juris Doctor, or other relevant terminal degree.
• Demonstrated success in a large, complex higher education environment.
• Experience overseeing multiple related programs or centers.
• Knowledge of Deaf/Hard of Hearing access services, including interpreter services and contract management.

• Typical office environment.
• Work may require extended periods at a computer workstation.
• Occasional evening or weekend commitments to support departmental or campus events.

• $150k+ depending on qualifications
• Competitive and commensurate with experience. UT Austin provides an excellent benefits package, including comprehensive health insurance, retirement plans, employee tuition assistance, paid leave, and paid professional development.

To apply, please submit the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• List of three professional references

Importantfor applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers:You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure thatALLRequired Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers:As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questionspresented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.