ALL UCSD STUDENTS
ALL ACADEMICS AND STAFF AT UCSD

SUBJECT:

Appointment, Executive Director-Office for Students with Disabilites (OSD)

It is my pleasure to announce that, following a nationwide search, Michelle M. Peters, M.Ed. has been appointed to the new position of Executive Director of the UCSD Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), effective July 7, 2008.

Ms. Peters comes to UCSD with over ten years of experience in disability services. Since 2004, she has served as Director of the Office of Disability Services at Drexel University, which facilitates and provides accommodations and services to students with disabilities, as well as employees, campus guests, and those in university-owned subsidiaries, encompassing 5,000 employees and 20,000 students. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and a Minor in Business Administration from the University of Iowa and an M.Ed. in Postsecondary Disability Services from Saint Ambrose University.

The UCSD OSD coordinates and facilitates access to academic and non-academic services, programs, and facilities for students with documented permanent or temporary disabilities. The program currently provides services to more than 800 students annually. Due to an increase in the number of disabled students requesting accommodations, Chancellor Fox established the Student Accommodations Work Group in the Fall of 2006, to assess the resource needs of OSD in carrying out its mission. The new position of Executive Director was created at the Work Group's recommendation and will oversee a reorganization of the office, including the reassignment and transition of OSD from Student Affairs to Academic Affairs effective July 1, 2008. Ms. Peters will report to Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education (AVC-UE) Barbara Sawrey.

As Executive Director, Ms. Peters will manage all aspects of the administration of the Office of Students with Disabilities. She will provide leadership in the establishment, implementation and maintenance of best practices, policies, procedures and programs to ensure that the services provided by OSD support full access to educational and co-curricular opportunities at UC San Diego. She will ensure compliance with federal laws, state regulations, and University-wide and campus guidelines related to disabled student services and equal access. She will collaborate with faculty and staff regarding the application of policies concerning the delivery of services to students with disabilities and will represent UC San Diego in these efforts at the system wide and national levels.

Please join me in welcoming Michelle Peters to UC San Diego as she assumes this important new role for the campus.

Paul W. Drake Senior Vice Chancellor