DREAM Weekly E-Mail: September 8-14, 2019

DREAM Weekly Email, Disability and Higher Education in the News: September 8-14, 2019
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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Just a reminder: the DREAM Weekly Email just has highlights from the news – to access the full version:

• Read the attached Word document (with active links)
• Read the news online with searchable archives at https://www.dreamcollegedisability.org/this-weeks-news-in-disability-and-higher-education

 
Having trouble accessing an article?  Check with your campus library or reach out to us and we’ll try to help! ([email protected])
 
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Disability and higher education in the news (in no particular order):
                                                                                                                                                                                   
* As media follows the story of a new Stanford student and her struggles to get PCAs, Stanford alumna Karin Willison shares her story of trying to get PCA supports, and the financial drains, abuse, and problems with the state of California that are common across the US: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/disabled-stanford-student-isn-t-234628480.html
 
* The American Sociological Association says that higher education institutions should not rely on student evaluations of teachers, which “systematically disadvantage faculty from marginalized groups:” https://www.chronicle.com/article/Sociologists-Caution-Colleges/247101?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en&cid=at&source=ams&sourceId=4079424 and https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/09/10/sociologists-and-more-dozen-other-professional-groups-speak-out-against-student
 
* To address cybersecurity issues in the government, teams at George Mason University, Mercyhurst University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the University of Maryland, Drexel University will recruit and train a Neurodiversity Cyber Workforce of neurodiverse students, including those with autism: https://www.goerie.com/opinion/20190912/our-view-grant-fosters-autism-inclusion and https://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2019/09/gear-centers-first-projects-focus-governments-perennial-workforce-issues/159764/
 
* A mysterious illness connected to vaping continues to claim lives, affecting over 450 people, including college students; many survivors are expected to have lifelong disabilities; President Trump hopes to ban sales of flavored vaping products and a New Jersey lawmaker hopes to ban all vaping products in the state: https://www.denverpost.com/2019/09/06/colorado-vaping-illness-unc-student/ and https://beta.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/09/07/what-we-know-about-mysterious-vaping-linked-illnesses-deaths/ and https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2019/09/11/vaping-lung-illness-what-we-know-spate-cases-and-deaths/2264610001/
 
* The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund is not just for first responders – it’s also for professors and students with cancer and long-term illnesses from exposure to the toxic dust from Ground Zero: https://pix11.com/2019/09/11/student-and-professor-battle-9-11-related-cancer-years-after-terror-attacks/
 
* Emails have surfaced from Liberty University’s President Jerry Falwell Jr., in which he uses disability slurs to disparage students and staff using the R-word, calling a student “emotionally imbalanced,” and saying the police chief is a “half-wit”; Politico has alleged that these were part of his efforts to create a “culture of fear”: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-falwell-emails-exclusive/exclusive-falwell-blasted-liberty-student-as-retarded-police-chief-as-half-wit-in-emails-idUSKCN1VX1QJ
 
* On a night out in the UK, a bouncer accused Cardiff University student Amber Davies of doing drugs and having sex in the bathroom for people with disabilities – but she was caring for her stoma: https://www.itv.com/news/central/2019-09-09/student-with-hidden-disability-accused-of-taking-drugs-in-a-disabled-toilet-birmingham/
 
* A college professor and mom of a daughter with Down syndrome says students with intellectual disabilities can make higher education better: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/including-students-intellectual-disabilities-colleges-044244951.html
 
* Dawne McCance from the University of Manitoba was recognized by the Royal Society of Canada for her interdisciplinary work, which includes animal ethics and disability studies; it is Canada’s highest honor for her field: https://news.umanitoba.ca/one-new-rsc-fellow-one-new-rsc-college-member/
 
* Two campuses are experimenting with notetaking accommodations:

• The University of Iowa is piloting three different notetaking accommodations and getting feedback from students about what works for them: https://dailyiowan.com/2019/09/10/ui-office-of-disability-pilots-three-new-programs-for-note-taking-accommodations/
• Southern Connecticut State University is now taping classes and using an off-campus paid notetaking service to produce notes, although some faculty are worried about the quality of audio recording or intellectual property issues: https://thesouthernnews.org/2019/09/11/disability-resource-center-not-utilizing-student-note-takers/

 
* A new “Finding Your Place” podcast helps new college students find their way, and includes students with disabilities: http://www.startribune.com/new-minnesota-made-podcast-offers-student-advice-on-college-survival/559771972/?refresh=true
 
* U.S. News & World Report offers tips for deciding whether students should use an individual, family, or campus plan for health insurance: https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/things-to-know-about-student-health-insurance
 
* Actress Felicity Huffman has asked for no jail time after pleading guilty in the college admissions scandal, saying her daughter has a learning disability, and Huffman wanted her to succeed as an actress: https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/the-view-blasts-felicity-huffman-college-admissions-scandal
 
* A study of 610,000 undergraduates shows depression and anxiety rising among college students, with rates of depression more than doubling in less than a decade: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-mental-undergrads/depression-anxiety-rising-among-u-s-college-students-idUSKCN1VJ25Z?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FhealthNews+%28Reuters+Health+News%29
 
