Title: Director, Access & Student Success
Employee Classification: Professional 52 Wks Non-Unit
Department: Student Success Department
Salary Range: $81,621
Who we are:
We are not-for-profit: St. Louis Community college (STLCC) is a non-profit institution dedicated to empowering students, expanding minds, and changing lives. Employees are committed to strengthening the St. Louis community with inclusive and transformative education.
We are a respected employer: For 60 years, STLCC has served the St. Louis community, expanding to 4 main campuses, 2 education centers, 2 workforce training centers, and 5 centers of excellence. More than one-half of the households in St. Louis have at least one member who has taken classes at STLCC.
We make an impact in the community: Through credit courses, continuing education, and workforce development programs, STLCC annually serves nearly 69,000 students. More than 80% of career and technical graduates employed in their fields or continue their education at four-year institutions within six months of graduation. STLCC sends more transfer students to Missouri’s four-year colleges/universities than anyone else.
What you get:
Benefits package [for full-time employees]: STLCC offers one of the best benefit packages in the St. Louis area. As a STLCC employee you will have access to a 100% match on your contribution to retirement, two health insurance plans options - including an HSA option, low-cost life insurance with a 3x salary benefit, and other low-cost benefits including dental, vision, AD&D, Short-term & Long-term disability insurance.
Opportunity to grow: Over half of our employees have served the college for more than 12 years, exploring different career paths and advancing to higher level positions.
Education & training opportunities: STLCC offers tuition waivers for employees [full-time and part-time] + their dependents. Full-time employees can take advantage of tuition reimbursement for other institutions after just 6 months of service, and an annual professional development allotment.
Work/life balance: Full-time STLCC employees have access to a generous time off package, including holidays, vacation, personal days, medical leave, and other leave options. Our holiday schedule even includes a paid winter holiday at the end of the calendar year.
Commitment to wellness: STLCC HR boasts a dedicated health and wellness specialist who is enthusiastic about creating a culture of wellness throughout the College. With access to college wellness vendors, employees are educated, motivated, and rewarded for healthy behaviors. STLCC employees and anyone living in their household also have access to an employee assistance program (EAP) that can help them with virtually any life need.
The basics of this position:
The Director is responsible for the administration, development, coordination and evaluation of the support services for students with disabilities within the framework of federal and state regulations and college policies and procedures under Americans with Disabilities Act – ADA, Rehabilitation Act, Section 504, as amended. The Director will work collaboratively with students with disabilities, faculty and staff to determine and implement reasonable accommodations. The Director will actively engage in planning strategic initiatives, assessing services, and representing the Access department at within the STLCC community. Serves as liaison with college Compliance Director; provides training and consultative services to faculty, staff, students, and the community; provides accommodations as necessary for college events/activities; performs normal supervisory functions.
*This is a district-wide position that will be home-based at the Florissant Valley campus.
What you'll do:
- Establish strategic direction including the development, implementation, monitoring, and assessment of district-wide educational programming, outreach, training and services for students with disabilities within higher education in order to assist with retention and completion. Monitor trends and data related to student enrollment, persistence, and outcomes across STLCC schools and pathways.
- In coordination with supervisor and Business Manager of Student Affairs, manage fiscal matters, and procurement processes.
- Initiate and oversee procurement process for department, including but not limited to databases, software, and agency contractors.
- Serve as the liaison or initiator to funding sources of Vocational Rehabilitation, Perkins, Grants, and other potential community partners.
- Provide strategic oversight of the assessment process for qualifying students and granting reasonable accommodation, including monitoring quality control for improvement.
- Hire, train, develop, and manage staff to ensure that a qualified staff exists to meet department objectives. Oversee this effort with direct reports who supervise others.
- Consult, advise, and train campus departments, including students, faculty and staff on policies and procedures in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and reasonable academic accommodations through an interactive process.
- Make recommendations to college leadership on issues of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Compile, interpret and present STLCC ADA statistics specifically as they relate to student retention and academic success.
- Manage operations by providing guidance, continuous coaching, and feedback to Managers, Coordinator, Deaf Services staff and Specialists.
- Develop the team to provide best-in-class service to all stakeholders.
- Develop and oversee support services for students with disabilities including, but not limited to, mentorship sessions on learning strategies, self-advocacy, organizational skills, time management and social communication skills.
- Develop and oversee the college’s use of accommodations that best serve students in the most efficient and innovative way to ensure their success.
- Collect, analyze, track and monitor department statistics, student data, retention and run report as needed.
- Develop, implement and monitor policies relative to student disability services; form and lead campus committee addressing disability issues.
- Collaborate with district and campus departments and employees to develop programs and facilitate activities that promote student success and lifelong learning. Ensure that students who experience barriers to course components, services, or facilities have equal access through the provision of accommodations. Participate as needed in cares, conduct, and threat assessment meetings.
- Collaborate with college leaders to ensure that services are accessible and provided to all students, including those in dual enrollment, early college, short-term training, continuing education, and other programs that serve STLCC students.
- Serve on various college committees and task forces to ensure that students with disabilities are represented in College decision-making.
- Refer accessibility issues to areas of oversite, including but not limited to: facilities, office of community standards, human resources, and academic affairs.
- Facilitates problem solving/conflict resolution regarding the provisions of accommodations or disability-related issues with faculty, staff and students.
- Documents the college’s compliance to state/federal laws through a centralized electronic record system which includes individual, active and inactive student files, confidential documentation of disabilities, and record of provision of accommodations. Assists in the preparation of responses to Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and Human Rights Commission (HRC) investigations and other legal processes regarding the college’s provision of equal access.
- Maintain and strengthen community partnerships that support the services provided and enhance outcomes for students served by department.
- Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.
- Performs normal supervisory duties to Managers, Coordinators and department personnel.
Education, experience, and other requirements:
• Master’s Degree in disability studies, rehabilitation, counseling, special education or related fields is required.
• Three (3)+ years of experience working directly with adults with disabilities or related experience.
• Five (5)+ years of management experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience in a college/university setting is preferred.