In universities around the world, there are disabled students who don’t receive the help they need. Sometimes this is because they have not been diagnosed, sometimes it is because of the cultural stigma regarding seeking help, and sometimes it is because a university does not adequately accommodate their needs. Unfortunately, CEU has some of these same problems, which we will attempt to explain briefly in order to find a better solution.
Although the current CEU Student Disability Policy was written in consultation with disability rights organizations, it is still a twelve page legal document and as a result, it is sometimes difficult to understand by students without a legal background. It is also difficult to find the policy on the CEU website which means both current and prospective students do not have easy access to this information. Additionally, the policy seems out of touch. Receiving accommodations is both complicated and time-consuming, even if one already have their documents in order. It can also be tricky to meet with a Department Head and professors if a lack of confidentiality or stigmatization is feared.
There are further problems with the policy, mostly related to how it has been implemented so far. Every student is supposed to receive information about disability accommodations when applying, when accepted, and during orientation. So far, this has not happened, nor were accommodations ever suggested during department meetings. As students, we are also supposed to meet with a Disability Services Officer for advice and discussing accommodations, however no one currently holds this position.
We are currently working with the Dean of Students, the Student Union, and our peers to improve the environment for disabled students at CEU. December 3rd is the
International Day of People with Disabilities and the Student Life Office is planning some great events for that, so keep an eye out. We are also in the process of building a blog to document our activities and provide additional resources for students. It can be easily found at ceudisability.tumblr.com. We also have the CEU Student Disability Policy, a page which tries to explain in simple language what the policy means, and also includes a guide for asking for accommodations. Links about disability news and culture will also be posted. Anyone who is interested in joining our working group, receiving more information about the policy, seeking accommodations, or just wants to know more about disability, simply visit our Tumblr page or email us!
Kylie Boazman (Sociology & Social Anthropology) and Andreea Ros (Gender Studies)
Although the current CEU Student Disability Policy was written in consultation with disability rights organizations, it is still a twelve page legal document and as a result, it is sometimes difficult to understand by students without a legal background. It is also difficult to find the policy on the CEU website which means both current and prospective students do not have easy access to this information. Additionally, the policy seems out of touch. Receiving accommodations is both complicated and time-consuming, even if one already have their documents in order. It can also be tricky to meet with a Department Head and professors if a lack of confidentiality or stigmatization is feared.
There are further problems with the policy, mostly related to how it has been implemented so far. Every student is supposed to receive information about disability accommodations when applying, when accepted, and during orientation. So far, this has not happened, nor were accommodations ever suggested during department meetings. As students, we are also supposed to meet with a Disability Services Officer for advice and discussing accommodations, however no one currently holds this position.
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| Source: http://www.idpwd.com.au/ |
We are currently working with the Dean of Students, the Student Union, and our peers to improve the environment for disabled students at CEU. December 3rd is the
International Day of People with Disabilities and the Student Life Office is planning some great events for that, so keep an eye out. We are also in the process of building a blog to document our activities and provide additional resources for students. It can be easily found at ceudisability.tumblr.com. We also have the CEU Student Disability Policy, a page which tries to explain in simple language what the policy means, and also includes a guide for asking for accommodations. Links about disability news and culture will also be posted. Anyone who is interested in joining our working group, receiving more information about the policy, seeking accommodations, or just wants to know more about disability, simply visit our Tumblr page or email us!
Kylie Boazman (Sociology & Social Anthropology) and Andreea Ros (Gender Studies)
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