Disability Culture, Community, and Climate

While the university has provided resources in support of other identity-specific culture centers (e.g., the Spectrum Center, Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, etc.), there is no institutional entity dedicated to fostering community, exploring disability identity and culture, or promoting a sense of belonging for students with disabilities. Given the number of disabled faculty, staff, and students, as well as their broad and diverse histories, backgrounds, and identities, creating a single place to come together would be invaluable. A DCC would provide a physical, accessible, disability-affirming space where students, staff, faculty, and alumni can gather and explore disability identity and culture. Moreover, this space can serve as a hub for creating campus-wide educational and social programming on disability culture, including film screenings, lecture series, adaptive athletics, adaptive video gaming, dialogues, art exhibits, and performances. Further, the DCC would provide a consistent and enduring entity to assist with the university’s efforts to support disabled students by providing guidance on creating student support groups, developing disability awareness training resources, and other ongoing educational needs.

To begin exploring the establishment of a DCC, it is recommended that the university hire consultants or create a paid committee of individuals who would be tasked with conducting a needs assessment, establishing a budget, making recommendations about staffing, and locating appropriate, accessible spaces within existing campus buildings.

See Culture Report, Recommendation 1, Appendix 7. See also Recruitment Report, Recommendation 4, Appendix 5.

Support groups serve a vital function in a student’s experience at the university. Student support groups provide an opportunity for individuals to share their personal experiences and receive encouragement, strategies, and assistance from others who have had similar experiences. Currently, there are support groups offered through Counseling and Psychological Services (“CAPS”), but these groups tend to focus on medical treatment and counseling, rather than providing fora to discuss disability identity and culture. For disabled students, a support group that goes beyond counseling or a medical model can fill a gap between medical treatment and the need for emotional support, connectivity, and community.

It is noted that there have been support groups created around specific disabilities; however, these groups were either short-lived or required medical documentation to gain access. To ensure that future support groups endure and serve the needs of disabled students, it is recommended that the DCC develop guidelines for establishing such groups, including accessible event suggestions, participation models, and clarification that medical documentation is not required.

In addition, the university should work to strengthen and centralize existing efforts towards establishing support groups. As an example, the SSD Student Advisory Board is currently establishing “Disability Collective,” which is a student-led organization intended to serve as a resource to help disability affinity groups form their own student organizations. The Collective’s efforts should be joined with the DCC and its future support group work.

See Culture Report, Recommendation 2, Appendix 7.

A significant number of students have mental health disabilities or will seek resources related to mental health. Currently, university resources regarding mental health tend to focus on wellness and directing people to address mental health through counseling. While this is a valuable strategy for some, many students require resources that consider disability identity and provide support beyond counseling. Moreover, disability is often medicalized rather than discussed using terms which recognize disabilities, including mental health, as one of the many aspects of diversity. In order to foster an environment that is welcoming and empathetic towards people with mental health disabilities, it is suggested that the university create programming where mental health disabilities are discussed as an identity, not just a condition to be remedied or addressed.

Furthermore, it is suggested that current resources (e.g., CAPS, the Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office (“FASCCO”), the Office for Counseling and Workplace Resilience (“OCWR”), and similar entities) review their current offerings and implement additional programs that focus on creating a culture of care that does not isolate and identify counseling or mental health services as the only support available. An additional strategy would be for the university to provide these entities with resources to hire an additional staff member who specializes in disability issues as they intersect with mental health and mental health disabilities.

See Culture Report, Recommendation 3, Appendix 7.

The university’s websites have a profound impact on student perceptions of the university’s values and how individuals fit within the institution. Accordingly, it is important that these resources have a welcoming and inclusive impact, rather than one of isolation or estrangement. This can be achieved through an audit of website language, location, structure, findability, usability, and accessibility. Therefore, it is recommended that the university hire consultants to review the university’s websites, beginning with those that have a disproportionate or substantial impact on disabled students (e.g., OIE, SSD, DEI, etc.). Upon completing the review, the units owning the websites under review can partner with the consultants to implement any suggestions or recommendations.

See Culture Report, Recommendation 4, Appendix 7.

For students with non-apparent disabilities, medical documentation (including testing and other diagnostic processes) may be required before the student is provided with necessary academic or work accommodations. While medical support may be a requirement outlined under the ADA, a strict observance of this process can result in students foregoing accommodations due to the significant barriers to receiving such testing, including cost (upwards of $2,000), waitlists for getting to an available provider, time spent undergoing testing, etc. These barriers could result in students not receiving the accommodations to which they are legally entitled and, ultimately, a denial of equitable access to the university.

In order to address potential barriers to diagnosis and documentation, it is recommended that the university adopt an “accommodation-first” model, where students are granted immediate, temporary accommodations and are then given time to subsequently submit the necessary medical documentation. This acknowledges the types of delays inherent to seeking diagnostic testing without penalizing the student.

Beyond the “accommodation-first” model, the university should also create a fund to support students who need testing and documentation to access accommodations. This fund would help remove barriers for students who may be disparately impacted by any significant costs associated with diagnosing their disability.

See Culture Report, Recommendation 6, Appendix 7.

Disabled students interact with multiple university staff, faculty, and other entities throughout their time at the institution. Each interaction can have a significant effect on a student’s sense of belonging and opportunity for success. Accordingly, it is recommended that faculty and staff who work with students participate in disability awareness training in order to better understand student needs, avoid ableist conduct, challenge unconscious biases, and develop more positive attitudes toward working with students with disabilities. Currently, there are some programs offered; however, these programs are either voluntary, not widely publicized, or tend to focus on legal responsibilities rather than inclusion. Therefore, the university should conduct a comprehensive assessment of faculty and staff training needs related to disability awareness. Based on this review, specific training resources should then be developed and disseminated as broadly as possible, including through a potentially mandatory forum. Where training materials already exist (e.g., Change It Up! and CRLT Players), information about disability awareness should be incorporated.

In addition, it is recommended that other resources be provided to disabled students, potential allies, and individuals who would provide support to disabled students. These resources would cover topics such as: what disability means, what accessibility means, the importance of disability culture, etc.

See Culture Report, Recommendation 7, Appendix 7.