Faculty Resource Council on
Disability Model

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Obtain Administrative Support

UALR. The Director of Disability Support Services at UALR was the Principal Investigator (PI) for the grant that funded Project PACE. She laid the groundwork for the grant request by seeking administrative support for the grant application as well as for the faculty development model described therein. She worked closely with the Provost, the Vice Chancellor for Student Services, and other key administrators, who gave their full support to the project. She worked most closely with the Provost, who came up with the concept of the Faculty Resource Council on Disability, which became a major part of the project. Once funding was received, the Provost sent a letter to Deans and Department Chairs across the campus describing the activities of Project PACE and outlining their responsibilities in carrying out activities related to this project. The Director was also asked to meet with the Dean's Council and to attend a campus-wide meeting of Department Chairs meeting to explain the project.

UAPB. The PI contacted the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) to obtain support prior to submitting the grant proposal. After the project was funded, the Disability Support Services and Project PACE Directors were asked to speak to key administrators to explain the project. Support was readily given with enthusiasm from all entities involved. This campus has had a series of disability services Directors who came from backgrounds unrelated to disabilities, and the eagerness to learn was apparent. The current disability services Director was pleased to participate on the Faculty Resource Council, and attended all trainings.

Recommendations:

• Involve key administrators and faculty early in the process of developing ideas for the proposal. Seek their input.

• If administrators are not already convinced that faculty need information about teaching students with disabilities, be prepared to provide documentation to support the need.