Bentley named director of Office of Accessibility

Following a national search, the Office of the Provost has named Barclay Bentley as the new director of the Office of Accessibility.

An experienced leader in building and implementing accessibility programs, Bentley will lead a unit of professional staff and students responsible for facilitating campus resources and increasing access for students with disabilities. Working with accommodation specialists and other disability services professionals across the university, Bentley and his team provide guidance to faculty and staff through campuswide training and other engagement opportunities designed to increase awareness and foster a more accessible campus.

“This is an exciting opportunity and I’m honored to be chosen to lead the Office of Accessibility,” Bentley said. “I look forward to working with students, administration, faculty, and staff to continue to improve campus accessibility and meet the accommodation needs of Auburn students.”

Bentley first joined the Office of Accessibility in 2011 as a graduate student and became a full-time accommodation specialist in 2013. In that role, he coordinated student accommodations and facilitated the transportation services for individuals with disabilities and medical conditions. Following his transition to assistant director in 2018, Bentley continued to work with campus partners to advance accessible student academic, housing and transportation services while ensuring the university’s compliance with Title II of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. As director, Bentley will continue to serve as an advocate for individuals with disabilities and partner with units across campus to advance inclusion efforts.

“In addition to his wealth of knowledge surrounding compliance and accessibility protocols, Barclay brings extensive experience fostering an equitable and accessible campus community for students with accessibility needs to the role of director,” said Norman Godwin, associate provost for academic effectiveness. “I am confident he will continue to empower students to achieve academic and social success by fostering a more inclusive and accessible campus community.”

Bentley holds a Master of Education in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, both from Auburn University. He is a certified rehabilitation counselor and adjunct instructor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education in the College of Education.

For more information about the Office of Accessibility, visit www.accessibility.auburn.edu.