About Bow Valley College

Bow Valley College is Calgarys college with local impact and global reach, serving more than 15,000 students. We launch our students bypreparing them for in-demand jobs through high-quality, future-oriented education. We advance our graduates into careers in healthcare, technology, business, entertainment arts, social services, and more, contributing to our economy and community. We evolve our students through work-integrated learning, upskilling, and reskilling. Proud to be named one of Canadas Top 50 research colleges, our applied research focuses on health and educational technology, and social innovation. Home to the Digital Entertainment Nexus, Calgarys first esports arena, and the Bears varsity team, Bow Valley College is celebrating 60 years of student success. Learn more about the opportunities we create at bowvalleycollege.ca.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Manager, Learner Accessibility and Conduct, the Accessibility Advisor, Student Services, provides case management, assessment, decisions, recommendations, and direct support to students under the Colleges legal requirement to accommodate learners with disabilities, as established by provincial and federal legislation, including the Alberta Human Rights Act. This positions key functions include:

• One-on-one appointments with learners to determine eligibility for accommodations and/or supports.
• Accessibility reporting, maintaining database, and producing statistical reports.
• Identify and collaborate with faculty and staff on Universal Design for Learning Strategies (UDL), academic accommodations, and/or supports for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities.
• Other duties as required.

Position responsibilities and accountabilities include but are not limited to:

Direct Learner Contact

• Provides information on disability issues to prospective learners and their families, current learners, and the general Bow Valley College (BVC) community.
• Screens applicants and new learners to determine eligibility for accommodations or supports due to documented educational barriers created by disability:
• Assesses medical, psychological, or neuropsychological documentation of disability and health to determine eligibility for accommodation and services.
• Consults with industry professionals, (physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists) to ensure that documentation is appropriate and that the suggested accommodations are reasonable.
• Meets, one-on-one with students, to determine existing challenges and functional limitations in relation to academic success.
• Authorizes customized UDL strategies and accommodation plans for unique individual learner requirements based on barriers to learning and legislated Human Rights requirements.
• Orients and familiarizes individual learners with disabilities to Student Services: education supports, resources, technology, software applications, online and print resources for content, and study skills support; Provide recommendations and referrals for assistive technology and educational services, (i.e., Sign language interpreters, note takers, scribers, readers, student success advisors) as appropriate.
• Evaluates the needs of students without documentation of disability to determine if further assessment (medical, psychological, or neuropsychological) is appropriate. When appropriate, arrange for further assessment, manage the referral process, and follow-up with the student to obtain additional support, as necessary.
• Documents approvals and rejections of accommodation requests.
• Determines potential learner eligibility for funding to cover the cost of psychoeducational assessments through the Government of Alberta and requests as appropriate.
• Understands federal and provincial student aid criteria to assist students in applying for disability-related grants for services, equipment, and support.
• Supports in determines eligibility and authorizes Schedule 4 grant costs related to the barriers caused by a disability as part of the student loan application.
• Liaises with Student Services employees regarding funding needs.
• Recommends and approves reduced course load requests or recommendations.
• Collaborates and consults with faculty and instructional staff to resolve issues or conflicts related to the provision of accommodations.
• Updates UDL strategies and Individual Accommodation Plans (IAPs) of all ongoing learners with accommodation services to be provided in the upcoming term.
• Supports students and faculty in setting up accommodations for Work Integrated Learning experiences; guides students through conversations to determine how the workplace may present disability-related barriers and assesses workplace accommodation needs.

Identify and Collaborate on Universal Design for Learning Strategies

• Identifies courses that require UDL strategies for students registered with Accessibility Services.
• Collaborates with Faculty and staff in those courses to identify opportunities to include UDL strategies through:
• Review of course syllabus.
• Review of course assessment tools.
• Collaboration on adding multiple means of assessment, representation, action, and expression.
• Educates students on the use of UDL strategies and their role in becoming expert learners.
• Works to support the larger College community to understand issues of accessibility, accommodations, and UDL principles.
• Educates the campus community about the Student Accommodation Policy and UDL principles and implementation.

Accessibility Services Reporting

• Accesses and inputs information to the College Student Information System (i.e., Reduced Course Load)
• Maintains appropriate case notes and files, ensuring file entries comply with BVC internal policies and F.O.I.P. requirements.
• Maintains a statistical database to report on the quantity and quality of service provided to the College and Government of Alberta.
• Prepares a statistical report based on the Alberta Government guidelines outlining learners served and services provided.
• Identifies opportunities for change based on the data collected.

Grant Research/Writing to support learner-focused EDI and Disability Awareness activities, initiatives, programs, and services

• In collaboration with Fund Development and/or Applied Research. responsible for researching and writing grant proposals to foundations and other grant-making organizations that support initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion for learners with disabilities. This may include:
  • Consulting with Student Services staff and managers to determine grant funding opportunities across student services areas.
  • Working with Fund Development to consider grant opportunities and proposal submissions, where appropriate.
  • Assembling and preparing grant requests, including letters, scorecards, proposals, budgets, and presentations.
  • Conducting prospect research to ensure promptness and completeness of applications when funding opportunities arise.

Other Duties as Required

• Provides referrals to appropriate services on campus and in the community.
• Participates in ongoing professional development to stay abreast of provincial and national accessibility, equity, and inclusion development and initiatives.
• Provides information, resources, direction, and referrals to learners, faculty, and staff on learning and/or study skills. Presents Accessibility services information to new learners and departments during orientation week.
• Demonstrates leadership on behalf of BVC in the areas of academic accommodations at provincial committees and presentations at conferences.
• Covers for other team members in Student Services during absences or peak periods.
• Some occasional weekend and evening work may be required
• Other duties in related areas as required.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelors degree from a relevant program (e.g., Psychology, Social Work, Education, and Disability Studies).
• Minimum 3-5 years of directly related work experience, ideally within the post-secondary support for learners with disabilities field.
• Excellent knowledge of medical, psychological, and neuropsychological documentation of disability and or health conditions and possesses the ability to determine how functional limitations of disabilities and medical conditions impact learners and learning in a post-secondary environment.
• Ability to understand and utilize psychoeducational assessment information for the purpose of developing academic accommodation plans.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Student Information Systems, time-management skills, and ability to navigate high volumes of learner requests during peak periods.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• If your education was received internationally we will require you provide an international education assessment through IQAS, WES, or one of the other nationally designated organizations upon hire

This opening is a temporary AUPE position until October 2026. Please note all successful candidates will be required to provide copies of government issued identification and proof of educational qualifications upon hire and may be required to provide an enhanced police information check.

Closing Date: June 20, 2025

Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

Bow Valley College is strongly committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within our community. We welcome applications from qualified candidates who would contribute to the further diversification of our employees including, but not limited to, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity.