USU's Center for Persons with Disabilities Welcomes New Director
Matthew Wappett is the new executive director of the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University
A new executive director has taken over leadership of the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University. Matthew Wappett approaches his new job with experience in leadership, policymaking, program-building and providing services to people with disabilities in the West.
“I’m a pretty collaborative leader,” he said. “I like to work with what we’ve got.”
Wappett’s background in disability includes a stint as an associate director of the Center on Disabilities and Human Development at the University of Idaho. He also founded and directed the interdisciplinary studies program there. Before coming to Utah State University, he co-directed the Confucius Institute at the U of I—an opportunity that came partly because he speaks Chinese. But while he accomplished a lot at that program, he missed disability and welcomed the opportunity to return to it.
All three of his degrees—a bachelor’s in English, masters in Educational Studies and PhD in Special Education—are from the University of Utah.
His duties at USU will be surrounded by change. The inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump will likely have an effect on services nationwide. The health care and insurance systems will likely change, too, and all of that will affect people with disabilities.
Regardless of any changes to programs, Wappett said it will be important to safeguard services to people with disabilities, whether they are funded by federal, state or private programs. “If the federal role shrinks, people need to continue receiving the services that they need and that their families need to live full, productive lives,” he said.
With those issues in mind, Wappett expects policy to be a major focus for the CPD in the coming years.
“We want to be the center of expertise in disability to policymakers and the community,” he said.
He will focus on increasing the CPD’s profile, communicating its value to the public.
Disability services in Utah are like those in other western states, with a distinct rural/urban divide. People in cities have access to services, while those in remote areas may struggle to get them.
“That is a real issue regarding service delivery and comprehensive supports,” he said.
The CPD faces change on a smaller scale, too. A new human services building is under construction on campus, and it will ultimately house many of the CPD programs. When it is complete, some CPD programs that are currently, physically located far from the building will move much closer to the rest of the CPD. Wappett said he would like to see a more cohesive culture, organization-wide.
“It will be a collaborative process, and it will take a while,” he said.
Assistive technology is an important issue to him; he hopes the CPD can remain engaged in keeping abreast of technology, and figuring out innovative ways to keep people with disabilities involved in society.
Postsecondary education and employment for students with disabilities are also big issues for him. It’s not just transition, he said; it’s what comes beyond it.
Wappett started as the new CPD director in January.
Writer: JoLynne Lyon, 435-797-7412
Contact: Matthew Wappett, 435-797-0836, wappett@usu.edu
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