[Athen] Position: Adaptive Technology Specialist at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Terry Thompson tft at u.washington.edu
Tue Apr 3 14:33:11 PDT 2007


When we did the last ATHEN survey (in Summer of 2004), here's what we found
regarding positions and salaries in the higher education accessibility
arena:

[begin quote]
Most institutions (74.5 percent) staff this position within disability
services, while 19.1 percent staff the position within the central computing
or IT group. The remaining 6.4 percent of the institutions house this staff
elsewhere, including offices of equity and diversity, and within the faculty
resource center.

Salaries for this position vary considerably, and are positively correlated
with geographic region and whether the position is perceived to be an IT
position (positions staffed within IT tend to pay higher salaries than those
within disability services). Annual salaries for accessibility staff range
from less than $29,000 to more than $60,000, with 14 percent earning $60,000
or more, 34 percent earning $50,000-$59,999, 23.4 percent earning
$40,000-$49,999, 12.8 percent earning $30,000-$39,999, and 14.9 percent
earning less than $29,000.

More than half of the individuals in technology accessibility positions hold
doctoral or master's degrees. The highest academic degree attained for 50
percent of the individuals in these positions is a master's degree, while
29.2 percent hold a bachelor's degree and 4.2 percent hold a doctoral
degree.

Individuals in these positions are experienced, with 34.5 percent providing
technology accessibility services in a higher educational environment for
more than 10 years. Almost 31 percent (30.9 percent) have been doing so for
6-10 years, 20 percent have been doing so for 3-5 years, and only 14.5
percent have been doing so for 2 years or less.
[end quote]

The full survey report was published in the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied
Research (ECAR) Research Bulletin, and is available (in PDF) here:
http://www.educause.edu/LibraryDetailPage/666?ID=ERB0512

A team of ATHEN members is currently working on developing the questions for
another ATHEN survey (or more accurately, a series of short surveys), and
we'll be sure to collect even more information regarding salaries and
responsibilities. We hope to be able to report in more detail about how
salaries break down across various demographics such as geographic region,
public vs. private, institution's Carnegie classification, etc.

Please stay tuned!

Terry

Terry Thompson
DO-IT, University of Washington
tft at u.washington.edu
206/221-4168
http://www.washington.edu/doit


> -----Original Message-----

> From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org

> [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On Behalf Of Jean Salzer

> Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 1:56 PM

> To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network

> Subject: Re: [Athen] Position: Adaptive Technology Specialist

> at University of Wisconsin-Madison

>

> Hey I totally agree with you on the poor pay, but it's

> Madison, not UW-Milwaukee! We're so poor at UW-Milwaukee, we

> can only divvy out the AT needs between people! The fact they

> can afford a whole person is amazing to me (other than the

> poor salary).

>

> Charlie Jordan wrote:

>

> >I hope ATHEN can, as a secondary goal, have impact on administrators'

> >perceptions about reasonable salaries and job responsibilities.

> >

> >With respect to UWM's advert, even a _minimum_ of $34K seems

> low when

> >requiring a Masters, ability to provide desktop support,

> expertise in

> >adaptive hardware/software, experience with a variety of

> disabilities,

> >alt format production AND webmastering.

> >

> >A disturbing perception I've encountered - and that I try to

> counter --

> >is "well, it has to do with a computer, so you must be an

> expert in it,

> >right?" No! Can the auto mechanic do expert upholstery?

> Not likely.

> >And yet it seems that many expect AT specialists to fix the squeaks,

> >tune the engine, clean and wax to a shine, soup up the tranny, write

> >the owner's manual, teach the student to drive, make and

> pump the gas,

> >AND argue with Motor Vehicles about bad driving laws.

> >

> >Granted, university budgets are often tight and we need to offer a

> >spread of competencies; we do have to wear many hats. But,

> really, in

> >a time of increasing complexity in hardware and software and the

> >rapidly changing tools available, it is impossible to "do it

> all" well.

> >But it seems that are increasingly asked to; and for that,

> we get 34K?

> >

> >Adaptive tech specialist? With much respect to the

> individuals at UWM

> >who probably face tough choices, thanks, no. I'll stay with

> my IT role

> >where I have to have many hats, but at least get paid (somewhat) for

> >them.

> >

> >Am I being unreasonable? I don't intend to be, but I do

> believe that I

> >have a responsibility in effecting change and that means speaking up

> >sometimes.

> >

> >FWIW.

> >

> >Charlie Jordan --

> >ASU's West campus

> >

> >-----Original Message-----

> >From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org

> [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On

> >Behalf Of Alice Anderson

> >Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 12:53 PM

> >To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network

> >Subject: [Athen] Position: Adaptive Technology Specialist at

> University

> >of Wisconsin-Madison

> >

> >ATHEN list ... I want to share with you an

> >

> >Excellent opportunity in a great city - Adaptive Technology

> Specialist

> >Position <http://www.ohr.wisc.edu/pvl/pv_055949.html>

> >

> >In achievement and prestige, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has

> >long been recognized as one of America's great universities.

> >A public, land-grant institution, UW-Madison offers a

> complete spectrum

> >of liberal arts studies, professional programs and student

> activities.

> >Spanning 933 acres along the beautiful southern shore of

> Lake Mendota,

> >the campus is located in the city of Madison

> ><http://www.wisc.edu/about/location.php>

> >

> >

> >Alice Anderson, Director

> >MIDWEST Alliance for Science,Technology, Engineering and Math

> >www.stemmidwest.org

> >

> >and

> >

> >Technology Accessibility Program (TAP)

> >Division of Information Technology (DoIT) University of

> >Wisconsin-Madison 1210 West Dayton Street (3124) Madison, WI 53705

> >http://www.doit.wisc.edu/accessibility/

> >Telephone: 608.262.2129

> >

> >

> >_______________________________________________

> >Athen mailing list

> >Athen at athenpro.org

> >http://athenpro.org/mailman/listinfo/athen_athenpro.org

> >

> >

> >

>






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