DREAM Weekly Email: October 2-8, 2016

​DREAM Weekly Email, Disability and Higher Education in the News: October 2-8, 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 
Week of October 2-8, 2016
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Disability and higher education in the news (in no particular order):
* The University of California Berkeley has eliminated its Workability IV (“WAIV”) program that helped students with disabilities transition to campus, with officials saying the decision stems from changes in state funding rules: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2016/10/04/students-reeling-supports-cut/22829/
 
* A new documentary film “The Ability Exchange” is about an NYU Disabilities Studies engineering course where students working with self-advocates who have cerebral palsy: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bushwick-film-festival-to-premiere-film-on-pioneering-experiential-disabilities-course-300337197.html
 
* Newly inaugurated Gallaudet University President Bobbi Cordano thanked everyone for supporting her and spoke about the future of the campus and broader Deaf community (video has captions for non-signers, but no audio description): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFvdmtt_aJw
 
* An article explores how Vocational Rehabilitation is failing potential college students with disabilities across the country, by forcing students to wait for services or simply refusing services for college: http://www.alternet.org/education/eligible-got-nothing-hundreds-thousands-people-disabilities-blocked-college-aid
 
* Only 40% of college graduates with disabilities are employed, but a new Work Without Limits consortium of Boston employers hopes to create a better college-to-employment pipeline: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carol-glazer/national-focus-on-disabil_b_12337424.html
 
* In a Facebook post, Penn State football player Joey Julius thanked his coach and team for their support and talked openly about his eating disorders and three-month in-patient treatment, urging college students to get help if they need it: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/bigten/2016/10/03/penn-state-kicker-joey-julius-binge-eating-disorder/91497558/
 
* Florida has a new state center for college students and their parents – this article describes a few of the programs featured through the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities at the University of Central Florida: http://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/2016/10/04/florida-colleges-inclusion-through-education/91338332/
 
* In an open letter, Dr. Erin Kalan wrote a letter to her residency program, saying the hospital is bullying her and threatening termination because of her disability: http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2016/09/hospital-bullies-physician-threatens-termination-disability.html
 
* Since the 2010-2011 academic year, Columbia University has reported a 202% increase in students with disabilities registered for services: http://columbiaspectator.com/news/2016/10/02/number-students-using-disability-services-hits-record-high-0
 
* As an accommodation, University of Oklahoma football player Mark Andrews has a team staff member who helps Andrews control his diabetes during games (accompanying video has no captions or audio description): http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/oklahomas-mark-andrews-thrives-despite-challenge-of-diabetes-100516
 
* Five states will be setting up projects to help students with disabilities prepare for college and employment, thanks to a $39 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/five-states-receive-39-million-grants-prepare-students-disabilities-college-employment
 
* The University of New Brunswick has once again been taken to court for disability discrimination, with allegations from a doctoral student in music who says the university discriminated against her for a mental and physical disability; problems included professors assigning additional requirements for her degree: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/former-music-student-alleges-ubc-discriminated-against-her-due-to-a-disability/article32204522/
 
* Cleveland Browns football player Xavier Cooper describes the learning disability accommodations he used at Washington State University: http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/how-browns-defensive-end-xavier-cooper-overcame-a-learning-disability-kept-his-promise-to-graduate-from-college-1.717283
 
* At Swarthmore College, undergraduate Max Weinstein set up a support group for students with chronic health problems, hoping to also organize events and activities to raise awareness on campus: http://swarthmorephoenix.com/2016/10/06/students-work-to-create-chronic-illness-support-group/
 
* A student editorial calls out the state for underfunding UCLA’s mental health services, which received a “C+” grade in University of California Student Association rankings: http://dailybruin.com/2016/10/06/ucs-subpar-mental-health-services-need-state-legislatures-support/
 
* The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs welcomes its first cohort of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities: http://www.denverpost.com/2016/10/04/colorado-students-with-down-syndrome-go-to-college/
 
* Universities in Zimbabwe fight to address shocking statistics about universities and skyrocking HIV rates, with some reports saying nearly 50% of health center referrals are related to HIV:  https://zimnews.net/zimbabwe-college-students-and-hiv-aids-infections/
 
* The Society of Christian Philosophers (SCP) hosted a conference where Oxford professor Richard Swinburne called homosexuality a disability “whether or not the disabled person minds” and then:

• The SCP apologized and distanced itself from the speaker: http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-organization-apologizes-after-keynote-speaker-argues-that-homosexuality-is-a-disability-170311/
• The apology came too late for Yale professor Jason Stanley, who protested the speech on Facebook, creating a conservative backlash that had him fearing for his family’s safety: http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2016/10/05/philosophy-professor-under-fire-for-online-post/ 

 
* Seven class action suits have been filed against the NCAA, related to 22 pending cases of students dealing with concussions athletes received while playing college sports: http://legalnewsline.com/stories/511013052-ncaa-faces-seven-more-concussion-related-class-actions
 
* Nagaland University in India will be introducing a new Department of Disabilities Studies department to centralize research on disability and inclusive education: http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/buno-recommends-separate-full-fledged-department-of-disabilities-studies-in-nu/
 
 
 
And a few related items of possible interest to college students:
 
* Disability positions of the four 2016 Presidential candidates, as compiled by the mom of a child with disabilities: http://complexchild.org/articles/2016-articles/october/2016-presidential-election/
 
* The Harriet Tubman Collective writes that Black Lives Matter needs to include people with disabilities –25% of the Black population has some form of disability and Black disabled people have experienced incredible violence from racism and ableism: http://www.forharriet.com/2016/09/the-vision-for-black-lives-is.html#axzz4MQiitP20
 
* Two stories about driving opportunities for people with disabilities:

• Former race car driver Sam Schmidt becomes the first person in the U.S. to get a driver’s license restricted to an “autonomous vehicle” requiring no steering or pedals, which is a major step on the way to licenses for disabled people to use driverless cars: http://bigstory.ap.org/aef35564f78740e3abab2dfce6069ee6
• An 18-year old student with muscular dystrophy is the first Canadian to drive with a joystick system developed in Switzerland: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/18-year-old-ubc-student-with-disability-first-in-canada-to-use-swiss-driving-system-1.3789317

 
* Musician Kid Cudi announced he will be getting treatment for his depression: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/37559849/kid-cudi-checks-himself-into-rehab-over-mental-health-problems
 
* San Francisco’s LightHouse agency is winning acclaim for their architectural design specifically for visually impaired clients, including considerations for circulation, lighting, and how surface materials would affect touch and sound: http://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/11908-san-francisco-lighthouse
 
* TV show “Speechless” has only aired two episodes, but it’s proving so popular that ABC has already committed to nine more episodes: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2016/10/04/citing-abc-full-season-speechless/22836/
 
* The latest in a New York Times series on disability talks about having a disability and assisted suicide, with concerns that many people still feel death is preferable to disability: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/05/opinion/a-disabled-life-is-a-life-worth-living.html?_r=0
 
* Learn more about white canes and how blind people use them – just in time for White Cane Safety Day on October 15: http://www.union-bulletin.com/local_columnists/a_different_view/oct-a-red-letter-day-for-white-canes/article_3d0a5c9a-7915-11e6-8274-bf1953411369.html
 
* The Australian High Court agreed that Deaf people cannot become jurors, since laws do not permit anyone (including interpreters) from being in the room during jurors’ deliberations: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-37560350
 
* People with disabilities often depend on paid caregivers or family members, but the stress of caregiving can create a dangerous situation, with one blogger writing about her concerns and sharing resources for stressed caregivers who need support: https://blog.easystand.com/2016/09/living-twice-hard/
 
* Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump has had several headlines related to disability lately:

• He worked a new joke into his speeches, urging people with chronic illnesses to vote for him, even if they are on their deathbed: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3826513/If-dying-stay-alive-vote-Trump-jokes-voters-support-Nov-8-means-leaving-deathbeds.html
• He suggested military members with mental health issues aren’t “strong” and “can’t handle it,” earning condemnation even though he was calling for better funding of veterans programs: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/10/03/trump-suggests-military-members-with-mental-health-issues-arent-strong-and-cant-handle-it/
• In Denver, a 7-year old girl with disabilities required a protective escort as she and her mom left a Trump rally, with Trump supporters angry that they were leaving early: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/7-year-old-girl-with-disabilities-removed-from-trump-rally

 
* A new Moschino clothing line from Italy features clothing with a drug and pharmaceutics theme, but there are already some calls for boycotts: http://www.startribune.com/moschino-s-drug-themed-clothing-line-sparks-outrage/395851531/
 
* Vancouver is removing parking spaces to make the city more friendly for bikers and pedestrians, but in the process they may be making things worse for people with disabilities: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-parking-bike-lanes-1.3789935
 
 
 
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]).
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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.