at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Job Opening Id: 54460
Department: AccessibleNU
Salary/Grade: EXS/6
*To ensure a fair and consistent review process, we kindly ask that you do not contact the department directly. All applications will be reviewed by the hiring department through the formal application process. Due to the high volume of inquiries, we are unable to respond to requests.
About AccessibleNU: AccessibleNU (ANU) is responsible for the academic and on-campus housing accommodation determination and coordination process for students with disabilities. Northwestern University recognizes disability as an essential aspect of our campus, and as such, we actively collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to achieve access goals.
Mission: AccessibleNU supports and empowers students with disabilities by collaborating with the Northwestern community to ensure full participation in the academic learning environment.
Job Summary:
The Access Coordinator position serves as a subject matter expert on the academic and on-campus housing ADA reasonable accommodation request process for students. The Access Coordinator role is a remote position. Utilizing a thorough and timely process, daily functions include meeting with students with disabilities, reviewing medical and supplemental documentation, evaluating and determining requests for accommodations, and creating and maintaining case notes. The role collaborates with other ANU staff, coordinates with faculty, academic department leaders, and other campus liaisons, and leads campus trainings and outreach events. The Access Coordinator position ensures institutional compliance with federal, state, and local disability regulations.
Pay Range: The salary range for the Access Coordinator position is $70,000 to $71,890, depending on experience, skills, and internal equity.
Principal Accountabilities:
- Maintains a full caseload of students and provides ongoing support for undergraduate, graduate, professional, and online students.
- Reviews and processes incoming accommodation requests, ensuring a prompt, thorough, and equitable response to each request:
- Interprets disability documentation including medical, educational, and/or psychological assessments. Conducts accommodation meetings to gather additional information. Cross-analysis to determine reasonable accommodations.
- Ensures accommodation determinations align with ANU process and procedures, the Americans with Disabilities Act (as amended), Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, state and local disability regulations, the Fair Housing Act, relevant caselaw and legal guidance, and University policies and procedures.
- Generates creative and practical solutions to address current and emerging needs, including accommodations for students in off-site placements such as clinical settings, internships, practicums, and experiential learning environments.
- Uses office database (AIM) to maintain student files including: sending accommodation emails, maintaining confidential documentation, scheduling appointments, case noting, and documenting communications with students and university personnel regarding the accommodation process.
- Engages with faculty, academic department leaders, and staff to facilitate difficult conversations and coordinate and implement complex accommodations (e.g. flexibility with attendance and deadlines, classroom relocation, furniture placement, clinical arrangements, qualifying exam accommodations, adjustments to program requirements, etc.) while upholding essential course and programmatic requirements and/or technical standards.
