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DREAM Weekly: Disability and Higher Education in the News November 19-December 2, 2017
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) ------------------------------- Disability and higher education in the news (in no particular order): * Students at Cambridge University have formed a Student Minds group and launched a new Student Support Guide website explaining all the mental health services available on campus: https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/14182 * Laptops in class – a new op-ed in The New York Times gets people fired up:
* Many special education students do not receive grades or standard diplomas, putting their college plans in jeopardy – another article from the Hechinger Report series on current and prospective college students with disabilities: http://hechingerreport.org/students-finishing-high-school-degrees-dont-help-go-college/ * Anorexia almost killed gymnast and runner Hannah Durbin from Elon University, but now she uses her Instagram account to share her recovery and story with over 10,000 people: http://www.ydr.com/story/news/2017/11/22/hannah-durbin-couldve-been-dead-thanksgiving-instead-shes-celebrating-life/798518001/ * The University of Edinburgh in Scotland has tried to set up options for students who do not want to use the disability services office, including Chloë Martin, a student with ADHD who has created a “Not Every Disability is Visible” campaign on campus: http://www.studentnewspaper.org/adhd-at-university-the-student-speaks-to-one-student-about-the-condition/ * As the University of Toronto debates major changes to medical leaves for students with mental and emotional illnesses, the Students for Barrier-Free Access group (http://thestrand.ca/op-ed-the-university-mandated-leave-of-absence-is-discriminatory-and-harmful/) and professor Bonnie Burstow (https://www.madinamerica.com/2017/11/creeping-fascism-university-unfit-to-study-policies/) raise serious concerns about the proposed policies. * Henry George has a disability, but he believes promoting safe spaces, identity politics, and social justice policies on campuses will create a “crippled society” without free speech: http://merionwest.com/2017/11/25/im-disabled-and-i-despise-cultural-victimhood/ * College really is possible for students with intellectual disabilities, as Edie Cusack explains in this Tedx Talk (video is captioned but not audio described): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgzSH6GqiNs&app=desktop * “The Additional Labour of a Disabled PhD Student” is described in a new article in Disability & Society by Stephanie Hannam-Swain (available for free download): http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09687599.2017.1375698 * A new book by professor Jasbir Puar, The Right to Maim, is being criticized as anti-Israel for describing how Israelis use maiming and disability to control Palestinians, but others say the arguments against her threaten free speech and are a smear campaign: http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2017/11/academic-garbage-or-smear-campaign-new-duke-university-press-publication-draws-criticism * Portraits of former students and faculty are everywhere at the University of Oxford, but a new project is trying to diversify those paintings, and one of the new portraits is of disability rights activist Dr Marie Tidball: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-42134713 * A reporter from the University of Ottawa reviewed access services and campus accessibility, with a call for students to get involved and share their concerns: http://thefulcrum.ca/features/accessing-education-disability-isnt-easy-think/ * Bellevue College’s radio station KBCS received the national 2017 Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability, for their series about a wheelchair user using public transportation in Seattle: https://www.bellevuereporter.com/news/bellevue-colleges-radio-station-recognized-for-excellence-in-reporting-of-disability-issues/ * One student with Asperger’s was told he was intolerable. A woman who uses a wheelchair was asked to stay out of view during her university graduation ceremony so people wouldn’t find it “strange” to see her there. These and other first-person stories collected by the BBC are at https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/nov/27/from-sexual-harassment-to-hostile-colleagues-readers-experiences-of-life-with-a-disability * Uber, Lyft, and taxi drivers in Toronto can receive an “accessible endorsement” on their license if they take a new Accessible Vehicle Training course about disability at Centennial College: http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Centennial-College-launches-accessibility-training-course-for-taxi-Uber-and-Lyft-drivers-1001565669 * Neurodiversity and universal design are the two biggest challenges for Landmark College, says incoming college president Peter Eden: https://www.educationdive.com/news/from-molecular-biologist-to-college-president-landmark-colleges-peter-ede/512082/ * Collin Butler at Harrisburg University has autism and uses a service dog to assist him on campus (video has captions and a transcript, but no audio description): http://www.wgal.com/article/service-dog-helps-college-student-with-autism/13491014 * Inside Higher Ed says a steady stream of lawsuits related to concussions could lead to rule changes in the NCAA, how athletic conferences function, and questions about whether football programs should even continue (https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/12/01/avalanche-football-related-concussion-lawsuits-against-ncaa-and-conferences-could), which is echoed in an op-ed at Columbia University this week (http://www.columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2017/11/30/we-need-to-have-an-honest-conversation-about-the-safety-of-football/) and an attempt at the University of San Diego to ban football (http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/columnists/kevin-acee/sd-sp-acee-football-concussions-ban-1126-story.html) * Chris Davis is autistic and has intellectual disabilities, but insisted on attending Elizabethtown College after high school, so students there have included him in classes, even though he can’t register as a student himself (video has no captions or audio description): http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/elizabethtown-college-students-work-with-chris-davis-who-has-severe/article_e0b05c20-cf07-11e7-8ff0-f7bd6474c483.html * Emotional support animals (ESAs) at the University of Portland have quadrupled in number over the past three years (http://www.upbeacon.com/article/2017/11/assistance-animals-on-the-bluff); they and the College of New Jersey (https://theithacan.org/news/ithaca-college-makes-required-accessibility-renovations/) and Texas A&M (http://www.thebatt.com/news/pets-for-dealing-with-stress/article_c6c49c1a-cdb6-11e7-b174-1f228376b871.html) are working to create policies addressing evolving understandings of ESAs, as well as federal and state laws. * Rutgers sophomore Sarah Portewig talks about her Type I diabetes and life as a college student, including the campus culture around diabetes: https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/health-fitness/college-student-talked-to-us-about-living-with-diabetes/ * Duke University has numerous services for students needing mental health resources, but is also dealing with complaints, including concerns about stigma and the use of graduate students as counselors: http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2017/11/171129-ballentine-mental-health-resources * Rabbi Dr. Julia Watts Belser of Georgetown University uses disability studies theory to analyze Rabbinic literature: http://www.thejustice.org/article/2017/11/rabbinic-lit-disability-theory * University of Illinois student Hayley Nagelberg attended the Ruderman Family Foundation Inclusion Summit in Boston, representing Hillel International; she returned to campus wondering why her university can’t model the inclusion she saw at the conference: https://dailyillini.com/opinions/columns-opinions/2017/11/30/university-needs-improve-accessibility-students-disabilities/ * Debate continues at the University of Buffalo, with faculty voting against censuring a dean after he fired a professor who is now dealing with a life-threatening illness and the loss of university health insurance: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/11/22/inside-failed-race-against-clock-suny-buffalo * A fake news story about Kisii University in Kenya is spreading information about an outbreak of HPV that spreads faster than HIV/AIDS, and can be transmitted by kissing; the entire story is untrue: https://www.snopes.com/hpv-kissing-aids/ * Few religious colleges offer programs for students with intellectual disabilities, but Judson University in Illinois just joined their ranks with a new RISE two-year certificate modeled after the program at Bethel College in Minnesota: http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171118/how-judson-university-is-helping-students-rise-above-disabilities * Syracuse University has developed a new policy regarding information technology accessibility, using input from the campus community and the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity: https://news.syr.edu/2017/12/information-and-communication-technology-accessibility-policy-approved-work-continues-to-enhance-digital-accessibility/ * All Things Considered interviewed a freshman and recent college graduate about their experiences of college with autism, and their advice for other students: https://whyy.org/npr_story_post/navigating-life-campus-youre-autism-spectrum/ * Hillsdale College in Michigan has no disability services office, but one student says that working directly with the dean and professors actually makes things easier: http://hillsdalecollegian.com/2017/11/learning-disability/ * Professor and disability activist Tom Shakespeare received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Sunderland in the UK: