[humanser] Questions

Kathy McGillivray kjm at usfamily.net
Fri Aug 26 02:54:05 UTC 2011


A disability specialist or counselor (I don't like either term) or 
coordinator is someone who works with students who have disabilities by 
reviewing disability  documentation, talking with the student, jointly 
developing an accommodation plan, etc. A specialist or counselor might also 
provide support to students in time management, motivation, and other areas 
of executive functioning for students whose disabilities impact  executive 
functioning. If you go to www.higheredjobs.com and click on the place to 
search for jobs, then administrative, then disability services, you will 
likely see some specialist, counselor, or coordinator positions there. Those 
will give you job descriptions which will give you an idea of what these 
folks do. Academic advising is generally not a big part of these positions, 
although one does get familiar with curriculum over time spent at an 
institution.

For smaller institutions, a director or assistant director may do a number 
of these specialist or coordinator functions, but is also involved with 
policy development, institutional compliance, training and outreach, etc. At 
larger institutions, the director or assistant  director would likely 
supervise coordinators or specialists. There are many different types of 
configurations, but what I have just described is most common.

Best,
Kathy
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Quinto Sanchez" <sanchezq at prodigy.net>
To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 8:50 PM
Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions


> Hello Kathy,
>
> when you say "disability specialist", what do you mean? Does that mean a 
> disability counselor at a university? When I think about the several 
> universities in my area, other than the office clerks and student workers 
> majority are ran by 1 or 2 individuals, including the big state 
> university. One of the community colleges with the best disability office 
> has only 3 disability counselors. there might be a position opening up 
> soon since I know that one is leaving however, my concern of being an 
> academic counselor is that I know that there is probably the need to be 
> referring to course descriptions/plans, transcripts, looking at past and 
> current schedules. and in my experience of being in school most of these 
> things are hand written, and not in electronic format to review. Is this 
> correct? Sorry for the long letter but, I'm trying to take advantage of 
> the wealth of information you all have for me. Thanks
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Kathy McGillivray" <kjm at usfamily.net>
> Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 6:56 PM
> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions
>
>> You probably will not start out as a director and maybe not even an 
>> assistant director. You could poptentially be a director at a smaller 
>> university, but you probably will need/want a couple of years of 
>> experience as a disability specialist. Two good places to look for jobs 
>> are www.ahead.org and www.higheredjobs.com. For AHEAD, you need to be a 
>> member. For higheredjobs.com, you just go to the site, click on 
>> administrative, then click on disability services. There are generally 50 
>> or 60 positions posted all over the country.
>>
>> The best way to get a job, though is to network. Visit the AHEAD website 
>> and see if there is an affiliate in your state. Then, start going to 
>> their professional meetings and let it be known you are looking for a 
>> position. That's how I got my first position 16 years ago. Hope that 
>> helps and let me know if I can be of further assistance.
>>
>> Kathy McGillivray, M.A.
>> Director of Disability Services
>> Hamline University, MS-c1926
>> 1536 Hewitt Avenue
>> St. Paul, MN 55104
>> (651) 523-2521
>> kmcgillivray01 at hamline.edu
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "quinto" <sanchezq at prodigy.net>
>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 8:48 AM
>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions
>>
>>
>>> To those of you all who are working with the disability services at the 
>>> universities: I am currently working on the 3000 Internship hours 
>>> required for full licensure. i should be done in June 2012. I would like 
>>> to work in the university. What steps should I take as soon as I finish 
>>> up these and am fully licensed as an LPC to give me the chances of 
>>> landing a job as an assistant director/director of a disability office? 
>>> Thanks.
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Kathy McGillivray" <kjm at usfamily.net>
>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 8:26 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hello. I also work in the disability services in higher education 
>>>> setting. I am the director of disability services at Hamline 
>>>> University. I just started there in June. Prior to that, I was the 
>>>> director of disability services at Bethel University for 11 years. Our 
>>>> shop is not big like Natasha's which means I do a lot of everything 
>>>> including supervising student workers, helping develop university 
>>>> policy, ensuring compliance, working with individual students, and a 
>>>> number of other things. I've also taught some classes over the years. 
>>>> Our super busy season is coming up. It is a great career and I use my 
>>>> counseling skills a lot, although not with traditional therapy.
>>>>
>>>> Natasha, I'd love to pick your brain about a few things when things 
>>>> slow down for you a bit. I'm needing to manage more of the hands-on 
>>>> services at Hamline, since I don't have an auxiliary services 
>>>> coordinator now as I did at Bethel. Anyway, maybe when things slow down 
>>>> for us in November. (ha ha.)
>>>>
>>>> Peace
>>>> Kathy
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "quinto" <sanchezq at prodigy.net>
>>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 2:40 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> That would be great.
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>> From: "Baebler, Natasha B" <nbaebler at purdue.edu>
>>>>> To: "'Human Services Mailing List'" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 2:31 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I'd be happy to talk with you about what I do and how I got here. Just 
>>>>> not this week! I'm swomped with first week of the semester "stuff"!
>>>>>
>>>>> Go Well,
>>>>> Natasha
>>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> Natasha Baebler
>>>>> Assistant Dean of Auxiliary Services
>>>>> Purdue University - Disability Resource Center
>>>>> Ernest C. Young Hall, Room 830
>>>>> 155 S. Grant Street
>>>>> West Lafayette, IN 47907
>>>>> (P) 765-494-1247 (F) 765-496-3759
>>>>> nbaebler at purdue.edu
>>>>> www.purdue.edu/drc
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>>>> On Behalf Of quinto
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 3:05 PM
>>>>> To: Human Services Mailing List
>>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions
>>>>>
>>>>> Wow Natosha! thats the kind of job I am looking for actually.
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>> From: "Baebler, Natasha B" <nbaebler at purdue.edu>
>>>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 1:27 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Presently I am the Assistant Dean for Auxiliary services and acting
>>>>> assistant director of the Disability Resource Center at Purdue 
>>>>> University. I
>>>>> teach a class and coordinate all services such as notetakers,
>>>>> readers/scrives, interpreters, transcriptionists, etc. for the 850+ 
>>>>> students
>>>>> with disabilities at Purdue. I also manage a staff of specialists in a
>>>>> variety of disability related areas all directly under the auxiliary
>>>>> services umbrella. Finally, I oversee our alternative format 
>>>>> production team
>>>>> including those in charge of E-text and Braille material production. 
>>>>> It's a
>>>>> challenging job for sure, but one I love!
>>>>>
>>>>> In the past, I have served as a disability services counselor 
>>>>> specializing
>>>>> in students with physical, sensory, or chronic medical disabilities. 
>>>>> In that
>>>>> role, I reviewed disability documentation, approve accommodations, and 
>>>>> help
>>>>> students determine what academic adjustments they need to have an 
>>>>> equal
>>>>> chance of success in college. As we all know, college is a very 
>>>>> different
>>>>> animal than the K-12 system!
>>>>>
>>>>> Even this time of year when I'm putting in 12+ hour days, I love what 
>>>>> I do
>>>>> as I can see it making a difference in the lives of students. It 
>>>>> really
>>>>> helps to be a practical user in this field!
>>>>>
>>>>> Go Well,
>>>>> Natasha
>>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> Natasha Baebler
>>>>> Assistant Dean of Auxiliary Services
>>>>> Purdue University - Disability Resource Center
>>>>> Ernest C. Young Hall, Room 830
>>>>> 155 S. Grant Street
>>>>> West Lafayette, IN 47907
>>>>> (P) 765-494-1247 (F) 765-496-3759
>>>>> nbaebler at purdue.edu
>>>>> www.purdue.edu/drc
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>>>> On
>>>>> Behalf Of quinto
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 2:00 PM
>>>>> To: Alicia Richards; Human Services Mailing List
>>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello Alicia,
>>>>>
>>>>> In my experience living in Tx. I have found that having simply a 
>>>>> degree in
>>>>> mental health counseling your options are limited as far as 
>>>>> employment.
>>>>> Natosha what do you do in the academia world? I would love to teach 
>>>>> but, a
>>>>> mental health counseling degree  is not enough to teach. i think you 
>>>>> would
>>>>> have more success with dual acreditation in CRC and LPC or social 
>>>>> work. As
>>>>> an LPC employment opportunities are very limited and most of the 
>>>>> agencies
>>>>> desire for you to travel and make home visits which could be 
>>>>> challenging for
>>>>> a visually impaired individual. This is my take on the subject.
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>> From: "Alicia Richards" <alicianfb at gmail.com>
>>>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 11:25 AM
>>>>> Subject: [humanser] Questions
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hello, all.  I am not sure if this is the correct list to post my
>>>>>> questions to, so forgive me if it is not, and please let me know if 
>>>>>> there
>>>>>> would be a more appropriate list.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 1. Most schools require either the GRE, or GMAT. I am familiar with 
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> GRE, though I have not taken it yet. However, I know little about the
>>>>>> GMAT.  Can someone tell me more about it?  How is it different from 
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> GRE?  Does it test for different academic areas?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 2. The more research I do, the more confused I become. Some are 
>>>>>> telling me
>>>>>> that the direction to go is to get my mental health counseling 
>>>>>> degree.
>>>>>> Others are suggesting a degree in Social Work, as it offers more
>>>>>> flexibility in the kind of job a person could get.  What are your
>>>>>> experiences, with the differences between these two degrees?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 3. Another passion of mine is rehab counseling. Up until now, I 
>>>>>> figured I
>>>>>> needed to choose only one degree: mental health counseling, or social
>>>>>> work, or the RC field. However, I have lately learned of several 
>>>>>> schools
>>>>>> that will actually certify a person in both the RC and mental health
>>>>>> fields. Does anyone on here have such a duel certification, or not?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I would greatly appreciate whatever information anyone can provide. 
>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>> in advance!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Alicia
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
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