Disability Beyond Compliance Student Researcher

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OSITION/TITLE:  Disability Beyond Compliance Student Researcher 

TERM:Late August 2022 through May 2023

FELLOWSHIP AWARD:$4,000 per academic year. 

TIME COMMITMENT:  5 hours per week

POSITIONS:  1

To apply, please use any of the following methods: 1) fill out the form linked here and at the bottom of the document (ability to upload documents, audio files, presentations, and images), 2) email responses to questions at the bottom of the document in any format to disabilitybeyondcompliance@berkeley.edu with the subject line “Disability Beyond Compliance Application - Student Researcher.” Please feel free to share a resume if you feel it represents your experience well, however it is not required. Please submit applications by Friday, September 16, 2022. Early applications are encouraged. 

About Disability Beyond Compliance

Disability Beyond Compliance (DBC) is a student-led initiative centered around improving the wellness of the over 8,000 disabled, chronically ill, and neurodiverse students, faculty, and staff at UC Berkeley. Disabled bodies and minds are often seen as less valuable within academic spaces, and we wish to challenge this narrative. DBC leverages the lived experiences of disabled, chronically ill, and neurodiverse students to fill in a significant gap in service to student development centers, campus departments, student housing, and other core services on the intersection of disability in higher education. We empower undergraduate and graduate students to engage in research, facilitate half-day workshops and town halls, and collaborate with stakeholders to disrupt ableism at Cal. DBC works in partnership with the Disability Cultural Center. DBC is sponsored by Chancellors Advisory Committee on Services and Fees (CACSSF), The Big Community Fee Referendum (Big-C), and the Wellness Fund

Overview of Position

Over 25% of graduate students report a disability at UC Berkeley. Yet, available DSP and TRiO services and accommodations are tailored to the undergraduate experience with few tangible resources for graduate students. Disability Beyond Compliance is recruiting 1 Student Researcher to co-develop the disabled student Frequently Asked Questions Manual and draft policy recommendations. Options for remote, hybrid, and in-person roles. 

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Conduct iterative research cycles in the Disability Beyond Compliance training workshop.  

  • Designing and collaboratively drafting a Frequently Asked Questions Manual in partnership with the Student Facilitator, Student Liason and Program Facilitators. 

  • Work in partnership with the Graduate Assembly’s Disabled Students Project to draft policy recommendations on how to promote disabled graduate success. 

  • Provide internal programmatic support for DBC with co-Researcher, including organizing bi-weekly meetings with the Disability Beyond Compliance Team. 

Qualifications 

  • Respectful of diverse opinions and underrepresented student experiences.

  • Interest in learning about academic and financial aid policy and advocating for disabled graduate students’ rights. 

  • Knowledge and understanding of power, privilege, oppression, and comfort talking openly about these topics.

  • Willingness to learn quantitative and qualitative research methods. 

  • Background in or personal experience with disability rights and justice is preferred.

  • Open to all currently enrolled students at UC Berkeley.

Payment Information

This is a fellowship award for contributions to improving the campus climate. Awards are processed in accordance with FASO's student aid policy.

Application Information

Please fill out this form (upload documents, audio files, presentations, and images) containing these questions, or email your responses in any format to disabilitybeyondcompliance@berkeley.edu with the subject line “Disability Beyond Compliance Application - Student Researcher.” Applicants are encouraged to formulate their responses in any format (upload or email written lists or narratives, audio files, presentations, videos, and images). There is no minimum or maximum word count. Please submit applications by Friday, August 26, 2022. Early applications are encouraged.

  • State your name, pronouns, email address, your year, and your program/department of study. 

  • Please share any access needs you have moving forward through the interview process, so we can best accommodate you.

Application Questions

  • What does disability justice mean to you?

  • Tell us more about why you're interested in this role. Feel free to share personal and/or professional experience with the topic of disability justice, higher education, and research.

  • This position requires about 5 hrs/week of work. How would you balance your time? Can you give an example?

  • Reflections on how to do you prefer work communications/emails?

  • Optional: Share a resume/CV if you feel it represents your experiences well.

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