https://www.sun-fm.com/news/local/2442601/a-sunderland-disability-champion-and-wwii-veteran-are-recognised/ * In honor of his father, who passed away from multiple sclerosis, Griffen Saul created a We Are Able disability awareness curriculum which he is sharing with high school students and his peers at Tufts University (note: the curriculum includes simulations of disability): https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/teen-founds-nonprofit-for-disability-awareness-tribute-to-late-father/ * Ithaca College is making access renovations required by the federal Office of Civil Rights, but some staff and students wish the campus was doing more and working faster: https://theithacan.org/news/ithaca-college-makes-required-accessibility-renovations/ * US News and World Report offers advice for “how to find autism-friendly colleges”: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2017-11-21/families-learn-how-to-find-autism-friendly-colleges * Some students normalize their disordered eating because they don’t have classic symptoms of anorexia or bulimia, but they still may need help and have an eating disorder: http://cardinalpointsonline.com/combating-disordered-eating/ * Gay rights and anti-apartheid activist Simon Nkoli also fought for justice around HIV stigma and the rights of women and people with disabilities; he is being honored by Stellenbosch University in South Africa, which is renaming the office building for equality and disability as “Simon Nkoli House”: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2017-11-23-stellenbosch-university-to-name-building-after-activist-simon-nkoli/ * The American Foundation for the Blind has published a transition activity guide for college-bound blind and visually impaired high school students: https://www.afb.org/blog/careerconnect-blog/introducing-the-transition-to-college-program-activity-guide-for-students-with-visual-impairments/12 * An autistic graduate student who sometimes uses an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device in class writes about how she dreads “the accommodations talk” with professors: https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/disabled-grad-school-i-too-dread-accommodations-talk?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=f7376417f4-DNU20171127&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-f7376417f4-197632649&mc_cid=f7376417f4&mc_eid=380f80e351 * The University of Kansas is updating their “Hawk Route” – an accessible route through campus that will have a new logo designed by students: http://www.kansan.com/news/despite-delay-new-signs-for-campus-disability-access-still-coming/article_8c70db1a-ce14-11e7-80b8-9774f4dc773b.html * Penn State football player Joey Julius has shared his journey with binge-eating disorders through social media, and has now decided not to return to football and to attend college in Harrisburg near his family: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/as-penn-state-kickers-weight-made-him-into-a-meme-it-nearly-drove-him-to-suicide/2017/11/24/8be61c7e-d133-11e7-81bc-c55a220c8cbe_story.html?utm_term=.f36f7577209c And a few related items of possible interest to college students: * The House and Senate have both passed tax bills, which will now be reconciled before they can go to President Trump for his signature; several provisions affect colleges and students: https://www.chronicle.com/article/Passage-of-Senate-Tax-Reform/241962?cid=bn&utm_source=bn&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=6eb236b0a30241b583ece143f923e65a&elq=1768369db1d545978c2d4692fa2dcdc4&elqaid=16940&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=7340; the progressive Center for American Progress calls the tax plan “a tax on disability,” as well: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/disability/news/2017/11/27/443277/republican-tax-plan-tax-disability/ * The UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is December 3: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities-3-december/idpd2017.html * Imposter Syndrome isn’t an actual psychiatric diagnosis, but it can have real effects on people like Valerie Sheares, a dean at Duke University who now shares her success at dealing with this “very real and specific form of intellectual self-doubt”: https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-A-Dean-Got-Over-Impostor/241863?cid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=88d2b8c3909b43aba9fa54f7eab8724b&elq=a320beb6ac6d4f888f7c92d5302a48bf&elqaid=16836&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=7290 * If you missed it, you can still read the Disabled Latinx chat at #DisabledLatinx: https://twitter.com/search?q=%23DisabledLatinx * Ready to do a little holiday shopping? Katie Murphy has created a Disability Arts Holiday Gift Guide featuring artists and writers in the Bay Area, but many items ship nationally: http://disarts.org/2017-bay-area-disability-arts-holiday-gift-guide/ * Former New York public radio host and disability activist John Hockenberry has been accused of sexual misconduct by several former co-workers and an author: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-hockenberry-former-public-radio-host-accused-of-sexual-misconduct/ * A new study shows that people with disabilities have a 43% probability of being arrested by the time they reach their late 20s: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2017/12/01/study-disabilities-arrested/24478/ * Immigrants with disabilities have been barred from settling in Canada, but two articles discuss the issues and how activists are fighting to change the law, saying the policies are discriminatory and outdated:
