DREAM Weekly: January 21-27, 2018

​DREAM Weekly Update on Issues Related to Disability and Higher Education 

Week of January 21-27, 2018

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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Disability and higher education in the news (in no particular order):
 
* The US Department of Education has published a searchable database of all active civil rights investigations, which will be updated monthly as a “list of shame” that include information about which colleges are facing disability discrimination complaints: https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2018/01/18/department-education-publishes-list-active-civil-rights-investigations
 
* Even when their child had a mental health issue, only 17% of parents considered counseling and services when helping their teens find colleges, showing huge problems with transition planning, according to a new national survey by WebMD/Medscape and the Jed Foundation: https://www.webmd.com/special-reports/prep-teens-college/20180125/parents-teens-survey
 
* After literally writing the book on disability in architectural design, UC Berkeley professor Raymond Lifchez was honored by the Center for Independent Living for his work: http://www.dailycal.org/2018/01/24/uc-berkeley-architecture-professor-recognized-contributions-disability-movement/
 
* A student was shocked by classmates’ feelings about Down syndrome, especially knowing her sister with Down syndrome is a student on campus: http://www.utdailybeacon.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-to-the-editor-living-with-a-disability/article_3b22625a-fee9-11e7-b5fe-0f525bdc1070.html
 
* The unbeaten University of Central Florida football team is grateful for the talents of linebacker Shaquem Griffin, who hopes to be the first NFL player with one hand: http://www.pnj.com/story/sports/2018/01/23/senior-bowl-latest-chapter-stunning-story-ucfs-griffin-bill-vilona/1052787001/
 
* A student dressed up like Stephan Hawking for an Oxford University party, but ended up offending so many students, they reported him to administrators: https://www.studyinternational.com/news/oxford-stephen-hawking-costume/
 
* After a letter to the editor criticized Arizona State University students with ADHD, a columnist writes about the stigma and myths of ADHD and why it’s a problem on campus: http://www.statepress.com/article/2018/01/spopinion-adhd-is-not-a-crime-in-college
 
* Breitbart reported about the “stupidity” and “liberal bias” of Black Fordham law professor Kimani Paul-Emile after she published an article theorizing about the possible applications of disability law for addressing racism and its disabling effects: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/01/22/fordham-law-professor-tells-african-americans-to-claim-blackness-as-a-disability/
 
* Ohio University’s Student Senate is asking the campus to adopt “autism spectrum disorder checklists” for all employees to use with autistic students: http://www.thepostathens.com/article/2018/01/autism-spectrum-disorder-checklist-student-senate
 
* The College of William and Mary fired David Dessler after a 32-year career as a professor, but he is filing suit for disability discrimination, saying the harassment and problems started after he tried to create a join student-faculty mental health initiative and disclosed his depression: http://flathatnews.com/2018/01/22/former-government-professor-files-lawsuit-against-the-college/
 
* A proposed “Universities and Colleges Mental Health Act” in the Philippines would require every state college and university to have at least three psychiatrists on staff, as well as other mental health service providers: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2018/01/22/bacolod-council-backs-mental-health-act-scus-584998  
 
* WebAIM at Utah State University is helping make web accessibility easier for everyone, with their latest invention of WAVE to help check access of individual web pages:  https://news.hjnews.com/allaccess/usu-s-center-for-persons-with-disabilities-helps-website-developers/article_f81ac704-3fbb-5615-9246-c51d193fc10a.html
                                                                                        
* To better serve veterans, Coastal Carolina Community College’s Veteran Affairs office works closely with disability services: http://www.camplejeuneglobe.com/carolina_living/coastal-carolina-community-college-s-office-of-veteran-affairs-assists/article_46c6e3c8-0151-11e8-8ed1-b7b278b1cdba.html
 
* A group of Texas A&M engineering students created 3D maps of campus for blind students, and now they’re expanding the work to other colleges and universities (video has unintelligible captions and no audio description): http://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Aggie-students-create-non-profit-to-help-blind-students-470824583.html
 
* A letter to the editor at Ithaca College says by allowing President Shirley Collado to continue despite sexual abuse charges, the college is saying the Me Too movement is only for people without mental health conditions: https://theithacan.org/opinion/letter-to-the-editor-community-cannot-dismiss-accusations/
 
* George Washington University is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for disability discrimination based on website inaccessibility: https://www.gwhatchet.com/2018/01/22/gw-under-federal-investigation-for-possible-disability-discrimination/
 
* Tuition insurance is probably a waste of money, but if you have a chronic illness, it may be worth checking out, says a columnist in ULoop: https://www.uloop.com/news/view.php/257293/Is-Tuition-Insurance-Worth-the-Money
                                  
* Christy Williams went on leave while dealing with multiple emotional and physical illnesses, but was then fired from her job at Tarrant County College in Texas, and now a federal appeals court says this was discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act, overturning a lower court decision: http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20180119/NEWS06/912318624/Court-reinstates-charges-for-fired-tutor-under-ADA
 
* The Cut interviewed ten women with ADHD about their experiences in life, including school and college: https://www.thecut.com/2018/01/10-women-on-living-with-adhd.html
 
* Are students with more common mental health conditions being prioritized by colleges?  One student at Trinity University in Ireland wonders about equity in counseling services: http://www.universitytimes.ie/2018/01/we-need-to-treat-all-mental-health-problems-equally/
 
