DREAM Weekly Email: November 3-9, 2019

​DREAM Weekly Email, Disability and Higher Education in the News: November 3-9, 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):
 
* An open letter to the NCAA asks for the release of statistics about athletes with learning disabilities and ADHD, following reports that diagnoses were used to cover up injuries or keep players eligible; the open letter says this would represent “abuse of our universities’…disability services” and “unconscionable exploitation of college athletes:” https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/letters/open-letter-requesting-ncaa-and-its-members-to-release-data-on-learning-disabilities/
 
* UC Berkeley student Lucy Eaton is angry about the No Limits rec program being cancelled, saying “Disability resources are … basic defenses against inequality.” https://www.dailycal.org/2019/11/01/when-do-disability-resources-become-a-right/
 
* A senior at Georgetown University asks why campus attitudes and accessibility don’t match what she is learning in Georgetown’s disability studies courses: https://thehoya.com/viewpoint-expand-impact-of-disability-studies/
 
* The “Atypical” series on Netflix follows autistic character Sam Gardner in college as he wrestles with whether or not he should register for disability services: here’s a review from an autistic adult (https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/review-adult-autism-reviews-season-002428661.html) and a general review  (https://www.breezejmu.org/culture/atypical-on-netflix-is-back-with-its-best-season-yet/article_c6fc92fe-fdda-11e9-97f8-873491edf238.html)
 
* Meet Gallaudet University student and Deaf DJ Nico DiMarco (video is captioned but not audio described): https://wamu.org/story/19/11/07/im-a-deaf-dj-the-story-of-nico-dimarco/
 
* Discrimination (including disability discrimination) can affect college students’ daily activities, sleep, anxiety, and depression, according to new research by the University of Washington: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/11/07/movement-and-sleep-patterns-are-impacted-discrimination?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=b6ee1bac7d-DNU_2019_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-b6ee1bac7d-225808461&mc_cid=b6ee1bac7d&mc_eid=d5645fe552
 
* Two sisters risk losing their house and not graduating because they must care for a mother with disabilities, showing that the system doesn’t offer enough help people with disabilities…or their families: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/my-family-faces-an-impossible-choice-caring-for-our-mom-or-building-our-future/2019/10/31/755526ea-f9c6-11e9-8906-ab6b60de9124_story.html
 
* University of Virginia student Ashley Heuser became disabled in freshman year, but the Chronically Ill and Disabled Cavaliers student group helped her find a community and disability identity; now she’s president of the group and serving on two other committees doing disability advocacy: https://news.virginia.edu/content/mission-fourth-year-student-aims-bring-disability-forefront
 
* Campus-based College Recovery Programs (CRPs) are supporting students with drug or alcohol addiction, through counseling and services, while educating entire campuses about addiction: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/11/07/colleges-offer-students-recovering-drug-and-alcohol-problems-support-and-place?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=b6ee1bac7d-DNU_2019_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-b6ee1bac7d-198891893&mc_cid=b6ee1bac7d&mc_eid=a51c972f65
 
* Dr. Katherine Schneider has retired, but she has advice to blind people starting out on academic careers: https://blindinacademe.wordpress.com/2019/11/02/the-abcs-of-navigating-academe-while-blind/
 
* In many Asian-American families, education and academic success are “prioritized above all else,” so what happens if you’re an Asian-American student with a disability that affects learning and academics? https://highschool.latimes.com/el-camino-real-charter/opinion-overcoming-stigma-as-an-asian-american-with-adhd/
 
* The University of Wisconsin Madison is trying to make system-wide changes after media reported on John Brady, a doctoral student who tried to tell people about his lab’s “hostile” and “toxic” behavior; Brady died from suicide in 2016 after taking recording notes about the situation: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/11/04/graduate-students-death-uw-madison-devastating-cautionary-tale?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=0c3d8f47d8-DNU_2019_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-0c3d8f47d8-225808461&mc_cid=0c3d8f47d8&mc_eid=d5645fe552
 
* Tribal colleges are helping disabled Native Americans thrive and creating inclusive spaces “that illuminates the richness of each of our gifts,” says disabled professor Ryan Winn from the College of Menominee Nation: https://tribalcollegejournal.org/a-space-for-every-ability/
 
* Professor Alicia Elam at Augusta University was helping a student with her master’s project, when she realized the student’s paper could diagnose her daughter’s health problems over the past three years: https://www.wjbf.com/csra-news/student-paper-diagnosis-professor-daughter-illness/
 
