DREAM Weekly Email: November 6-26, 2016

DREAM Weekly Email, Disability and Higher Education in the News: November 6-26, 2016

From DREAM: Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring
Sponsored by the National Center for College Students with Disabilities and the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD)
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Weekly Email Update on Issues Related to Disability and Higher Education 
Weeks of November 6-26, 2016
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Disability and higher education in the news (in no particular order):
 
* Pasquale “Paqui” Toscano found inspiration in Renaissance literature when dealing with a spinal cord injury – now this disability activist is taking his love of the classics and English right to England, as a Rhodes Scholar from Washington and Lee University: https://columns.wlu.edu/wls-pasquale-toscano-among-2017-class-of-rhodes-scholars/
 
* The Diné College Act of 2016 will authorize grants to the Navajo Nation in keeping with 1868 treaties, and these will include funding for disability-related infrastructure and disability services: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s2564/text?utm_campaign=govtrack_email_update&utm_source=govtrack/email_update&utm_medium=email
 
* Bowdoin College has set up an ADA Student Advisory Board and a network of faculty liasions to improve accessibility on campus and to open more dialogue about disability: http://bowdoinorient.com/article/11626
 
* Colorado University Boulder has created an inclusive recreation program to open up campus rec programs to students with disabilities, including popular mountain climbing programs: http://www.colorado.edu/today/2016/11/08/seeing-road-less-traveled
 
* The Minnesota Student Association at the University of Minnesota is doing a survey and addressing campus accessibility issues, with complaints about the Disability Resource Center (DRC) increasing, and the Disabled Student Cultural Center noting that complaints to them about the DRC are required to go right back to the DRC: http://www.mndaily.com/article/2016/11/despite-progress-or-those-with-disabilities-accessibility-concerns-persist
 
* Large advocacy groups and individual students are increasingly relying on the courts to advocate for improvements in higher education’s physical and digital spaces: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/11/07/disability-rights-advocates-shift-strategies-ensure-equal-rights-digital-age?mc_cid=ffa0c4791c&mc_eid=755fe7aa16
 
* “Green Zone Training” at Columbia College in Missouri is giving faculty and staff training to connect student veterans with resources, including mental health support: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/columbia-college-trains-faculty-staff-to-aid-student-veterans/article_e3b69942-c132-56f3-a089-3a32fb728429.html
 
* Penn State doctoral student Clare Mullaney is building a community of disability studies scholars on her campus through a Penn Disability Studies Working Group: https://penncurrent.upenn.edu/interviews/student-spotlight-with-clare-mullaney
 
* All campuses are required to provide disability services, but many are charging fees for specialized programs targeting students with learning disabilities, ADHD, or autism – at a cost from $1,300 to $13,000 per year: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2016-11-21/plan-for-greater-college-costs-for-students-with-learning-disabilities
 
* A new report from the Pathways to Positive Futures offers suggestions for people working with college-bound youth in foster care, including tips for obtaining disability services and ensuring mental and emotional health: https://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/pdf/proj-1-FUTURES-helping-young-adults-from-foster-care.pdf
 
* A judge refused to allow Harvard and MIT to dismiss the National Association of the Deaf’s online accessibility lawsuit against them: https://creeclaw.org/nad-lawsuit-against-harvard-and-mit-moves-forward/
 
* The November 6 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education featured articles about what campuses are doing to meet the rising demand for mental health services (articles require a subscription, but most campuses libraries and public libraries offer access to this publication):

• Student activism is making a difference at the University of Minnesota, where administrators were forced to acknowledge counseling center problems and expand resources, while also acknowledging $4.6 million in tuition might be at stake: http://www.chronicle.com/article/Mental-Health-in-Minnesota-/238317
• “Stretched to Capacity” discusses how campuses are building partnerships and using triage to meet demand and expand services for prevention and treatment: http://www.chronicle.com/article/Stretched-to-Capacity/238314?cid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=2c3984aadd2a415190606b3120a6d211&elq=7d459bd645cf4dadae2a3c5f6e0d6130&elqaid=11388&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=4434
• Some campuses are relying on teletherapy and online treatment programs: http://www.chronicle.com/article/How-Some-Colleges-Use/238316?cid=db&elqTrackId=244ea72abc6a4b83b50a569a076ce828&elq=124d6bf8aa7a4e2ab902785681892262&elqaid=11382&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=4430