* SciFi is all about representing possibility, but not necessarily for people with disabilities: http://www.studentnewspaper.org/representation-of-disability-in-science-fiction-versus-real-life/ * Blogger Emily Rollins offers some suggestions for “How to Get Mental Health Care When You’re Broke”: https://healthy-magazines.com/get-mental-health-care-youre-broke/ * A New Jersey man is offering sensory-friendly visits with Santa for kids with autism; he knows a little about the subject because he is autistic and could never see Santa in a mall when he was a kid: http://www.scarymommy.com/kerry-magro-special-needs-friendly-santa/ * Is Instagram bad for your mental health? Some research says yes: http://www.studentnewspaper.org/is-instagram-bad-for-our-mental-health/ * Tips for “How to be a Good Friend to Someone with a Disability”: https://thetab.com/uk/sussex/2017/12/01/how-to-be-a-good-friend-to-someone-with-a-disability-23339 * The language of disability is continuing to evolve over time, as Dr. Libby Weaver discovered when she recalled 20,000 copies of a new book for using the term “mongolism” instead of “Down syndrome”: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/98681816/unacceptable-the-dangerous-minefield-of-disabilities-ailments-and-insults * “Positively Trans” from the Transgender Law Center has produced new videos about trans people of color, speaking out on World AIDS Day (videos are captioned but not audio described): https://transgenderlawcenter.org/archives/14106 * Chemawa Indian School in Oregon is under investigation for numerous problems, including the death of a student (https://www.opb.org/news/series/chemawa/); as part of a newspaper series on the topic, reporters also talked about services for autistic students at the school (http://kuow.org/post/chemawa-investigative-series-living-autism). (Radio interview has no transcript.) * Long baths and chocolate cake is self-care for many of us, but what if self-care is actually more difficult, trying to build a life where you don’t need to escape? https://thoughtcatalog.com/brianna-wiest/2017/11/this-is-what-self-care-really-means-because-its-not-all-salt-baths-and-chocolate-cake/ * The country of Singapore continues to work on accessibility and including disability as part of diversity initiatives: http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/striving-towards-a-multi-abled-singapore * South Africans with disabilities continue to experience disparities in many areas of life; some changes to federal laws and taxes may make a difference: https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2017-11-21-how-the-south-african-government-is-failing-people-with-disabilities/ * Many soldiers find themselves in a Catch-22 where war-induced PTSD and traumatic brain injuries causes behavior leading to less-than-honorable discharges, preventing them from getting the services they need as a result of their time in combat: http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/26/opinions/veterans-ptsd-disrcharge-opinion-heffinger/index.html * A disability justice “unconference” is happening in Hamilton, Canada, to bring together disability activists and allies: https://www.thesil.ca/momentum-disability-activism * A new app from the University of Hawai’i is being tested at Yosemite National Park to see if it can help blind and visually impaired users navigate the park independently: http://www.uhm.hawaii.edu/news/article.php?aId=8955 * One woman finds out her personal care attendant is undocumented, and realizes the effects Trump’s immigration policies will have for her and her PCA: http://pushliving.com/trumps-hostility-toward-immigrants-hurting-disabled/?sthash.4HCruKfk.mjjo * Ohio State installed a wheelchair charging station in the Statehouse – only the second state to do so: http://www.peoplesdefender.com/2017/11/21/with-some-help-from-adams-county-ohio-statehouse-now-has-wheelchair-charging-station/ * The Washington Post investigated people waiting for federal disability benefits, finding that in 2017, 10,000 people died while waiting for a judge’s decision: https://www.washingtonpost.com/classic-apps/10000-people-died-waiting-for-a-disability-decision-in-the-past-year-will-he-be-next/2017/11/19/24c5b068-adf2-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.93899e6dd7b7 ------------------------------- 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. Comments are closed.
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