Macalester has chosen its next new Director of Disability Services and will likely announce its hire for the position by the end of the semester.

The office of Student Affairs hosted the three finalists for the position – Melissa P. Malen, Melissa Fletcher and Shammah J. Bermudez – at the college in late March. Students had the opportunity to attend drop-in sessions with each candidate, and submit feedback to the search committee.

The new hire will be the first full-time director of Disability Services, representing the college’s heightened commitment to attending to the needs of its students requiring accommodations.

Allison Quinn* served as the department’s interim director from July 2017 to March 2018; former Assistant Dean of Students Robin Hart Ruthenbeck* led the department before that.

For the remaining weeks of the semester, Bradley is serving as the primary administrator in charge of the department.

“I am physically in the Disability Services office on Mondays to address any walk-in traffic,” Dean of Students DeMethra LaSha Bradley wrote in an email to The Mac Weekly. “I serve as a resource for students and faculty seeking information related to disability services.

“I am also filling in on the Commencement committee to address any ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] needs for Commencement,” she continued, “and I convene the Disability Services Team… on a regular basis to discuss and address any needs from our community.”

Along with Bradley, the department is being staffed by department coordinator Kara Warren, Director of the Health and Wellness Center and Associate Dean of Student Services Denise Ward* and DS graduate assistant Rachel Anderson.* The new director is expected to start work by July 1.

• In the print version, titles of Macalester employees were mistakenly identified. The Mac Weekly sincerely apologizes for these mistakes, and is committed to as accurate reporting as possible.