Access Assistant

Access Assistant (Full Time, Onsite)

About Student Disability Services (SDS)

Student Disability Services (SDS) works in partnership with Cornell faculty, staff, and students to ensure that all aspects of student life are accessible, equitable, and inclusive of individuals with disabilities. SDS establishes and disseminates criteria for disability services, meets with students to discuss access needs, receives and stores confidential disability documentation to support a student's eligibility for disability services and accommodations, collaborates with faculty and staff regarding essential course and/or program requirements and appropriate reasonable accommodations. SDS provides campus leadership of diversity efforts that promote disability equity and inclusion.

The Opportunity         

Your work will directly support students’ equitable access to education. By joining SDS, you will contribute to a mission-driven team committed to removing barriers and creating an inclusive campus experience for all.  Apply today and help advance access, inclusion, and student success at Cornell University.

What You Will Do

Coordinating Student Applications for Disability Services

• Collaborate closely with the SDS team to coordinate workflow for new applications
• Review student disability application materials for completeness
• Verify student information in PeopleSoft and ensure accurate data entry in SDS systems
• Contact students to request additional or clarifying information
• Provide timely updates on application status and next steps
• Document application progress and supplemental materials in the SDS database

Front Desk Coverage and Student Support

• Serve as a primary point of contact for a wide range of inquiries (in person, phone, and email) from students, families, faculty, staff, and visitors
• Respond independently to inquiries, including complex or sensitive topics, and route as appropriate
• Hold confidential conversations related to disability accommodations and processes
• Follow up with SDS staff to address questions or concerns
• Distribute and track assistive equipment provided to students

Records Coordination

• Maintain and update confidential student records in SDS systems
• Receive, scan, upload, and organize documentation from multiple sources
• Audit database records regularly for accuracy and completeness
• Ensure all records are handled in compliance with FERPA and confidentiality standards

Communicating Student Accommodations

• Send accommodation letters to faculty
• Notify and coordinate with campus partners (e.g., Residential & New Student Programs, academic departments, Environmental Health & Safety, ADA facilities partners, etc.)
• Work with SDS colleagues to help facilitate auxiliary services such as interpreting or accessible course materials

Additional Responsibilities

• Participate in special projects and perform other duties as assigned
• Complete required university compliance trainings

What We Need

A cover letter and resume outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are required for consideration.

• Formal training beyond a HS Diploma of 2-4 years: two years of college coursework, associate degree, or equivalent combination required.
• Ability to learn new software systems quickly.
• Skilled with Microsoft Office software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Bookings.
• Strong oral and written communication and interpersonal skills with a proven record of providing excellent customer service. High level of sensitivity, judgment, independent decision-making and problem-solving, including a heightened appreciation for confidentiality.
• Ability to reason and use sound judgment in interpreting policies and procedures. Excellent organizational and data management skills.
• Keen attention to detail.
• Able to excel in team-based work environment
• Experience working directly with people from various socioeconomic backgrounds.

It Would Be a Bonus if You Have Any of the Following *If you have all those things, great! We have a few more things that we would prefer you to have, but it’s ok if you don’t.

• Bachelor’s degree or other formal 4-year training in disability studies, or a related field.
• Experience working with a college-age population and in a university setting.
• Experience working with individuals with disabilities.
• Knowledge of Cornell systems and programs.
• Knowledge of requirements for retention and confidentiality of disability and educational records.

Important Notes About Applying

• A cover letter and resume outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are required for consideration.
• This position is fully onsite and located on the Ithaca campus.
• There is no relocation assistance available for this position.
• There is no visa sponsorship available for this position.

Rewards and Benefits

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Cornell is an equal opportunity employer. For more information, visit hr.cornell.edu/eeo.

University Job Title:

Job Family:

Level:

Pay Rate Type:

Pay Range:

Remote Option Availability:

Company:

Contact Name:

Contact Email:

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

Current Employees:

If you currently work at Cornell University, please exit this website and log in to Workday using your Net ID and password. Select the Career icon on your Home dashboard to view jobs at Cornell.

Online Submission Guidelines:

Most positions at Cornell will require you to apply online and submit both a resume/CV and cover letter.  You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website.

Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected].

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected].

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [email protected].

Notice to Applicants:

Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.