A University of New Mexico faculty member with disabilities co-authored a study on the experiences of disabled educators in higher education, the University of New Mexico said in a news release. Marissa Greenberg, an associate professor in the Department of English Language and Literature, wrote the paper "Confronting Disability Pasts, Constructing Disability Futures" with co-author Siobhán Cully. It offers recommendations for growing access, equity and inclusion for disabled faculty in higher education.
Greenberg said her own lived experience as a faculty member with disabilities motivated the research. She led a 2022 survey of faculty with disabilities as the Academic Faculty Leadership Fellow with the Division for Change and Empowerment, and she now serves as Special Advisor to the Vice President, interviewing university leaders to help shape recommendations for UNM’s incoming provost and president.
Greenberg said many faculty across higher education feel anxious about disclosing their disabilities. "There’s this culture of ableism where the idea is if you have a disability, you don’t belong in academia," she said. Faculty may avoid disclosing their conditions even when they need accommodations, fearing the process will be time-consuming and draining.
The article urges institutions to move beyond "checking boxes" and minimal legal compliance and instead foster a culture of belonging that values faculty with disabilities. Greenberg said that starts with asking faculty members what they need and trusting that they know how to succeed.
Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story was revised to cite the University of New Mexico news release it is based on. Learn how Brant.One reports in our editorial standards.
