DREAM Weekly - September 16-22, 2018

​DREAM Weekly, Disability and Higher Education in the News: September 16-22, 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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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)
• Visit our visual and graphic-based version of the news at http://www.nccsdonline.org/news.html
• 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 ([email protected]).
 
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Disability and higher education in the news (in no particular order):
 
* Edinboro University had a long-standing program providing attendant care for students with physical disabilities, but due to regulatory changes at the U.S. Department of Education, they will be stopping that program next fall: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2018/09/20/Edinboro-University-disabilities-attendant-care-services-college-students-Hannan-health-PASSHE/stories/201809200179
 
* Intelligent Lives is a new film questioning what “intelligence” means by following three adults with intellectual disabilities who are thriving in school and college: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2018/09/18/new-documentary-iq-intelligence/25506/
 
* Colleges are increasingly viewing addiction as a public health issue, opening recovery houses and programming to students dealing with addiction: https://hechingerreport.org/a-new-challenge-for-colleges-opioid-addicted-students/
 
* As a quadriplegic medical student at the University of Michigan, Chris Connolly is forcing the university to question its technical standards in medicine and to ask what makes a doctor a doctor (videos are not captioned or audio described): http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-quadriplegic-med-student-connolly-0917-story.html

* In a new survey by WGBH in Boston, 83% of Americans said colleges should consider “overcoming hardships such as poverty or health problems” in admissions decisions: https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2018/09/17/survey-finds-americans-oppose-consideration-race-admissions?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=fb6bc8362e-DiversityMatters_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-fb6bc8362e-198891893&mc_cid=fb6bc8362e&mc_eid=a51c972f65
 
* When college students can’t talk about mental illness on campus, they’re turning to social media, gaming platforms, and other online resources: http://www2.philly.com/philly/health/college-mental-health-online-communities-borderline-personality-disorder-20180912.html
 
* Stephanie Cahill sustained multiple concussions and traumatic brain injuries as an athlete; now she’s a student at Arizona State University and she’s becoming an educator, sharing her story and helping other athletes: https://asunow.asu.edu/201809120-discoveries-stephanie-cahill-concussion-awareness-day
 
* AnnCatherine Heigl won a scholarship to George Mason University and became the first cheerleader with an intellectual disability for any college team in the U.S., but when she tried to join a sorority during rush, all of them turned her away, presumably because she has Down syndrome: https://www.shared.com/down-syndrome-sorority/
 
* “Walking on Campus…While Black:” an anonymous person reported Reg Andrade to the UMass-Amherst police for walking across campus with a gym bag; Andrade is Black and was walking to his job at the disability services offices on campus (video is captioned but not audio described): https://www.wcvb.com/article/police-called-on-black-umass-employee-walking-to-work/23277829
 
* The University of Mississippi banned a PTSD service dog for a veteran, claiming the dog had disruptive behavior, but the student and trainer are questioning the decision and asking for another chance: https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2018/09/13/ole-miss-banning-ptsd-service-dog-classroom-prompts-outcry/1255406002/
 
* After getting to college, many students may stop taking medications for mental health conditions, but high schools and colleges can do more to support students as they make the transition to higher ed: http://www2.philly.com/philly/health/college-mental-health-stopping-medications-mental-illness-20180918.html
 
* National University of Ireland, Galway is coordinating a new DARE program with 15 disability researchers from around Europe – they will make recommendations to better align Europe’s laws and policies with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: https://www.galwaydaily.com/news/nui-galway-programme-will-train-the-next-generation-of-disability-rights-advocates/
 
* After a presidential staff member and blogger mocked sign language in a viral video, Philippine universities and colleges joined together to condemn the video and urge action against them:  https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/09/21/miriam-college-condemns-uson-olivar-video-mocking-sign-language/
 
* The University of Illinois-Chicago has won a 2018 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for its commitment to diversity and inclusion, including its efforts around disability and establishment of a Disability Cultural Center: https://www.newswise.com/articles/uic-lauded-with-national-award-for-diversity%2C-inclusion
 
