Communication Access Manager Job at Oregon State University in Corvallis

Communication Access Manager

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Position Details

• Department: Disability Access Services (MSA)
• Position Title: Manager 1-Student Servs
• Job Title: Communication Access Manager
• Appointment Type: Professional Faculty
• Job Location: Corvallis
• Benefits Eligible: Full‑time, benefits eligible

Job Summary

Disability Access Services ( DAS ) actively works towards equitable and accessible experiences for students with disabilities at Oregon State University ( OSU ). DAS serves the mission of OSU by providing access to educational opportunities to a population that has historically been disadvantaged in higher education: students with disabilities. DAS supports disabled students by providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations as required by Federal and State laws. The manager for Communication Access is a critical leadership position within DAS and coordinates services to provide communication access to students and prospective students at OSU via accommodations that are reasonable, appropriate, and effective.

Under the general supervision of the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Disability Access Services, the Communication Access Manager serves as the campus lead for Deaf and Hard of Hearing ( DHOH ) students, collaborating with Equal Opportunity & Access ( EOA ) in assisting departments with finding interpreters/transcribers. This position coordinates the assistive listening devices (Frequency Modulation systems) loan program. This position oversees working with 3rd party vendors for media captioning and audio description production. The Manager provides direction to the Lead Interpreter and Lead Transcriber to ensure course assignments are covered, instructors’ emails requesting access to Canvas are sent, and prep materials are made available to the service providers. This position will also carry a partial caseload of students, along with facilitating efforts to collaborate with faculty and departments for proper implementation of access and accommodations.

Why OSU?

Working for Oregon State University is so much more than a job! Oregon State University is a dynamic community of dreamers, doers, problem‑solvers and change‑makers. We don’t wait for challenges to present themselves — we seek them out and take them on. We welcome students, faculty and staff from every background and perspective into a community where everyone feels seen and heard. We have deep‑rooted mindfulness for the natural world and all who depend on it, and together, we apply knowledge, tools and skills to build a better future for all.

Facts

• Top 1.4% university in the world
• More research funding than all public universities in Oregon combined
• 1 of 3 land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the U.S.
• 2 campuses, 11 colleges, 12 experiment stations, and Extension programs in all 36 counties
• 7 cultural resource centers that offer education, celebration and belonging for everyone
• 100+ undergraduate degree programs, 80+ graduate degrees plus hundreds of minor options and certificates
• 35k+ students including more than 2.3k international students and 10k students of color
• 217k+ alumni worldwide
• For more interesting facts about OSU visit: https://oregonstate.edu/about

Total Rewards Package

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Basic Life. OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.
• Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.
• Retirement savings paid by the university.
• A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.
• Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.
• Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Optional lifestyle benefits such as pet, accident, and critical illness insurance, giving you peace of mind and the support you need to thrive in all aspects of your life.

Key Responsibilities

45% Administrative Management & Accommodation Coordination

• Receive and evaluate students’ communication accommodations requests submitted through the DAS AIM system for all OSU locations where students need academic/program access.
• Guide the transcribers and interpreters to contact faculty and others to gather information and/or prep materials to support the implementation of services on time.
• Manage requests for captioning and audio description by working with 3rd party vendors for recorded media.
• Contract and work with external vendors and agencies to ensure interpreting, transliterating, and/or real‑time transcribing/captioning assignments are covered.
• Mediate disputes between students, faculty, and service providers.
• Manage staff and vendors’ substitution requests to ensure communication access is available for the students.
• Manage and monitor accommodation usage by students, determine trends, and gather feedback to enhance service delivery.
• Oversee the management of accessible technology, e.g. FM systems, external mics, transcriber laptops, etc.
• Research/develop/update appropriate evaluation materials/methods and professional development activities for interpreters and transcribers.
• Keep current on best practices in the field, specifically as related to what is happening regionally, nationally, and within the state of Oregon.

