UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Board of Trustees Committee on Academic Affairs and Student Life held a panel discussion Thursday, Feb. 20, on disability awareness and accommodations as part of the University’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
The panel offered insight into the resources and accommodations the University provides students and staff with disabilities, as well as highlighting challenges and opportunities for growth.
“The theme I’ve heard today, is that this is not only about making accommodations [for individuals with disabilities],” summarized committee chair Dr. David Han. “It’s about exceling as an institution to go beyond what we have to do and doing what’s right to do.”
Vice Provost for Educational Equity Marcus Whitehurst opened the panel by sharing several of Penn State’s recent successes in the realm of equity and inclusion, including plans for a new community space for students with disabilities in Boucke Building and the recently launched community survey on diversity, equity and inclusion that will help University leadership continue to make Penn State a welcoming and inclusive environment.
”This is the 30 year anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), which became law in 1990 to ensure that people with disabilities will have the same rights, access, and opportunities as everyone,” Whitehurst added.
Whitehurst noted that not only are diversity and inclusion a moral imperative, but that offering services in these areas helps contribute to the overall success of the University.
“Why do diversity and inclusion remain an important focus for Penn State?” Whitehurst said. “Current research suggests inclusion and equity contribute to better learning and problem solving, and fuel innovation that enriches our entire intellectual environment.”
Student Disability Resources and Affirmative Action
Leah Zimmerman, executive director of Student Disability Resources, and Suzanne Adair, associate vice president for affirmative action, provided an overview of the resources and services that Penn State provides to students and employees with disabilities. These can range from additional time during exams and priority class scheduling to providing assistive technology and interpreters, based on an individual’s unique needs.
The Office of Student Disability Resources (SDR) serves approximately 3.5% of the undergraduate student population and 2% of the graduate student population, numbers which are comparable to other institutions of higher education. However, Zimmerman noted that national data suggests that anywhere from 11 to 19% of the student population may have a disability of some kind, and that stigma may prevent them from seeking out the resources available to them.
Zimmerman noted that over 85% of the students SDR serves have an “invisible” or “hidden” disability, which can create challenges for making accommodations, and that an increasing number of students are seeking accommodations for mental health disabilities.
Adair shared that the Affirmative Action Office, which maintains University compliance with various state and federal laws and University policies on nondiscrimination, has received about 85 requests from employees for reasonable accommodation – an increase from the 55 received last year. She noted that this percentage of employees falls below the national average percentage of people with a disability, and that employees may avoid seeking accommodations out of perceived stigma surrounding their disabilities.
Adair said she expects the number of employees seeking accommodations to continue to increase, especially as Penn State continues its efforts surrounding disability awareness and inclusion, and that her office will likely require additional staffing in order to meet this anticipated need.
Faculty, employee and student perspective
Members of Penn State’s faculty, employee and student populations were each present at the panel to share their own individual experiences with disability accommodation, equity and inclusion.
Brad Kalbaugh, a staff member with the Applied Research Laboratory, identified himself as a deaf person who communicates primarily through American Sign Language (ASL). He said that the University has met his requests for accommodation, such as by providing an ASL interpreter during scheduled meetings, but the process has not always been straightforward and is not consistent across the University. He also noted that his disability has made it difficult for him to engage and connect with his colleagues.
“I don’t think it’s a meaningful or purposeful discrimination, but they have a hard time including me in conversations, even side conversations,” Kalbaugh signed. “They’ll talk about family life and engage with each other, and I don’t have the opportunity to make those connections.”
Amy Mook, a junior who identified herself as having a physical disability that impairs her mobility, shared that she has overall had positive experiences with Penn State accommodating her disability, including through priority class scheduling and priority snow removal during the winter. However, she has also experienced what she described as unintentional discrimination when she was not included during part of a class field trip, and said she is glad to see disability awareness being included as a major part of the diversity, equity and inclusion conversation.
“I’ve felt that a lot of other diverse groups are talked about, but haven’t always felt that disability has been a part of that conversation,” Mook said. “But I have seen that progress during my time here, and we are moving in the right direction.”
Fellow junior Douglas Watford, who identified himself as having disabilities related to a concussion sustained in high school, said that Penn State taking steps to raise awareness around disability accommodations and inclusion has made him more comfortable in discussing his needs with faculty members.
“It took me a long time to realize I’m not asking for a handout,” Watford said. “I’m just asking for a level playing field.”
Michael Bérubé, the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Literature, spoke about his experiences providing accommodations to students with disabilities. He described how, over the course of several semesters, he was approached by multiple students asking for accommodations during his final exam – an experience that ultimately led him to change how his final exam was administered, thus eliminating the barrier faced by disabled students altogether.
“I think we have to go well beyond remaining ADA compliant,” Bérubé said. “We need to say that we not just accommodate students with disabilities, we welcome students with disabilities, and we will go that extra mile at Penn State.”
The trustees engaged in dialogue and expressed agreement that increasing awareness and expanding resources available for students and employees with disabilities will be a critical part of the University’s work to be a leader in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion.