Catherine Lewis, the director of the Disability Services Office (DSO), resigned on Nov. 30, 2024, after five years in the position. During her tenure, Lewis worked to enhance DSO operations, focusing on improving efficiency and accessibility.
What Lewis Achieved During Her Time at RIT
Lewis aimed to fulfill the DSO’s mission — providing accommodations for those with disabilities on campus. The DSO values how disability and diversity create a more inclusive campus. By collaborating with students and faculty alike, the department works to foster connections and cultivate an environment where everyone can succeed.
Lewis encourages students to come to the office and advocate for their disability, expressing that they should feel excited to share their identity rather than hiding from it.
“Never be afraid or ashamed to ask for what you need to do the work you are called to do,” Lewis said.
Students can contact the office or reach out to the DSO at any point in their academic career to create a personalized plan that will accommodate their needs.
When Lewis started at RIT in 2019, she remembered feeling at home when she saw others on campus with apparent disabilities. Seeing a significant and vibrant community of individuals with disabilities reinforced a sense of belonging. As she continued working, Lewis strongly connected with the Deaf and hard-of-hearing (HoH) community, embracing the idea that not all disabilities are apparent.
“I had never felt so at home in a campus community with regard to my own disability identity, and that is an unforgettable, priceless experience,” stated Lewis.
Notably, Lewis expanded the DSO during her time in office. When she started, the office had three staff members. Today, it is home to seven. These staff members help to further accommodate the increasing number of students with disabilities and prepare for the needs of students in the future.
Lewis also prioritized creating an equal and accessible work environment. She established clear communication within the office and created an environment where everyone can be themselves.
“It has been an honor to hold this role, to grow our empathetic, caring, expert DSO team, and to connect with students, staff and faculty who bring such unique and powerful perspectives to the world,” Lewis reflected.
Lewis’s Vision for RIT
While Lewis is no longer a part of DSO management, she still has a vision for the future of disability services at RIT, arguing more can be done to promote accessibility on campus.
“We need more space for staff and for students who need private rooms for testing. We need more access coordinators so we can avoid caseloads of about 1:1000 and give students and their faculty the ongoing support they need to have true access to all RIT has to offer,” Lewis said.
She also suggests that the school needs digital accessibility that better harnesses technological advances, through websites like Blackboard Ally. She calls on faculty to build course material that both students and the Center for Teaching and Learning can access from the start of a course.
Lewis views disability as a “necessary creativity,” a perspective that frames differences as opportunities for innovative thinking.
“What does RIT celebrate so deeply? Creativity and innovation! Disabled and Deaf/HoH people belong at RIT because of these identities, not in spite of them,” Lewis stated.
Lewis has now moved to New York Life as a financial professional but will always be honored by her time at RIT. In a parting letter to her staff and the university, she reflected on her time fondly:
“To my Disabled and Deaf/HoH community: you matter. To RIT, I thank you for the career opportunity of a lifetime, and for the grace to make a career shift that will allow me to mind my own spoons, and to climb a slightly less steep emotional and professional path for a while. Care for yourselves and each other.”
The search to fill the position of director of the DSO is ongoing as of April 18. As of now, Kelly Kamish serves as the office’s associate director.