* Sudan has approved a five-year plan to improve access and accommodations for students with disabilities in Sudanese higher education: http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20180919111107210
 
* Deaf doctoral-level student researcher Nancy Barker is filing a disability discrimination complaint, alleging that UC Berkeley failed to provide her with ASL interpreters she required: http://www.dailycal.org/2018/09/16/deaf-doctoral-candidate-files-complaint-against-uc-berkeley-citing-discrimination/
 
* A college student with an eating disorder talks about the scarcity and expense of resources, and what Netflix shows about eating disorders are getting right (and wrong): https://www.tampabay.com/storyimage/HI/20180920/ARTICLE/309209993/AR/0/AR-309209993.jpg?MaxW=950&cachebuster=645773
 
* “How to Create a Syllabus:” a guide from The Chronicle of Higher Education includes plenty of tips related to disabilities, addressing laptop bans and accessibility statements: https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/advice-syllabus?cid=cc&utm_source=cc&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=b89cb4fbc5d04e1e8a98d0c2c03f89d3&elq=cb4fd9851c954a66ba41af612c4fc9f1&elqaid=20573&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=9688
 
* There are formal accommodations, but what about informal ones?  https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/disabled-grad-school-informal-accommodations?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=633e5262b8-DNU_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-633e5262b8-197632649&mc_cid=633e5262b8&mc_eid=380f80e351
 
* A former softball coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is suing for retaliation, defamation, and disability discrimination after his firing, which the university said was due to the coach’s abusive language and physical behavior toward athletes: https://katc.com/sports/ul-sports/2018/09/20/lotief-sues-university-over-firing-alleges-title-ix-retaliation-defamation/
 
* The University of Arizona has recruited Phil Evans from Australia for their wheelchair basketball team (video is not captioned or audio described): https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/perth-paraplegics-hoop-dreams-come-true-as-phil-evans-joins-university-of-arizona-ng-b88963603z
 
* Student groups at the University of Chicago are collaborating for change, including advocating for increased mental health services: https://www.chicagomaroon.com/article/2018/9/21/campus-activists-demanding-mental-health-resources/
 
* Black, disabled, and queer Eddie Ndopu was the first African with a disability to graduate from Oxford University – he talks about his experience and aspirations to be the first wheelchair user in space (the podcast is not accessible through a transcript): https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/audio/2018/sep/19/im-a-living-manifestation-of-possibility-south-africas-emissary-on-disability
 
* Colleges like George Washington University are seeing increases in the number of students using disability services, but that may be part of a nationwide shift in students being more comfortable about sharing disabilities: https://www.gwhatchet.com/2018/09/17/disability-support-services-registration-continues-to-surge/
 
* What’s life like right after graduation?  K Wheeler is a queer and disabled recent grad of the University of Washington who talked with Refinery29 about college and finding a job in the “real world” after graduation (BTW, K was also on the DREAM advisory board and is helping plan the Disabled & Proud Conference for October, 2018): https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2018/09/210228/disability-accommodations-college-employeers-experience
 
* Body U is a new online program at Missouri State University – it screens students for eating disorders, anxiety, and depression, and then refers them to online resources and programs: http://www.the-standard.org/life/online-program-helps-students-live-healthier-lives/article_8da7cb4c-baea-11e8-b2b9-7396a298aebc.html 
 
* Researchers know very little about math disabilities in college students, but a new grant from the National Science Foundation is helping University of Houston researchers learn more: https://infosurhoy.com/cocoon/saii/xhtml/en_GB/science/science-college-students-vs-mathematics-why-the-difficulties-report/
 
* Most were damaged or inaccurate, so last year the University of Maryland removed short pillars pointing the way to wheelchair-accessible entrances; now the pillars have been re-installed and the campus will hire a consultant to advise them on whether additional signage is needed:  http://www.dbknews.com/2018/09/19/umd-handicap-accessible-disability-entrance-markers-pillars-return/
 
