Student Staff Positions, Disability Outreach Center Community Building Team and Education Team

Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unit of the Division of Enrollment and Student Services

About the Disability Outreach Center and Disability Access Center

Disability Outreach Center

The Disability Outreach Center (DOC) is a resource for students with disabilities and allies. The DOC provides information, referrals, and educational programming relating to disability topics to provide students with a connection to community resources, raise awareness, and advocate for disabled students’ human and civil rights. The DOC provides a safe space for all students, social programming, and promotes community building and pride for students with disabilities. The DOC is a program of the Disability Access Center.

Disability Access Center

The mission of the Disability Access Center (DAC) is to identify and remove barriers toward the realization of an inclusive university. Disability is an important aspect of diversity at Western, and the DAC staff partners with students who have permanent or temporary disabilities to understand their experience and determine individualized accommodations for curricular and co-curricular environments.

ADEI Unit

The DOC and DAC are part of the Division of Enrollment and Student Services’ new Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unit, which is also is home to Multicultural Student Services and LGBTQ+ Western. Through services, programming, and advocacy centering Western students with marginalized identities, the ADEI Unit advances holistic student development and inclusive achievement. We increase access, equity, and inclusion for Western students by collaboratively transforming structures, policies, and practices. We build learning spaces that foster community, focusing on topics of equity, justice, race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, socio-economic status, and veteran status.

Position Responsibilities

Student employees in the Disability Outreach Center are part of the Community Building Team or the Education Team. Community building and education work are interconnected; students on each team often collaborate in their work and engage in peer-to-peer support, education, and community building.

Responsibilities of all positions include:

Through performance of job responsibilities, advance the mission and goals of the ADEI Unit, Division of Enrollment and Student Services, and the university.
Engage in work collaboratively within and between departments in the ADEI Unit.
Participate in all required student staff development trainings, as communicated by one’s supervisor.
Participate in staff meetings.
Informed by engagement with peers, share with one’s supervisor what is working well and where students are experiencing barriers to access, equity, and inclusion. Keep supervisor informed as needed to support students’ safety, well-being, and success.
Assist with event publicity, set-up and take-down, including preparation of event materials, hanging posters across campus to publicize events, room set-up, and post-event clean-up.
Represent the DAC, DOC, and ADEI Unit, including by staffing tables for the department at events and visiting classes.
Serve on committees and work groups as assigned by one’s supervisor.
Maintain office and community space that is accessible, welcoming, and inclusive to students with multiple marginalized identities.
Follow all applicable university policies and laws in the performance of one’s job.

Community Building Team

The Community Building Team focuses on building community between disabled students at Western. The team also builds intergenerational community between students, staff, and faculty. Team responsibilities:

Hold regular drop-in hours to engage with students, providing peer-to-peer support, referrals, and community.
Establish regular communication with the Residence Hall Association, Ethnic Student Center club leaders, and LGBTQ+ Western student staff to share resources and upcoming events.
Participate in planning and delivery of events for prospective students and families, and events that welcome new students and build community amongst disabled students. This could include hosting online or in-person study sessions, discussion groups, social events, and care and healing spaces.
With the Education Team and supervisor, build a structure for collaboration and information sharing between clubs that center disability.
Serve on University Residences Pride Housing Advisory Committee.
With the Education Team, maintain a social media presence that helps build community, ensuring that digital materials are accessible and follow Western guidelines.
Assist in the assessment of programming.

Education Team

The Education Team focuses on creating programming and digital materials that educate Western students about disability and access, equity, and inclusion for diverse people with disabilities. The Education Team also provides occasional education for faculty and staff about access, equity, and inclusion for disabled students.

Hold regular drop-in hours to engage with students, providing peer-to-peer support, referrals, and information.
Plan and deliver educational programming and digital materials, including education connected to disability awareness days and months, for example Disability Pride Month, ADHD Awareness Month, Depression Education and Awareness Month, Learning Disability Awareness Month, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and International Wheelchair Day.
With the Community Building Team and supervisor, build a structure for collaboration and information sharing between clubs that center disability.
Collaborate with and assist LGBTQ+ Western and Multicultural Student Services to plan and deliver educational events and materials centering inclusion and equity for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people.
Inform students about resources at Western and beyond, including DAC services, scholarship opportunities, opportunities for club involvement, Off-Campus Living, the Learning Commons, and Counseling, Health, and Wellness Services.
Serve on the Work Group for LGBTQ+ Student Health and Wellness.
With the Community Building Team, maintain a social media presence that helps educate students about access, diversity, equity, and inclusion as they pertain to disability, ensuring that digital materials are accessible and follow Western guidelines
Assist in the assessment of programming.

Educational Benefits

Students on these teams will develop skills and knowledge including:

Skills planning learning and program outcomes and determining effective methods for content delivery.
Outreach, facilitation, and leadership development skills.
Event planning skills.
Knowledge regarding needs of and resources available to support diverse students with disabilities, including people who are BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+.
Knowledge and skills regarding the practice of student affairs and intersectional disability inclusion and equity work.
Professional and effective communication and collaboration skills.

Required Qualifications

Demonstrated basic understanding of the social model of disability and barriers to inclusion experienced by college-aged people with disabilities.
Demonstrated interest in advancing access, inclusion, and equity of disabled people who are LGBTQ+ and who have diverse racial and ethnic identities, nationalities, and economic backgrounds.
Ability to facilitate events and discussions.

Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally and effectively in a manner that is welcoming to people with varying levels of understanding of disabilities and equity issues experienced by disabled people.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Strong professional judgment, organizational, and time management skills.

Student Employee Eligibility

Student employees must maintain employment eligibility as described in Section 5 of Western’s Student Employee Handbook.

Compensation and Hours Expectations

These positions pay $16.25 per hour through December 2022, and $16.86 per hour from January through June 9, 2023.

Positions end on June 9, 2023. Students are not expected to work during winter or spring break.

Students employed in these positions work an average of 15 hours per week. Individuals may work less some weeks and more other weeks, depending on the department’s needs.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit (1) a cover letter not to exceed one page describing your interest in and qualifications for the position and (2) a current resume, including the names and contact information for two references familiar with your past work, volunteer, or academic experience. In your application materials, please indicate if you have a preference for serving on either the Community Building Team or the Education Team, and be specific about how you meet the job qualifications. Email application materials to Tulea Enochs, enochst@wwu.edu, with “DOC application” in the subject line. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, November 20, 2022.