DREAM Weekly: October 15-21, 2017

DREAM Weekly, Disability and Higher Education in the News: October 15-21, 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)
 
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Weekly Update on Issues Related to Disability and Higher Education 
Week of October 15-21, 2017
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Disability and higher education in the news (in no particular order):
 
* New research from Rutgers University says women athletes have higher rates of concussion than men, experience more severe symptoms, and respond differently to traumatic brain injuries depending on where they are in their menstrual cycles, even though football concussions have received the most media attention: http://www.dailytargum.com/article/2017/10/rutgers-study-finds-female-athletes-are-at-higher-risk-of-concussions-than-their-male-counterparts
 
* In the 1960’s University of Texas-Arlington students organized a Handicap Students Association and the Freewheelers basketball club, which fought for greater access and challenged administrators, and now a new exhibit in the campus library celebrates their work: http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2017/10/16/uta-students-with-disabilities-story-is-told-through-exhibit
 
* College students with eating disorders may struggle to find treatment programs if they are Orthodox Jews, but new programs are emerging around the country that have kosher food and specially designed treatment plans designed around Jewish food, faith, and culture: http://forward.com/life/faith/384875/do-orthodox-jews-need-their-own-eating-disorder-programs/
 
* Learn more about the SUCCEED program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where students in the two-year program earn a certificate after two years of coursework and living in dorms: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/umsl-program-gives-students-with-intellectual-disabilities-a-college-experience/article_bf9a0e2e-e3f7-5269-8389-979553342852.html
 
* The U.S. Department of Education is withdrawing at least 72 documents providing guidance on special education topics, including information about post-high school transition planning, as part of President Trump’s effort to “alleviate unnecessary regulatory burden”: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2017/10/20/trump-rescinds-special-ed-guidance/24323/
 
* Some students with mental health needs also need “collegiate  recovery programs” that help students stay sober, including sober dorms and peer support programs: http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sc-fam-sober-dorms-1017-story.html
 
* West Los Angeles College cancelled its transportation service for students with disabilities, and three students sued, including lead plaintiff Charles Guerra, a 65-year old Army veteran; the trial starts Tuesday: https://www.scpr.org/news/2017/10/16/76645/trial-set-in-l-a-disabled-students-suit-alleging-c/
 
* A senior with CP thought she knew a lot about disability, but then she took a disability studies course, and now she is encouraging other students with disabilities to share their stories any way they can to build on a long disability history: https://cerebralpalsynewstoday.com/2017/10/20/cerebral-palsy-people-with-disabilities-should-share-stories/
 
* Former undergraduate Shahram Jazirian is suing UC San Diego for allegedly discriminating against him in several campus departments because of his disability, including referring to him as Halloween movie villain Michael Myers, telling him he should go to a homeless shelter after he lost his financial aid, and warning students and staff he was a threat (even after acknowledging he was not): http://triton.news/2017/10/former-student-sues-ucsd-alleging-disability-discrimination/
 
* While much of the discussion about mental health and college students has focused on colleges and universities in general, community college students may have greater needs, their colleges may have fewer resources, and less research is being done at community colleges: https://www.theskylineview.com/the-focal-point/features/2017/10/18/mental-health-awareness-among-community-college-students/
 
* Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay cutler has Type 1 diabetes, but his quarterback coach at Vanderbilt University was Jimmy Kiser, a Type 1 diabetic who helped Kiser learn day-to-day diabetes management: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/lifestyles/health/for-miami-dolphins-quarterback-jay-cutler-type-diabetes-opponent-battles-daily/W2dwAq82U8LMwLlSTSoGRI/
 
* Like the U.S., Canada is facing a dramatic increase in the number of college and university students seeking mental health services – and they are finding trained peers can be an important resource: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/peace-of-mind-universities-see-spike-in-students-seeking-mental-health-help/article36637574/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&
 
* Having a chronic illness in college helped Kelley O’Brien come out to herself as bisexual and then changed the way she dated – it raised her standards by forcing her to ask who was “worth her time”: https://www.self.com/story/pots-chronic-illness-dating  
 
* Almost a third of college students think ADHD stimulant medications can help them get better grades, which is actually not true and can lead to physical and psychological side effects: https://consumer.healthday.com/kids-health-information-23/adderall-news-796/nearly-a-third-of-college-kids-think-adhd-meds-boost-grades-727471.html
 