* UCLA’s PEERs Program is offering specialized education in social skills for autistic teens headed to college (audio from radio accompanied by a written transcript): http://ideastations.org/radio/news/new-program-richmond-helps-teens-autism-learn-social-skills
 
* York University in Canada has combined all disability services under one office, and separated out counseling services, creating two departments instead of four: https://excal.on.ca/organizational-changes-in-counselling-and-disability-services/
 
* An opinion column in the conservative American Thinker says disability services are making campuses “disabled” by allowing students to fake disabilities so colleges can’t accommodate the demand, creating “spineless” diversity staff, and letting students use human rights laws to call over-sensitivity discrimination (just a heads up that many people will find this article difficult to read for many reasons): http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/01/disabilities_r_us.html
 
* Freshmen with ADHD are only taking about half of the medication their supposed to take, but researchers have developed a checklist for teens with ADHD to get ready for college responsibilities (including medication): http://www.mdmag.com/medical-news/freshman-college-students-often-skip-necessary-adhd-medication
 
* DJ Savarese co-produced Deej, about his life at Oberlin as a non-speaking student with autism, hoping the movie will promote inclusion and civil rights: http://websterjournal.com/2018/01/23/non-speaking-man-autism-co-produces-film-promote-inclusion/
 
* Matt Simon has ADHD, anxiety, and autism, but says disability services and friends helped him get through his first year at Webster University: http://websterjournal.com/2018/01/23/surviving-college-disability/
 
* Sexual health and conversations about HIV must be part of student health care, says an opinion column at USC that calls out the lack of dialogue about PrEP on campus: https://dailytrojan.com/2018/01/21/opinion-health-care-dialogue-must-include-hiv/
 
* Food blogger Kruti Shah developed eating disorders in high school and college, but now she is using Instagram to help herself recover: http://www.orangecoast.com/topdoctors/food-blogger-kruti-shah-buena-park-used-instagram-help-recover-eating-disorder/
* A $40,000 wheelchair lift at Duquesne University will be great for students with disabilities – if the campus can ever get it working: http://www.duqsm.com/new-college-hall-wheelchair-lift-not-operational/
 
* A new Autism Liaison Service at Mississippi State University offers free support to students with autism as they adjust to life on campus: http://www.reflector-online.com/news/article_f121fb84-ffa1-11e7-8de1-4bd93796e36f.html
 
* Ballet schools around the world promote eating disorders, say current and former ballet dancers: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/stage-and-theatre/100421852/humiliating-weighins-at-ballet-schools-dancers-tell-of-eating-disorder-battles
 
* College of the Canyons is piloting a Uniquely Abled Academy to provide autistic adults with training for jobs in machining and manufacturing: https://signalscv.com/2018/01/pilot-program-looks-high-functioning-autistic-individuals-employers/
 
* Mental health “glow-ups” from the Buzzfeed community show college students and adults sharing what makes them “stronger, happier, and healthier”: https://www.buzzfeed.com/sydrobinson1/mental-health-glow-ups-thatll-give-you-hope?utm_term=.aqq5gNKP3#.nrGbkAB06
 
* Tracy Fejeran was honored with the state Transforming Lives Award for pursuing her degree at Spokane Falls Community College,  with multiple health conditions not stopping her from pursuing her bachelor’s degree: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/jan/24/sfcc-student-receives-state-transforming-lives-awa/

* A Fresno City College employee with a history of criminal complaints became a student and was suspended for multiple incidents of disruptive behavior, but she says the college is just bullying her and refusing to resolve the issues because she is bipolar: https://www.therampageonline.com/news/2018/01/23/former-employee-turned-student-accuses-district-of-discrimination/
 
 
And a few related items of possible interest to college students:
 
* It will be a little harder to fly Delta airlines with a service animal, with the company creating stricter policies to stop problems with animals misbehaving and harming other passengers: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2018/01/23/delta-service-support-animals/24625/
 
* Hispanics are going without health insurance for fear of immigration officials: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hispanics-forgo-health-services-to-avoid-officials-attention-advocates-say/2018/01/21/3555412e-ff1d-11e7-9d31-d72cf78dbeee_story.html?utm_term=.228146981f15
 
* Wheelchair rugby is also known as murderball, and players from around the world are training and competing in Tampa: http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/tampa-becomes-training-ground-murderball-elite
 
* A woman reflects on what she has learned by talking about her bipolar disorder in the workplace, and considers what she still has trouble disclosing to others: https://hbr.org/2018/01/what-ive-learned-from-talking-about-my-bipolar-disorder-at-work
 
* Blind golfer Mario Tobia is a national champion, thanks to creative accommodations for the game and practice: https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/23/golf/mario-tobia-frank-hesson-blind-golf/index.html
 
* Eating disorders are not just an issue for straight people: http://southfloridagaynews.com/Health/shedding-light-on-eating-disorders-in-the-lgbt-community.html
 
* “On the Spectrum” is a new TV talk show about autism and related topics, premiering January 26: http://www.phillytrib.com/lifestyle/autism-advocate-launches-prescription-television-show/article_2f53158d-891e-578d-af1c-15eaf105031a.html
 
 
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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 ([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.