 
* Students with disabilities in the Power2Act student organization at Stanford University are organizing to get a community center on campus: http://www.stanforddaily.com/2016/11/17/power2act-seeks-community-center-for-students-with-disabilities/
 
* Jerusha Mather wanted to study medicine in Australia, but was not allowed to receive accommodations for her cerebral palsy when she took the medical entrance examinations – she’s lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission, and her story is raising questions about access to health care professions across the country: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/they-are-underestimating-me-aspiring-doctor-claims-disability-bias-20161113-gso85c.html
 
* The New York Times highlights specialized campus programs that are supporting students with autism as they navigate college life: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/health/autism-spectrum-college.html
 
* What happens when two undergrads, a grad student and a professor on the autism spectrum walk into a bar?  Apparently they might form a comedy troupe called “Asperger’s Are Us” (video is captioned but not audio described): http://www.today.com/health/asperger-s-are-us-first-comedy-team-autism-spectrum-t104995
 
* African Americans are 20% more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population, but only 25% of them are likely to get help; two articles this past week discussed the issue:

• Professor Kamesha Spates’s research of mental health among African American college students is highlighted in the student newspaper at Kent State, where she describes how racial stereotypes keep Black people from getting mental health treatment: http://www.kentwired.com/latest_updates/article_439357bc-aded-11e6-a496-27bc17fe80f4.html
• Florida A&M University is tackling the issue through counseling, outreach, and addressing stigma: http://www.thefamuanonline.com/news/view.php/1025553/Black-Mental-Health-Matters

 
* South Downs College in England has set up a sensory room for those with high levels of anxiety or stress, including blackout blinds, aromatherapy, special lighting, and even two pretend pets: http://feweek.co.uk/2016/11/19/new-sensory-room-will-provide-an-escape-for-stressed-out-students/
 
* Students at Georgetown University are calling for “curricular diversity” through a petition for a disability studies minor, with an editorial at http://www.thehoya.com/editorial-uphold-curricular-diversity/ and an article about the initiative at http://www.thehoya.com/disabilities-studies-minor-petition-launched/
 
* UCLA’s disability studies minor is celebrating its tenth anniversary: http://dailybruin.com/2016/11/06/ucla-disability-studies-minor-to-celebrate-10th-anniversary/
 
* New toolkits from the Felton Institute are available for students in higher education who have psychosis:

• Student and family toolkit: http://www.nasmhpd.org/sites/default/files/%28Pt.%202%29%20Toolkit%20-%20Back%20to%20School%20Support%20for%20Full%20Inclusion%20of%20Students%20with%20Early%20Psychosis%20in%20Higher%20Education_0.pdf
• Campus administration and staff toolkit: http://www.nasmhpd.org/sites/default/files/Toolkit%20-%20Back%20to%20School%20Support%20for%20Full%20Inclusion%20of%20Students%20with%20Early%20Psychosis%20in%20Higher%20Education_0.pdf
• An issue brief on higher ed inclusion for early intervention programs: http://www.nasmhpd.org/sites/default/files/Fact%20Sheet%20-%20Supporting%20Student%20Success%20in%20Higher%20Ed%20Beyond%20the%20Clinic_0.pdf
• An issue brief on discharge, step-down, and continuity of care following early intervention: http://www.nasmhpd.org/sites/default/files/Issue%20Brief%20-%20What%20Comes%20After%20Early%20Intervention_0.pdf

 
* Struggles setting up a student organization, dealing with stress, and lowering her A1c numbers – for College Diabetes Week, recent grad Molly Johannes posted a week’s worth of blog posts about college life as a student with diabetes: https://asweetlife.org/college-diabetes-week-day-2-sharing-my-triumphs/
 
* On some campuses, disability services are funded through a TRIO grant project called “Student Support Services, like at Indiana State University: http://www.isustudentmedia.com/indiana_statesman/article_9b585e5c-a7b7-11e6-b691-cffce3a52cd0.html
 