* Frostburg State University requires all students to be vaccinated, but Shane Mallon is suing, saying it is disability discrimination because he has an illness that prevents him from being vaccinated: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/pharma-and-life-sciences/disability-bias-case-against-university-raises-vaccination-issue
 
* The executive director of counseling services at the University of Pennsylvania died by suicide at age 52, after complaining about the stress of his job and how it kept him from his family - the American College Health Association president said his death was a reminder to “strengthen and support” caregivers: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/09/11/university-pennsylvania-director-counseling-dies-suicide?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=604ba2fee6-DNU_2019_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-604ba2fee6-225808461&mc_cid=604ba2fee6&mc_eid=d5645fe552
 
* As Kenyon College creates a new mission statement focused on diversity and inclusion, student Teddy Hannah-drullard reminds the campus that disability is a part of diversity, and physical access is a part of inclusion: https://kenyoncollegian.com/opinion/2019/09/in-a-campus-moving-towards-inclusion-and-accessibility-middle-path-is-a-roadblock/
 
* In the wake of the college admissions scandal, journalists are finding that wealthier neighborhoods have higher proportions of students getting special education and 504 services, and advocates say it’s not always about “gaming the system,” but about inequities in access to diagnoses, navigating the system, and inequities of special education: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2019/08/09/does-better-access-to-disability-accommodations-give-wealthy-schools-kids-an-edge-getting-into-college/
 
* The University of Utah tried to make Mackay Stadium ADA-Compliant in 2015 and 2017, and now the Board of Regents is suing its architectural firm after realizing another $3.2 million will be needed for a third try: https://www.asumag.com/accessibility-and-ada/university-nevada-will-spend-32-million-make-reno-stadium-ada-compliant
 
* Montclair State University’s counseling services is using “Kognito” software to train faculty and staff about student mental health issues; the program uses avatars to show simulations of different scenarios: https://themontclarion.org/news/new-simulation-helps-faculty-prevent-students-from-struggling-inkognito/
 
* Chris Le Serf is sharing his story of getting out of a nursing home and working at a university, as the Australian government begins hearings about young people with disabilities living in nursing homes: https://theconversation.com/it-felt-like-a-prison-too-many-young-australians-are-still-stuck-in-nursing-homes-122948
 
* In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Day, the Active Minds chapter at St. Joseph’s University displayed almost 1000 backpacks on a hill outside the student center, representing college students who have died by suicide; the exhibit included guides and resources about mental illness: https://www.sjuhawknews.com/send-silence-packing-aims-to-spark-conversations-about-mental-health/
 
* Illinois becomes the latest state to offer ABLE accounts, which allow children with disabilities to save money for college and other life expenses, without that affecting federal benefits like social security (DREAM reminds readers that people can set up ABLE accounts in any state that has them, even if they are not residents): https://www.chicagoparent.com/learn/special-needs/savings-for-families-with-disabilities/
 
* Educational groups continue to object to a new public charge rule that will affect immigrant students, with the National Education Association saying the consequences may “contribute to disruptive behavior” and “inattention in class:” https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/09/06/changes-public-charge-rule-are-confusing-immigrant-students?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=07a0ea7b65-DiversityMatters_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-07a0ea7b65-198891893&mc_cid=07a0ea7b65&mc_eid=a51c972f65
 
* More and more medical-alert dogs are helping their owners manage epilepsy and diabetes, including college students like Sarah Vible: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-growing-role-for-medical-alert-dogs-11568300771
 
* Vermont military college Norwich University has joined the QL+ network, which pairs up disabled veterans and first responders with engineering students who design solutions to various barriers they experience: https://vermontbiz.com/news/2019/september/17/norwich-partners-quality-life-plus-engineer-solutions-injured-veterans
 
* Ember, a student at McMaster University, says the university may understand the social model of disability, but they aren’t following it – and the accommodations policy says that in print: https://www.thesil.ca/inaccessibility-in-mcmaster-courses
 
 
* The Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell has received a $4 million grant to work on issues related to employment and youth with disabilities, including creating a national technical assistance center: https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/09/yang-tan-institute-help-operate-national-policy-center
 
* Riverdale star Camila Mendes is talking publicly about being drugged and assaulted in college, and her struggles with bulimia: https://www.etonline.com/camila-mendes-says-she-was-roofied-and-sexually-assaulted-in-college-132048
 
* The Direct Service Professional Academy in DC is providing training and certification for people with disabilities to become aides for people with disabilities: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2019/09/09/unique-program-teaches-people-with-disabilities-care-providers/27131/
 
* Two years after Scout Schultz died, his parents are filing a wrongful death suit, saying the officer who shot them did not have the proper crisis intervention training: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/parents-georgia-tech-student-shot-dead-campus-police-file-suit-n1053331
 
* A University of Texas op-ed says requiring medical notes for absences creates a burden for students, but foregoing notes completely may not be the answer, either: https://thevarsity.ca/2019/09/08/sick-notes-create-a-barrier-to-access-to-education/
 
* Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has expanded and renamed the ACCESS office to operate “from a social model of disability,” providing additional counseling, testing and mentoring programs: https://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/access-at-siue-features-expanded-space-and-enhanced-accommodations-siue-boosts-access-36987.cfm
 
* Hamilton College professor Stephanie Bahr has published an essay about being an academic with a disability that affects reading, writing, and testing: https://www.hamilton.edu/news/story/teaching-disability-reading-stephanie-bahr
 
* Christopher Clifford has Type 1 diabetes and just won a prestigious Astronaut Scholarship for STEM students, which will help him continue his research of the disease: https://spacecoastdaily.com/2019/09/titusville-native-and-ucf-senior-christopher-clifford-awarded-prestigious-astronaut-scholarship/
 
 
 
A Few Other Items of Possible Interest:
 
* Disability communities around the country are mourning activist and founder of Chicago’s Access Living Marca Bristo, who has died at age 66 after a distinguished career that included helping write and pass the Americans with Disabilities Act – learn more about her work and life at these links:

• WTTW News: https://news.wttw.com/2019/09/09/disability-rights-community-mourns-loss-pioneer-marca-bristo
• The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/marca-bristo-leading-advocate-for-people-with-disabilities-dies-at-66/2019/09/09/52a729dc-d30a-11e9-9610-fb56c5522e1c_story.html
• The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/08/obituaries/marca-bristo-dead.html

 
* How do we talk about athletes with disabilities as athletes who aren’t just inspirational, but also athletic?  Matt Hartman takes an in-depth look at the topic:  https://theoutline.com/post/7930/sports-and-disability-paralympics-shaquem-griffin?zd=1&zi=uqogopkn
 
* The New York Times offers some tips to people trying to manage a mental illness in the workplace: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/29/smarter-living/how-to-manage-mental-illness-at-work.html
 
* The “Yellowhammer” paper published by the British government shows that a no-deal Brexit would result in delays of medicines and medical products, lasting six months or more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/11/uk/operation-yellowhammer-published-brexit-gbr-intl/index.html
 
* Apple is starting a streaming service, and its drama See will feature Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodward, in a world where everyone is blind; the show feature numerous cast, crew, and consultant who are blind or visually impaired (the trailer has captions, but ironically has no audio description): https://tvline.com/2019/09/10/see-trailer-jason-momoa-apple-tv-plus-series-video/
 
* After a disabled friend died from suicide, Nadina LaSpina called up some disabled friends and started learning about the disability rights movement – a call that “saved her life:” https://www.salon.com/2019/09/08/far-from-helpless-how-the-disability-rights-movement-saved-my-life/
 
* Hollywood is trying to improve the representation of people with disabilities, but they still have a long way to go toward creating real change: https://www.henryherald.com/features/how-hollywood-is-working-to-improve-representation-of-people-with/article_32ec00ca-ed22-503a-999e-654938e0dde2.html and https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2019/09/12/disability-portrayals-hollywood-films-plummet/27151/ and https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/actors-with-autism-opportunity-or-oxymoron-kpkn/
 
* Democratic candidate Kamala Harris made a public apology after seeming to laugh and agree with an rally participant who used the R-word to describe President Trump (video is captioned but not audio described): https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/07/politics/kamala-harris-trump-questioner-offensive-remark/index.html
 
* His songs were performed by Tom Waits, TV on the Radio, and Death Cab for Cutie, and a film about him won a directing award at the Sundance Film Festival; after struggling with mental and physical health issues during his life, Daniel Johnston passed away at age 58 from complications of kidney disease (videos in the BBC article are not captioned or audio described): https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49673013 and https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/arts/music/daniel-johnston-dead.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
 
* The Trump administration has decided to no longer consider requests from immigrants who ask to defer deportation due to the need for medical treatment: https://beta.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/congress-to-hold-hearing-on-end-of-immigrant-medical-relief/2019/09/11/12f3af94-d450-11e9-8924-1db7dac797fb_story.html
 
* Singer Aaron Carter is going public with his multiple mental health diagnoses, saying “I have nothing to hide:” https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/aaron-carter-reveals-multiple-mental-health-diagnoses
 
* Diabetic Juan Cruz “JC” Aragone became the first tennis player in the U.S. Open who was allowed to take insulin: https://www.orangecoast.com/features/a-mothers-load-how-paula-aragone-became-her-sons-best-coach-yet/
 
* Nine-year old double amputee Daisy-May Demetre is modeling at New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week (videos are captioned but not audio described): https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-49536740
 
* After writing an anti-Trump op-ed for CNN, Melissa Blake was trolled for her looks and disability, and told not to post pictures of herself; she responded by posting selfies, and now has 26,000 followers, a request for a book deal, and an interview with the BBC: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2019/09/13/trolled-for-looks-cheerful-selfies/27156/
 
 
 
 
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 (NCCSD), AHEAD, or the U.S. Department of Education agree with or support everything in these links we send out - we're just passing along the information so you can form your own opinions.  Thanks.
 
DREAM and the NCCSD are funded by a grant to AHEAD from the U.S. Department of Education (P116D150005).