* At Rice University, tenured faculty can have a full paid semester of maternity leave, but staff only get a maximum of seven weeks of partial pay for their leaves: https://www.ricethresher.org/article/2019/11/maternity-leave-policy-remains-unequal-between-staff-faculty
 
* On November 6, Kalin Bennett from Kent State played in his first game of the season; he is the “first known college basketball player with autism” (news clip is not captioned or audio described)

• News clip at https://news.yahoo.com/college-basketball-player-autism-scores-122340175.html
• Article at https://www.10tv.com/article/kalin-bennett-first-d1-recruit-autism-dress-kent-state-opener-2019-nov

 
* A proposed rule from the Trump administration could make it harder for people with disabilities to lodge discrimination complaints under the federal Fair Housing Act, which applies to college students living in campus housing and residential halls: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2019/11/08/trump-plan-would-weaken-disability-housing-protections-advocates-say/27429/
 
* The “Alliance Against Ableism” student group at the University of Massachusetts has over 40 members meeting weekly to create change on campus and educate others about disability as an identity, creating a group “kind of like a cultural center”: https://dailycollegian.com/2019/11/alliance-against-ableism-addresses-issues-of-access-and-identity-at-umass/
 
* His father got a doctorate at Deakin University and is about to become a researcher, but because five-year old Adyan bin Hasan has a “mild disability,” his family is being refused residency in Australia and will be deported: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-01/sons-minor-disability-puts-geelong-family-at-risk-of-deportation/11657474
 
* Parkland College student Daniel Romanchuk was the men’s wheelchair winner at the New York City Marathon, while University of Illinois graduate student Tatyana McFadden placed second, while undergraduate Susannah Scaroni placed third in the women’s wheelchair race: https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/romanchuk-wins-mens-wheelchair-division-at-nyc-marathon
 
* An alumna sued Dartmouth University for disability discrimination, saying their accommodations were not adequate; now the campus is systematically working to improve services and access for undergraduates: https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2019/11/external-report-evaluates-colleges-accessibility-policy-following-lawsuit
 
* Before becoming a camp counselor, Maisy Cyr used a doll to practice giving herself IVs through a central line, and that independence and confidence eventually led to college, study abroad, and a few tips for other students with chronic illnesses: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/succeeded-college-chronic-illness-184931335.html
 
* The University of Utah received a $150 million gift from the Huntsman family to create a new institute focused on mental health research, education, and access, with a focus on college-aged and rural people: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/11/04/with-million-gift/
 
* Gwen Howard is the director of accessibility affairs for USC’s Undergraduate Student Government, and she’s working to create community on campus, fight stigma, and establish a Student Assembly for Accessibility: https://dailytrojan.com/2019/11/03/usg-members-create-new-assembly-for-accessibility/
 
* People in Alberta, including college students with disabilities, protested against the recent budget and cuts to various programs: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-budget-protest-edmonton-1.5346031
 
* Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg wrote an op-ed in Buzzfeed News outlining his disability policies; it includes proposals for Title IX protections for students with disabilities and better transition services from high school to work or college: https://washingtoninformer.com/buttigieg-outlines-strategy-for-people-with-disabilities/
 
* Activist Judy Heumann spoke at Harvard University, encouraging public and private institutions to include disability in their work around diversity: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2019/11/6/disability-activist-heumann-talk/
 
* The University of Houston’s adaptive athletic program is making a difference for students and community members with disabilities, including Carl Williams, who plays wheelchair rugby (video is not captioned or audio described): https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texas-sports-nation/article/How-wheelchair-rugby-changed-everything-for-14811059.php
 
* Students at Miami University of Ohio are concerned about the accessibility of campus, and the effectiveness of new renovations addressing the problems: https://www.miamistudent.net/article/2019/11/students-with-disabilities-have-trouble-navigating-campus
 
* The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has created a Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) Student Advisory Board to work with administrators, and it includes students with disabilities: http://www.theonlinebeacon.com/dei-student-advisory-board-fights-for-diversity-and-inclusion/
 
* The U.S. Department of Justice has settled a lawsuit with Lanier Technical College that alleged disability discrimination in the case of an instructor with multiple sclerosis, who was fired after years of working at the college: https://allongeorgia.com/georgia-education-higher-ed/justice-department-settles-with-georgia-technical-college-to-resolve-complaint/
 
