A Cayuga Community College professor has joined ten other SUNY faculty members named to a prestigious fellowship program.
On Monday, SUNY Chancellor John King Jr announced that Professor Melissa Johnson, the director of CCC’s Studio Art and Design A.S. program, has been named to the second cohort of the Accessibility Advocates and Allies Fellowship Program. The first cohort began in January 2025.
“There is a place at SUNY for everyone and we work tirelessly to ensure our campuses are inclusive and welcoming for every student,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “The work of the Accessibility Advocates and Allies faculty fellows is essential to ensuring SUNY faculty have the resources they need to foster a supportive and accessible environment for students with disabilities. Congratulations to the faculty fellows selected for this year’s program, which will help advance accessibility throughout the SUNY system.”
“We’re proud to have Professor Johnson serve as one of 11 faculty fellows in this year’s SUNY Accessibility Advocates and Allies Fellowship Program,” said Cayuga President Dr. Brian Durant. “Throughout her tenure at Cayuga, Professor Johnson has been a determined advocate for expanding opportunities for all students and for her innovative approach to accessibility in her courses.”
The program will see the faculty research approaches to expanding accessibility on their campuses in an effort to develop, increase, and adopt accessibility practices.
In her time at CCC, Johnson has dedicated herself to developing a diverse and inclusive approach to her courses, the college said, including incorporating artists with disabilities into her courses and working on flexible approaches to instruction and assignment formats.
“The importance of accessibility and expanding access to higher education goes beyond courses and programs,” Johnson said. “It requires efforts to make all areas of the college experience welcoming for all students, where all classes and student experiences and spaces are designed to work for everyone.”
Johnson, who has taken several courses in CUNY’s Disabilities Studies Programs, said she’s looking forward to continuing her efforts.
“I’m honored to be selected to work with other SUNY staff and faculty in an effort to bring accessibility in even more ways to our campuses,” said Professor Johnson. “I’m also proud to be a part of SUNY as they continue expanding accessibility across the system in such an important and meaningful way.”
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