25% Supervision and Budget Responsibilities

• Recruit, evaluate, hire, train, and supervise OSU interpreters and transcribers, to fulfill accommodation requests and ensure information about classes and technical requirements is aligned with staff and hourly interpreters/transcribers’ skill sets.
• Supervise student workers who work directly with post‑production captioning in DAS.
• Assess the OSU interpreters’ knowledge and application of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf ( RID )/National Association of the Deaf ( NAD ) Code of Professional Conduct, knowledge of teaming procedures, and familiarity with technical vocabulary.
• Assess the transcribers’ understanding of and adherence to the Typewell Transcriber Code of Ethics.
• Update and/or develop policies/procedures for interpreting, transcribing, and media captioning/audio description services.
• Oversee communication access‑related budget.
• Work closely with the DAS Operations Manager to onboard, monitor and support vendors; includes reviewing invoices and following up if there are issues, and assists with bill‑backs to colleges/departments for services provided.

20% General Program Support

• Generate creative and practical solutions to address current and emerging needs.
• Maintain necessary records, produce reports, and analyze data and trends; enter case notes and service delivery data using the department database to track accommodation requests.
• Collaborate with other university departments to ensure administrative processes are completed appropriately.
• Support DAS by participating in university‑wide initiatives and programs.
• Attends and actively participates in departmental meetings.
• Collaborate and build rapport with students, academic colleges, divisions, and departments on campus.
• Serve as the DAS expert for the University community, including instructors, about effective communication techniques and access strategies for consumers in the classroom, at events (including public‑access events requiring real‑time captioning), and other campus settings.
• Collaborate with colleges/departments regarding the needs (lighting, prep material, etc.) of interpreters/transcribers/ CART providers in various settings.

10% Other Duties/Responsibilities

• Maintain “on call” status to make last‑minute changes in interpreter/transcribers’ schedules as needed due to illness or other emergencies.
• Follow RID’s Code of Professional Conduct and implement ethically appropriate decisions to situations that arise.
• Maintain interpreting skills as appropriate to the interpreting profession.
• Other duties as assigned.

What You Will Need

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field (Liberal Arts, Communication, Psychology, Education, etc.) or completion of an interpreter training program – ASL Interpreting, ASL Studies, or Deaf Education.
• Native ASL User and/or hold or be eligible for holding an RID / NAD interpreting certification. Must be eligible for State of Oregon license requirements.
• Five years’ successful experience in expressive and receptive interpreting and transliterating at the post‑secondary level in a variety of settings, including interpreting in STEM /advanced level classes.
• Understanding of assistive technology used for communication access.
• Experience in a supervisory or lead worker position.
• Demonstrated organizational ability, especially related to managing daily details, multiple work tasks, and priorities under tight timelines.
• Ability to problem solve while managing stressful, complex situations.
• Commitment to promoting an inclusive work environment.

What We Would Like You To Have

• Master’s degree in a related field: Interpreter for the Deaf; Rehabilitation Counselor: Deafness; Deafness‑related field.
• Knowledge of universal/inclusive design concepts and experience with implementation.
• Trained as a Typewell transcriber.

Working Conditions / Work Schedule

• Primarily in an office environment.
• Typical work hours are 8 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
• Occasional evening/weekend work may be required.

Pay Method

Salary

Pay Period

1st through the last day of the month

Pay Date

Last working day of the month

Recommended Full‑Time Salary Range

$55,000 - $65,000

Link To Position Description

https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/position_descriptions/19943

Application Requirements

• A resume
• A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.

You will also be required to submit the names of at least three professional references, their e‑mail addresses and telephone numbers as part of the application process.

Contact

Lauren Skousen, lauren.skousen@oregonstate.edu or 541‑737‑9035

Equal Opportunity and Background Checks

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status. OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire. If you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job‑related pre‑employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate. Take a look at the Background Checks website including the for candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre‑employment check, please contact OSU’s Employee and Labor Relations team at employee.relations@oregonstate.edu.

Any required license and/or certification may be uploaded as License or Certification 1 or 2. The online application system will allow you to attach your license/certification if the PDF file is 9 MB or less. If over 9 MB in size, submit to contact person listed. The license and/or certification must be received by the closing date if not uploaded with your application.