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SUNY Accessibility Advocates & Allies Faculty Fellowship Program

The Provost's Office and Office of Student Success have created the SUNY Accessibility Advocates & Allies (AAA) Faculty Fellowship program, a community of faculty leaders and champions committed to promoting and growing digital accessibility practices in and out of the classroom on their campuses. During this program fellows will:

• Explore models and strategies to build and expand a culture of digital access on their campuses;
• Share their expertise and experience as they identify obstacles and work towards solutions to broaden adoption of accessibility practices;
• Connect with other communities of practice and campus leaders with a shared vision, including but not limited to: Disability/Accessibility Directors, EIT Accessibility Officers, Chief Diversity Officers, Chief Information Officers, Teaching Center Directors, Directors of Online Learning, SUNY Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology, Instructional Designers;
• Grow as faculty leaders as they coordinate with campus leadership to design and execute a plan to engage their campus community in the work of access.

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Fellowship Structure & Requirements

Fellows commit to participating in the fellowship for a calendar year (2026). Each cohort includes up to twelve (12) fellows. This is a term-limited, service-based appointment; it is not to provide support for individuals to advance their research or scholarship in this field. A direct stipend of $10,000 will be provided to the candidate by SUNY System Administration to account for time beyond their regular load.

The fellowship is organized into three phases of four months each: discovery and analysis, design and development, and implementation and evaluation. Each phase has specific outcomes and deliverables tied to it, including intermittent program assessment and personal reflection.

Discovery & Analysis:

This phase occurs between January and April 2026. Fellows meet virtually every other Wednesday from 9:00am-10:00am. During this period, fellows will:

• Expand their knowledge and understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and digital accessibility principles through curated Skills Refresher pathways;
• Review relevant practices, initiatives, resources, and supports that currently exist within SUNY;
• Identify and document existing campus resources and accessibility work in a Campus Accessibility Practices Report;
• Connect with potential campus partners;
• Investigate how campus budget and resource allocation works;
• Explore models and strategies for advocacy and spearheading change on behalf of students with disabilities.

Design & Development: 

This phase occurs between May and August 2026. Fellows meet virtually every other Wednesday from 9:00am-10:00am. During this period, fellows will:

• Draft a Faculty Engagement Plan to build or enhance a culture of access customized for the campus’ unique characteristics;
• Review and provide feedback on plans and materials developed by peers in the cohort;
• Seek approval and support from campus leadership on campus plan;
• Develop necessary materials for implementation.

Implementation & Evaluation: 

This phase occurs between September and December 2026. Fellows will meet virtually every other Wednesday from 9:00am-10:00am. During this period, fellows will:

• Execute and evaluate the fall semester component of the plan;
• Document implementation experience in a Case Study;
• Provide support and feedback on plan implementation to members of the cohort;
• Share experiences and seek support from peers in the cohort;
• Reflect on personal growth and campus community growth.