* A student in the UK admits he is embarrassed by his Tourette syndrome tics and how they affect the way others see him in class and internships, but he is starting to realize that if he spoke up about his tics, others might have different perceptions of him: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/oct/17/what-i-want-to-tell-other-students-about-tourette-syndrome
 
* A new white paper by Gallagher looks at risk management strategies for higher education institutions and college athletics programs: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/state-of-play-managing-brain-injury-risk-in-college-sports-released-by-gallagher-300538506.html
 
* In the UK, Prime Minister May appointed Professor Simon Wessely to review the Mental Health Act of 1983 and modernize the UK’s mental health system, but people are protesting Wessely’s appointment, given his history of saying people with chronic fatigue syndrome are hypochondriacs: https://www.thecanary.co/discovery/2017/10/18/dozens-leading-professionals-just-slammed-theresa-mays-controversial-new-mental-health-guru-letter/
 
* Aparna Nair writes a blog post about looking at her own epilepsy (“aprasmaaram”) and how it affects her work, and the importance of scholars with disabilities to do this type of reflective scholarly practice: http://www.public-disabilityhistory.org/2017/10/apasmaaram-and-academic-pursuit-of.html
 
* Ms. Wheelchair Texas USA Jessica Escamilla is teaching others about spina bifida and depression while also pursuing a business degree at San Jacinto College: http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Beauty-breaking-barriersMs-Wheelchair-Texas-USA-shows-others-the-power-of-determination-1004910145
 
* David Mark Davis II filed suit against Angelina College and various parties, alleging various claims related to his autism, disability accommodations, treatment by the community college and removal from programs on campus: http://lufkindailynews.com/article_3cb88c58-0eaa-58af-8d84-95606516fa9f.html

 
And a few related items of possible interest to college students:
* In the wake of revelations about Harvey Weinstein assaulting dozens of women, #MeToo stories from other survivors of assault and harassment are being shared by the hundreds of thousands, and some are from people with disabilities – here are just a few (please remember that these can be difficult to witness).  If you need crisis resources or support, please go to the NCCSD crisis resource page at http://www.nccsdclearinghouse.org/crisis-resources.html:

• Alaina Leary: https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/survivor-not-participating-in-metoo/
• Marlee Matlin and Lady Gaga: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/18/300000-men-join-metoo-sexual-assault-hashtag/
• Chris Rivera: https://vimeo.com/227746742 (video is captioned, but not audio described)
• Helen Ries writes how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities may be left out of the #MeToo movement: http://helenries.ca/poverty-disability-and-metoo/
• And Vice writes that the problem with #MeToo is that people of color, people with disabilities, and everyone else writing #MeToo is not likely to be believed if they actually reported crimes to authorities: https://www.vice.com/en_id/article/j5gypb/the-trouble-with-saying-me-too

 
* What’s wrong with saying “special needs?”  Why say “disability” instead”?  Meriah Nichols lays it all out: http://www.meriahnichols.com/3-reasons-say-disability-instead-special-needs/
 
* Tommy Hilfiger is selling a new line of men’s and women’s clothing for people with disabilities, featuring magnets, Velcro, zippers, pull-on loops, and other features for ease in getting dressed: http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/18/news/tommy-hilfiger-fashion-line-people-with-disabilities/index.html
 
* Don’t ever tell someone they don’t “look like” they have an eating disorder – there’s no way to know by looking, and talking this way can actually make things worse for anyone trying to treat their illness: https://www.glamour.com/story/theres-no-one-way-an-eating-disorder-looks
 
* A new study found that about 30% of college-educated employees have some kind of disability, not the 3.2% that self-identify, and up to 44% are experiencing or witnessing some kind of discrimination, which may be part of the reason they are not self-reporting to human resources: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-hidden-cost-of-disability-discrimination/ (more details can be found at http://www.refinery29.com/2017/10/176601/center-for-talent-innovation-study-employees-with-disabilities)
 
* Bookshare is expanding across the Middle East to offer braille books in Arabic, beginning in the United Arab Emirates: https://www.thenational.ae/uae/world-s-largest-accessible-library-reaches-out-to-visually-impaired-in-uae-1.667377
 
* Language about diabetes can contribute to diabetics feeling stigma and shame about having diabetes, prompting the American Diabetes Association and the American Association of Diabetes Educators to issue guidelines for health educators: https://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes-education/news/in-the-journals/%7B5ab448b4-996a-4597-b1e0-7db0614fa910%7D/consensus-statement-diabetes-language-matters

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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 (wendy@ahead.org).

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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.