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Vice Provost
for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum presented this
update at the October 17 University Council meeting.
Update on
Services to Students with Disabilites
The Disabilities
Services for Students Review Team's Report to the President and
Provost Concerning Services for Students with Disabilities made
twelve recommendations. Progress toward implementation of each recommendation
follows:
1. Combine
the various services for Students with Disabilities into one office
reporting to the Vice Provost for University Life.
A transition
team lead by Myrna Cohen has been meeting weekly to sort out details
of consolidating services and resources for students with disabilities.
Additionally, Terri White, Myrna Cohen, and Max King have been
meeting periodically to manage the overall transition process.
Office
space for the Student Disabilities Service has been identified
by Terri White in DASP in 110 Harnwell College House. The Student
Disabilities Service will be co-located with the Learning Resources
Center and the Tutoring Center, since students with learning disabilities
use these two services heavily. Additionally, co-locating these
offices allows us to share reception and some administrative support
among them. Don Calcagni of VPUL Facilities had coordinated the
office renovations for this project. Construction work on the
SDS offices has been completed (e.g. walls and doors modified
for ADA compliance, door openers installed, carpeting and painting
finished). Instructional rooms (113 and 214 Harnwell House) for
use by the Tutoring Center, PENNCAP, the Learning Resources Center,
and Student Disabilities Services are ready. In response to student
needs for a smooth transition, we anticipate moving staff to the
new office at the end of the fall semester so there is no interruption
in the services students are now receiving. Announcements of the
move will be sent to appropriate students, faculty, disability
liaisons, staff, and the schools.
2. Maintain
responsibility for disability services for faculty and staff in
the Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity Programs,
and centralize disability services students.
Valerie Hayes
and Alice Nagle have produced a detailed transition plan actualizing
this recommendation. Alice Nagle will spend approximately 80%
of her time on students with disabilities and 20% of her time
on faculty/staff disability issues. Most of this will be in place
by the opening of the Student Disabilities Service, but some aspects
of the transition will be developed as the academic year progresses.
3. Hire
two full-time professionals (Director and Associate Director) to
provide services to students with disabilities.
The Director
position has been posted, CVs are now arriving (twenty-four in
hand) and we will soon begin interviewing candidates. We hope
to be able to name a Director by the end of fall semester. Alice
Nagle will serve as Associate Director, with 20% of her time remaining
with faculty and staff disabilities issues through the Affirmative
Action and Equal Opportunity Programs. We also have interim support
in place. Since August 2001, Bill Sandberg has continued his work,
on a term capacity as Learning Disabilities Coordinator, with
Myrna Cohen and Alice Nagle.
4. Expand
the responsibilities of the Student Disabilities Service.
Once the
Student Disabilities Service office is established, ongoing assessment
will determine opportunities to effect this recommendation.
5. Hire
appropriate staff to provide logistical/scheduling services to students
with disabilities and faculty and to provide office support.
An Administrative
Coordinator position has been posted and interviews are being
conducted. The Transition Team is coordinating this hire.
6. Assure
that adequate resources are available to provide ad hoc services
and equipment for accommodation of disabilities.
Existing
resources have been reallocated from various budgets that have
in the past supported students with disabilities, and additional
resources have been provided by the Provost. An operating budget
for Student Disabilities Services is in place.
7. A
coordinated communications strategy for disabilities information
should be developed.
A website has been established, and
brochures and associated
materials are being developed.
The communications strategy
will be an ongoing activity
of the Student Disabilities
Service.
8. Increase
resources for academic support for students with disabilities, including
the hiring of a new Learning Instructor for students with learning
disabilities and tutor (and learning instructor) enhancements.
Denise Marone
had filled the Learning Instructor position and commenced work.
9. Create
a Provost's Advisory Committee to 1) issue a new Provost's Statement
(Guidelines for Addressing Academic Issues for students with Disabilities),
2) advise on the implementation of these Recommendations, and 3)
advise on ongoing operation of an Office for Student Disabilities
Services.
This committee
is being formed and will include faculty, School Disability Liaisons
(see Recommendation #10), students, and staff.
10. Appoint
Student Disability Liaisons for each School.
The Vice
Provost for University Life has written to the Schools asking
for their designees, and liaisons have been appointed for all
twelve Schools.
11. Revise
the protocol for faculty letters.
The protocol
was revised in October 2000 so that, upon a student's request
for accommodation, a letter is sent to appropriate faculty. Additional
protocol revisions will be ongoing.
12. Faculty
Initiative to normalize process and encourage accommodation.
This will
be an ongoing process and will be coordinated through the Faculty
Senate, Council of Deans, and Provost's Office.
Almanac, Vol. 48, No. 9, October 23, 2001
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