Leigh Culley has been appointed assistant vice chancellor for accessibility, announced Clyde Pickett, vice chancellor for institutional engagement and wellbeing.

Culley joined Pitt’s Disability Resources & Services in 2002 as a coordinator of services and has served as director of DRS since 2015. She had been serving in the assistant vice chancellor role as an interim since October 2024.

“Leigh has steered DRS through a period of considerable growth in both the breadth and number of services offered to students, faculty and staff,” Pickett said. “She has been a steadfast employee at the University for many years and has served the disability community admirably. We are thrilled to recognize her with this deserved promotion.”

Culley is a graduate of Western University of London, Ont., where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology, and the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned her master’s degree from the School of Education om 2002.

Disability Resources & Services is the University’s designated office to identify and minimize barriers to equal access and arrange reasonable accommodations for students, faculty and staff with disabilities. Since 2017-2018, the number of students seeking accommodations has increased 124 percent. Chronic health conditions, psychiatric conditions and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder comprise about 84 percent of those disabilities reported by students. About 63 percent of students document two or more conditions.

Under Culley’s leadership, DRS created a peer-mentoring program for students and provides transitional services for graduating students who are entering the workforce. DRS also sponsors a chapter of Delta Alpha Pi, the international honorary society for students with disabilities. More than 100 students were inducted earlier this year during a ceremony at the William Pitt Union.

In addition, in 2024 and 2025, the University was honored by the National Organization on Disability with the Leading Disability Employer seal of recognition. The University is one of only two institutions of higher learning to be honored in 2025 and the only such institution honored for two years in a row.

“I’m honored to move from an interim role into this full appointment and am deeply grateful for the support of my colleagues and our leadership,” Culley said. “I look forward to continuing our shared work of strengthening access, supporting students and employees with disabilities, and advancing inclusive practices across the University. This appointment represents an exciting opportunity to build on our progress, deepen partnerships and help shape initiatives that make a meaningful impact on our campus community.”