LOGAN – Sachin Pavithran is policy director at Utah State University’s  Center for Persons with Disabilities and in November he became President of the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD).

He spent the last year as President-elect of the AUCD.

”A lot of my role in the last year was building the relationship with the network that we oversee,” said Pavithran. “This is a $650 million network of universities that work in this space, and research practice and policies. We are working to find out what are the priorities and what does the network do to take the next step.”

He chaired last month’s national AUCD conference and was very direct in his remarks that there are people with disabilities who have excellent qualifications for leadership.

”So why is it that we don’t see that many people with disabilities assuming leadership roles in academia and the university environment? It’s a challenge to higher ed at large: let’s open the doors and let’s not set limitations because of biases we bring in; people with disabilities have a role to play and let’s make that happen now.”

Dr. Pavithran said the AUCD envisions a future in which all people, including those living with developmental and other disabilities, are participating members of their communities.

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