Starr Wheeler, Ed.D., joined the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in spring 2024 where she is responsible for leading compliance, education, and intervention efforts for a barrier free campus that is accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities. Starr is also responsible for working with employees with disabilities to provide reasonable accommodations as required by law.
Prior to joining ODI, Starr worked in Student Affairs as the Coordinator of Accessibility Resources at SUNY Oswego. During that time, Starr was responsible for implementing policies, procedures, services, and practices related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 1990, Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act (ADA Amendment Act) of 2008, and Chapter 219 of the Education Laws of 2003 (as amended in 2004) and all state and federal laws regulating accessibility and compliance. In 2023, Starr received the Student Affairs Collaboration Award.
In 2012, Starr completed her Doctorate in Higher Education, Leadership and Change with the dissertation topic: "From Discrepancy Evaluation to Response to Intervention (RTI): Are We Ready in Higher Education?"
In 2016, Starr, along with Dr. Laura Spenceley (Dean, School of Education), conducted research on “Archival Extended Time Study on Students with Disabilities,” which was published in the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 29(2), 141-150. Presentations include topics such as “3 Sides of the Accessibility Coin: Exploring the Benefits of Various Perspectives,” “The Use of Extended Time by College Students with Disabilities,” and “Disability and the Laws for University Police.”
Starr is a member of the national organization Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), New York State Regional Representative to the Statewide Advisory Committee on Family Support Services, and the New York State Disability Services Council, (NYSDSC) where she has served on both the board and the executive board.