SUNY Delhi Professor Shelly Jones Selected for SUNY Accessibility Fellowship Program

01/09/2025 - SUNY Delhi Professor Dr. Shelly Jones is among a distinguished group of SUNY faculty leaders selected for the inaugural 2025 cohort of the SUNY Accessibility Advocates and Allies (AAA) Faculty Fellowship Program. The eleven fellows in the program commit to exploring and promoting strategies to expand digital accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) on their campuses and to sharing their knowledge and expertise to identify obstacles and work towards solutions to broaden the adoption of accessibility practices both in and out of the classroom.

"I am so proud to be part of the inaugural cohort of the SUNY AAA Fellowship and look forward to collaborating with folks across SUNY to champion accessibility practices on our campuses," Dr. Jones said. "Accessibility touches nearly every aspect of student lives from classroom interactions and course materials to campus services and activities, and it is crucial to identify and remove barriers hindering students from reaching their full personal and academic potential."

Dr. Shelly Jones (they/them) has taught English, communication, and honors courses at SUNY Delhi since 2016 and is widely respected in the campus community for their service and leadership. A dedicated champion for access and inclusion, they integrate multimodal teaching and Universal Design for Learning strategies to ensure all learners have equitable opportunities to succeed. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Jones has spearheaded efforts to incorporate inclusive practices and policies into the campus community, drawing from their lived experience as a non-binary person with disabilities. Their scholarly work and creative projects focus on representation and intersectional feminism, particularly in games and media. Dr. Jones is the recipient of the 2020 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities.

"Dr. Jones is a leader on the SUNY Delhi campus, and their commitment to accessible pedagogy, scholarship, and service is evident in all they do," said Dr. David Brower, SUNY Delhi Provost. "Our campus is a better place as a result of their efforts, and I am excited that this fellowship will allow them to collaborate with others to further expand the supports for one of the most vulnerable populations on college campuses."

Over 10% of students across the SUNY System are registered with their campus Disability Services or Accessibility Resources. However, this figure does not include many students who choose not to self-identify or are unaware of their eligibility, often due to stigma. SUNY has invested $10 million in annual recurring State funding to increase support to students with disabilities at all State-operated campuses.

The 2025 SUNY AAA Faculty Fellowship Program will be facilitated by Rebecca Mushtare, associate dean of Graduate Studies and a Professor of Interaction Design at SUNY Oswego. The fellows will meet throughout the year to work towards solutions to broaden the adoption of accessibility practices on their campuses.