* Program director Sachin Pavithran is blind and is an expert on assistive technology at the Utah State University who has been named to the board of directors of the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD): http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/local/article_f6ab3e26-aa2f-11e6-add2-2b4cd6b86ae2.html
 
* Emory Law School has set up a volunteer law clinic to help veterans with disability benefits claims, including “Military Mondays” sessions at a local Starbucks: http://news.emory.edu/stories/2016/11/er_emory_law_veteran_clinic/campus.html
 
* To prepare autistic students for dorm living, Pennsylvania’s Main Line’s Hill Top Preparatory School is offering an all-year Monday through Friday boarding program for college-bound autistic youth from the tri-state area – for $53,400 per year: http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20161109_College-bound_students_with_autism_learn_to_navigate_campus_life.html
 
*  Irish college student Aibhe Keane started “Snazzy Wheels” to customize her sister’s wheelchair, but now orders are pouring in from across the UK: http://www.galwayindependent.com/business/topics/articles/2016/11/09/4129750-standing-out--izzy-wheels/
 
* The Exceptional Minds school in Los Angeles is a three-year program teaching animation to students with autism, in hopes of increasing employment rates (video is captioned, but not audio described): http://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/an-exceptional-school-for-hollywood-dreams/?xrs=CNNAPP
 
* Fiji National University has partnered with the Pacific Disability Forum to promote collaboration in improved access to academics, research, and disability policy: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=378081
 
* Eric Dorsa from Alamo Community College is getting national attention for his work helping men with eating disorders, while also serving as a recovery advocate in his local community: http://theranger.org/2016/11/07/student-volunteer-helps-others-with-eating-disorders/
 
* Housing offices and counseling offices need to work together on mental health issues, says an editorial at George Washington University: http://www.gwhatchet.com/2016/11/20/sara-brouda-housing-and-counseling-offices-must-be-able-to-work-together/
 
* Emhurst College student Phil Hopper sustained a brain injury, and that led him to found No Brain No Gain to raise awareness about brain injuries and PTSD: http://m.kcchronicle.com/2016/11/07/college-student-spreads-brain-injuries-awareness/al36bq9/
 
* For the first time last year, China allowed students to take the national college entrance exam in braille, but much bigger barriers to higher education persist: http://www.sixthtone.com/news/blind-students-braille-exams-pave-way-higher-education
 
* The Positivity Project at the University of Ohio is helping students feel more positive and comfortable with their bodies and self-images, addressing emotional and mental health issues and eating disorders (embedded video has captioning but no audio description): http://www.thepostathens.com/article/2016/11/ohio-university-body-positivity
 
* In Viet Nam, librarians at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities will begin a new project to convert library materials into audio and digital formats: http://vietnamnews.vn/society/346156/hcm-city-university-supports-disabled-students.html#zv5PAvsD84YtOjX3.97
 
* After his daughter was diagnosed with autism, University of Virginia psychologist Vikram Jaswal began researching and teaching about the disconnect between academic research and realities of autistic life: https://news.virginia.edu/content/new-course-connects-students-autistic-tribe
 
* More and more fashion students are interested in designing clothes for people with disabilities, but mainstream brands are not paying attention: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/nov/13/mainstream-brands-not-designing-clothes-people-disabilities-fashion-school-students
 
* Canadian researcher Clive Baldwin examines the lived experience of body integrity identity disorder (BIID) and how it causes nondisabled people to feel like they should be disabled: http://www.torontosun.com/2016/11/20/sawing-the-arm-off-putting-limb-in-dry-ice-professor-studying-people-who-feel-like-they-should-be-disabled
 
* Utah State University’s “Aggies Elevated” program offers on-campus opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities: http://usustatesman.com/aggies-elevated-helps-students-with-intellectual-disabilities-succeed/
 
 
 
And a few related items of possible interest to college students:
* Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States – here are some responses:

• The Chronicle of Higher Education is keeping a running tally of campus hate crimes being investigated since the election http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/heres-a-rundown-of-the-latest-campus-climate-incidents-since-trumps-election/115553); the majority have been related to race and immigration status, but also reported were:
  • An autistic anti-trump protester was pushed down the stairs at Ohio State University
  • An Iowa lawmaker is introducing a “suck it up, buttercup bill” to penalize state universities using taxpayer money on post-election mental health resources
  • Fliers at the University of Michigan warned white women not to date Black men, saying they are more likely to have HIV and AIDS, be less intelligent, and be more violent
• During his campaign, Trump said very little about plans for disability policy, so advocacy groups are uncertain about the future: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2016/11/10/trump-uncertainty-disability/23005/
• The National Disability Institute wrote an open letter explaining what needs to stay the same and what needs to change, although it forgot to recognize that disabled students are in higher education and not just K-12: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-morris/an-open-letter-to-preside_b_12963550.html
• The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity has published resources for faculty teaching post-election: http://www.facultydiversity.org/page/Support
• A Rutgers University lecturer was taken into custody and forced to undergo psychiatric evaluation after tweeting about whether Trump supporters would care more about gun rights if white people were dying: http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/grad-student-says-rutgers-police-put-him-through-a-psychiatric-evaluation-over-tweets/115596
• Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor used her experiences with diabetes to frame a discussion of hope, after questions during a speaking engagement about supporting the new president: http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/15/politics/sonia-sotomayor-election/index.html
• The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) has published an open letter after learning that Medicaid funding is likely to be cut and Trump Strategist and Senior Counselor has suggested mental health issues could be addressed by parents spanking their children more often: http://autisticadvocacy.org/2016/11/trumps-new-appointee-ive-got-a-cure-for-mental-health-spank-your-children-more/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork
• The liberal Huffington Post headlined that “Disability Advocates are Terrified” of “the most ableist president in modern history”: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/disability-rights-donald-trump_us_582487fae4b0e80b02cefa2f
• A disability activist writes a plea to other activists, emphasizing that social justice activists need to understand the high stakes for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, who can die with some of the proposed Trump policies: https://medium.com/@carolynzaikowski/disabled-people-will-die-under-trump-an-emergency-plea-to-allies-7014382adf33#.1g0j8vw9m

 
* After election week, are you appreciating the work of the suffragettes?  Learn about London’s Rosa May Billinghurst – the “suffragette on three wheels” who used an adapted tricycle to get to meetings and events: http://www.sheilahanlon.com/?page_id=1314
 
* International scholar Ming Canaday talks about her adoption from China, her international work on disability, and how she had to help advocate for a childhood friend with disabilities who wasn’t getting the help she needed:  http://www.chinafile.com/features/chinese-orphan-disability-life-us-brought-strength-help-friend-left-behind
 
* Kendall Jenner and Kim Kardashian are both talking openly about long-standing struggles with anxiety: http://www.instyle.com/news/kim-kardashian-west-reveals-anxiety-before-paris-robbery
 
* Ruby Elliott has struggled with depression, bipolar, and eating disorders, and her humorous sketches are now leading to a publishing deal: http://www.bbc.com/news/disability-37628866
 
* After becoming a quadriplegic, Loren Worthington became a professional photographer to get back into sports (video is captioned but not audio described): http://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/rediscovering-a-passion-from-behind-the-lens/?xrs=CNNAPP
 
* Most states make accommodations for disabled hunters during hunting season, but some states are now creating special seasons, hunting areas, or allowances for special equipment if hunters have disabilities: http://thesouthern.com/sports/outward-mobility-paraplegic-hunters-pursue-their-passion/article_75b157a9-997d-577a-a08d-68bb9e454f11.html
 
* Michigan State grad Anthony Ianni was the first person with autism to play Big Ten basketball, and now he’s working on anti-bullying initiatives around the country: http://michiganradio.org/post/former-msu-basketball-player-autism-leads-anti-bullying-campaign
 
 
 
 
This week’s issue of the DREAM weekly e-mail is available at the DREAM website, with archived back issues available, as well (http://www.dreamcollegedisability.org).  For more information about DREAM or AHEAD contact Wendy Harbour ([email protected]).
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please go to http://ahead-listserve.org/mailman/listinfo/dream_ahead-listserve.org.  Wendy Harbour can also handle requests to subscribe or unsubscribe. 
By the way, please don't presume DREAM, the National Center for College Students with Disabilities, or AHEAD agree with everything in these links we send out - we're just passing along the information so you can form your own opinions.  Thanks.