* In a new national study of college students, any symptoms of eating disorders were “highly predictive” of suicidality: https://www.psychcongress.com/article/eating-disorder-symptoms-predict-suicidality-college-students
 
* To honor the 30th anniversary of the ADA and students’ requests to change the name of the “Office of Disability Services” at Georgia State University, it will now become the “Access and Accommodations Center”: https://georgiastatesignal.com/changing-language-aiding-access/
 
* As the number of female college athletes increase, the majority of head team physicians and athletic trainers are still male: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-sports-trainers-women/few-u-s-college-sports-teams-have-female-physicians-idUSKBN1XE28I
 
* Austin Peay State University’s Full Spectrum Learning program is supporting students with autism through peer mentoring, peer tutoring, and faculty mentoring: https://www.apsu.edu/news/november-2019-fsl.php
 
* Cassidy Celeste says that the worst part of being a college student with a chronic illness is not the shame and discrimination, but instead the mental work of trying to constantly keep up in an environment designed for nondisabled healthy people: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/mental-toll-trying-keep-world-202526520.html
 
* Rivals Michigan State University and the University of Michigan students joined together for the sixth annual Alex’s Great State Race, to raise funds for disability services on both campuses: https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2019/big-ten-powerhouses-work-together-to-raise-awareness-for-disabilities/
 
* Oregon State University has seen an increase in students and student diversity, and created an inclusive Student Equity Lounge for under-represented students, including students with disabilities: https://www.bendbulletin.com/home/7552686-151/enrollment-jumps-at-oregon-state-university-cascades-in-bend and https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/7534994-151/osu-cascades-equity-lounge-creates-space-for-marginalized-students
 
 
A Few Other Items of Possible Interest:
 
* In Japan, a lawmaker with disabilities attended a question and answer session in the Diet, marking the first time a lawmaker has used a wheelchair and aide to ask questions: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/11/06/national/politics-diplomacy/disabled-diet-lawmaker-japan/#.XcVxrTNKh3g
 
* Miss Wheelchair USA, Madeline Delp, says she could only pursue her dreams after she learned not to be ashamed of her incontinence, which is “just a little pee”: https://www.swaay.com/competing-in-pageants-in-a-wheelchair
 
* Is there one right way to be deaf?  Sarah Katz shares her experiences signing and using cued speech, and how she “can’t be deaf without drawing criticism from somebody”: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/opinion/health/is-there-a-right-way-to-be-deaf.html?auth=login-email&login=email
 
* Actress Lena Dunham joins actress Jameela Jamil in coming forward to talk about their Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, with Dunham saying pictures of her using a cane show that occasionally “I need support from more than just my friends:” https://nypost.com/2019/11/04/ehlers-danlos-syndrome-what-is-lena-dunham-and-jameela-jamils-rare-illness/
 
* Amy Gravino says it’s important to be honest about autistic women and sex, and she uses her own experiences to explain her point of view: https://www.spectrumnews.org/opinion/viewpoint/why-its-time-to-be-honest-about-autistic-women-and-sex/
 
* A new “Jobs Access Program through Lyft will offer free and discounted rides to individuals with disabilities in over 35 cities who need short-term help with transportation to job interviews and training: https://blog.lyft.com/posts/jobs-access-program
 
* This month is Indigenous Disability Awareness Month in British Columbia; you can read the government’s statement here: https://selfadvocatenet.com/ministers-statement-on-indigenous-disability-awareness-month/
 
* Natasha Walton couldn’t find a community of people with disabilities working in technology, so she created the “Tech Disability Project”: http://peninsulapress.com/2019/11/04/tech-disability-community-meets-for-community-and-connection/
 
* The UAE has launched a nationwide campaign around disability and increased access, following up on hosting the Special Olympics Games and publication of a new book about the history of disability inclusion in Dubai: https://www.thenational.ae/uae/challenges-remain-for-disabled-rights-in-uae-says-expert-1.934276
 
* The state of Pennsylvania is fining UnitedHealthcare $1 million for problems with paying claims related to mental health care and autism: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2019/11/08/nations-largest-health-insurer-fined-autism-claims/27426/
 
* In a five-part weekly series called See My Ability, CBC Calgary will feature different people with disabilities who live in Calgary: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/community/see-my-ability-1.5346964
 
* If you are visually impaired or blind, is a guide dog right for you? https://www.healthcentral.com/article/diabetes-guide-dog
 
 
 
 
 
 
For more information about DREAM or AHEAD contact Wendy Harbour ([email protected]).
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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).