The University of Michigan Council for Disability Concerns invites the campus community to the presentation of the 2026 James T. Neubacher Award. The hybrid event will offer both in-person attendance and a live stream over Zoom, followed by an in-person reception.

Celebrating Disability Rights and Inclusion

The James T. Neubacher Award honors a U-M faculty member, staff member, student, or alumnus who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in creating a more accessible and inclusive university. The award recognizes significant contributions in:

• Empowering people with disabilities.

• Advocating for and advancing disability rights and disability justice.

• Increasing accessibility across programs and services to promote comprehensive disability inclusion.

The award is co-sponsored by the U-M Council for Disability Concerns, the Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office, University Human Resources, Michigan Medicine, and the Office of the President.

Special SAAS Recognitions

During the ceremony, Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services (SAAS) will highlight outstanding achievements across the university community:

• U-M Adaptive Sports & Fitness (ASF): SAAS will honor ASF for a landmark year of accomplishments, including winning the ITA National Championship, having two coaches receive national Coach of the Year honors, and expanding local outreach through the Adaptive Sports & Inclusive Recreation Initiative (ASIRI) in partnership with Ann Arbor Public Schools (sponsored by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund).

• Adam S. Miller Staff and Faculty Award: SAAS will formally recognize the 2025 recipient of this award for dedication to student access and support.

Event Details and Accommodations

• Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026

• Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

• Location: Weiser Hall - Room 1010 & Virtual via Zoom. Attendees are encouraged to register to indicate if attending in person or via Zoom.

• Accessibility: CART (Communication Access Real-time Translation) captioning and ASL interpretation will be provided. Requests for additional accommodations can be made during event registration.

• Reception: An in-person networking reception will immediately follow the presentation for those attending on site.