The Center for Disability and Access had its first weekly Craft and Connect event of the semester. This is part of its larger mission to increase outreach for students and raise awareness for the CDA’s services. The CDA will also be hosting Organizing Your Week, Sensory Exploration, Body Doubling and Reflect and Regroup events.
The CDA, located in SSB 350, assists students with physical and mental disability accommodations through self-reporting and documentation. Once students are registered, the CDA provides a notice to the students’ professors for accommodation or adjustments in their classes.
Crafting and connecting
Events like Craft and Connect provide students with a safe place to decompress and connect with others. Shalyse McKnight, the manager of neurodiversity services, explains how this space helps students with disabilities. “Since it started last semester, we’ve seen that students (with disabilities) like peer-to-peer interactions. They like the experience of somebody who’s also a college student and seen what they’ve seen. But it’s a struggle, they want to be social and engage but they’re not sure how to and that’s part of their diversity as well,” McKnight said. “We’ve offered them this space where they can learn about resources and meet people. We love that they’re using this hub.”
Craft and Connect offers “neurodiversity-friendly” activities. These are options that are texture-based and slower-paced than typical campus activities. McKnight said this can include painting and using beads, strings or paper to create. The activity is led by a peer mentor who can help students find resources and aid within the office. “Some students, especially coming out of the pandemic, struggle with their social skills. Our peer mentor is very helpful with that, making it a space for them to build their skills and have a good time. Our mentor is very versed in the different wellness hub options like financial wellness or health, so it makes it easier for students to have a connection and reach out to someone like them who can help,” McKnight said.
Relocation and services
The CDA office was previously in room 162 of the Olpin Union Building, but has since relocated to the Student Services Building. McKnight explained how this new space can help expand CDA’s services. “Last semester was our first full semester where we could try something new. We’ve never had this type of space before, and disability’s not a huge budget here. There is still a struggle in getting students to know this isn’t a scary building and there is a lot more here other than just courses,” McKnight said.
The office had partnered with campus departments like Financial Wellness, Center for Teaching Excellence and the Learning Center to communicate to students of the services available. The CDA will also host their Neurodivergent and Disability Week in February to boost engagement and events for students. The CDA also offers accommodations like tools and equipment in the classroom that support both mental and physical disabilities, including short-term assistance with injuries. Students can reach out and get a case-by-case recommendation for support.
The CDA’s contact information is available on the syllabus for most classes, and any student can apply for CDA support. Christine Anderson, director of the CDA, explained the scope of their assistance. “Accommodations are determined on an individual basis. We want to make sure we understand the students’ unique perspective, what they’re experiencing and what their challenges are. It encompasses all of our colleges on campus and we want students to know that we’re here for all levels of education,” Anderson said.
Getting the word out
Anderson said the CDA’s current mission is to increase its registration numbers. “We can expect from national statistics that 21% of students in college have a disability, but only 8% of our student population is registered with our office. It makes me wonder, ‘do students not know who we are? Do they not know where we’re located?’ One of our initiatives is implementing those accommodations and letting students know who we are and we’re here to help,” Anderson said.