* Ableism in the university – reflections by Stephen Kuusisto from Syracuse University: https://www.aaup.org/article/how-be-disabled-higher-education?link_id=7&can_id=90abe769a4150b462a30dbfb572c45b2&source=email-others-on-campus-3&email_referrer=email_416584&email_subject=others-on-campus#.W6VU0mhKjZQ
 
* University students with disabilities in Sierra Leone struggle with access and accommodations: https://awoko.org/2018/09/14/sierrra-leone-news-disabled-students-suffer-marginalisation-at-fbc/
 
* For Hispanic Heritage Month, Utah’s ABC news profiled Danny Quintana of New Mexico, who became disabled in college and is now an attorney, author, and humanitarian (video is captioned but not audio described): https://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/hispanic-heritage-month-local-attorney-overcomes-adversities-to-help-others/1454149821
 
 
A Few Other Items of Possible Interest:

* Hurricane Florence has left the U.S., but that doesn’t mean it’s over:

• Those left in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence face numerous mental and physical health hazards, and those with chronic illnesses face difficulty getting medications: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-health-dangers-dont-stop-with-a-hurricanes-churning-they-can-get-worse/2018/09/17/bac86cec-baab-11e8-a8aa-860695e7f3fc_story.html?utm_term=.d86bea5e6711
• People with disabilities can use a new federal toolkit to prepare for natural disasters: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-13/empowering-people-with-disabilities-in-natural-disasters/10241626
• Hurricane Florence shelters struggled to deal with the needs of people who were ill, pregnant, or needing medications (video is captioned but not audio described): https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/hurricane-evacuees-face-long-journeys-lengthy-stays-in-search-for-safety/2018/09/14/f456d5be-b850-11e8-a2c5-3187f427e253_story.html?utm_term=.7e64d9e0a860

 
* Some high school students are starting to protest teachers forcing them to do in-class presentations in front of class, and are asking for other options: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/09/teens-think-they-shouldnt-have-to-speak-in-front-of-the-class/570061/?utm_source=eb
 
* Disrupt Disability is working to reduce the cost of making custom wheelchairs around the world: https://metro.co.uk/2018/09/18/hacking-disability-the-woman-revolutionising-the-wheelchair-7951254/
 
* When we vote in 2018, one group might be missing from the slate of candidates – people with disabilities: https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-rights/406686-the-inaccessible-office-the-missing-disabled-voice-in
 
* Last week, the Texas Board of Education moved forward in removing Helen Keller from the state’s social studies curriculum, but a DeafBlind lawyer suggests they need to re-think that decision: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/hey-texas-students-need-to-learn-about-helen-keller-dont-remove-her/2018/09/19/e8b85d3a-bb76-11e8-bdc0-90f81cc58c5d_story.html?utm_term=.55023f75ace3
 
* Restrictions on pain medication are creating severe problems for people who experience chronic pain, and this month rallies will be happening across the country, urging the CDC to roll back some of its rules (video has captions but no audio description): https://q13fox.com/2018/09/18/we-are-not-criminals-chronic-pain-sufferers-say-pain-medication-rules-unfairly-punish/
 
* Nipun Malhotra is successfully working to have India officially recognize Indian Sign Language: https://www.thebetterindia.com/159928/nipun-malhotra-indian-sign-language-delhi/
 
* Scottish politician Ruth Davidson has been winning praise for sharing stories of her teenage experiences with self-harm and suicidal thoughts: https://www.gulf-times.com/story/606313/Davidson-admits-to-mental-health-issues
 
* The Trump administration is “rethinking” special education to give local districts more control and fewer regulations: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2018/09/21/trump-rethinking-special-ed/25525/
 
* NPR hosted a panel about what society is thinking about disability, and how perspectives about disability need to change (ironically, no transcript is available for people who cannot hear the audio): http://www.wnpr.org/post/what-we-get-wrong-about-disability
 
* A group of Senators has asked the Department of Justice to investigate issues around website accessibility for people with disabilities: https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2018-10-04%20Grassley,%20Rounds,%20Tillis,%20Crapo,%20Cornyn,%20Ernst%20to%20Justice%20Dept.%20-%20ADA%20Website%20Accessibility.pdf
 
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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).