Creation and Progress
As a result of the research visits, it became very clear that the issue of low career employment for college graduates with disabilities was a national problem and was not isolated to a small number of university campuses. It was abundantly clear that two diverse sectors of universities and employers had a common interest in this issue and a need to meet to share ideas to progress toward solutions. A "loosely structured" consortium was developed to satisfy that need. It was also apparent that the employers had a number of questions and concerns about the recruiting and hiring of college graduates with disabilities.
The universities are on the "front line" as the numbers of students with disabilities seeking postsecondary education are on the rise. The universities have the experience, exposure and expertise with this population. As the students with disabilities graduated, the employers felt less prepared to appropriately respond to the needs of these potential employees and were requesting guidance from the universities and other sources. During the formation of the Consortium, it was important to reflect the interests of all three pieces of the equation; Career Services, Disability Services and Employers.
In February 2000, an initial national meeting was conducted in Cincinnati, with 32 representatives attending to determine the feasibility of such a national organization. Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) was chosen as the name for the fledgling organization. While working full-time in the Office of Disability Services at the University of Tennessee, Alan Muir continued to work part-time in growing COSD. This growth was slow, but accomplished by continuing to visit universities and employers to gain further participation. Planning began for the Second Annual National Meeting that was held in Houston in March 2001. Immediately following that Meeting, funding was made available to significantly accelerate the growth of COSD. COSD was and continues to be unique when compared to other national associations such as the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD).