History
HISTORY OF SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – LA CROSSE
The Disability Resource Services has as its vision the commitment to support and encourage the full integration of persons with disabilities into the campus and all of its programs. Also included in this vision is the celebration of the many talents and abilities of persons with disabilities that add to the diversity of the campus community.
Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 mandates access such that “each program and activity, when reviewed in its entirety, is readily accessible to persons with disabilities and offered in the most integrated setting appropriate.” Disabilities included are: mobility and sensory impairments, major physiological illness, mental retardation, specific learning disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, and chemical dependency. These conditions must be of a degree that they seriously impair one or more of life’s major activities.
Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is generally regarded as the first civil rights legislation for persons with disabilities on the national level. The guidelines developed by the (then) Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, (now the U.S. Department of Education) have direct impact on the higher education community. It is this Section 504 mandate that has promoted the development of disability support service programs in colleges and universities across the country for over twenty years.
At the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, a Section 504 Self-Study was completed in 1977. On November 21, 1977, the Affirmative Action Council’s Handicap Subcommittee (now, the Individuals with Disabilities Advocacy Committee - IDAC) held its first meeting. The twelve members were appointed by Chancellor Kenneth E. Linder to implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Oversight of the Subcommittee and the University’s compliance with Section 504 was delegated to the 504 Coordinator, who was the Affirmative Action Director.
The first year of the Subcommittee’s existence was devoted to an intensive self-study to evaluate the university’s compliance with Section 504. The already established grievance procedures were formally extended to disability grievances.
In 1979, the Handicapped Student Association (now Students Advocating for Potential Ability) was formed with the purpose of making the campus community aware of disability issues. In October, the first annual Handicapped Awareness Days was held by the WHO (We Help Others) organization on campus. Chancellor Richards met the public in front of Cartwright Center and rode in a wheelchair to lunch in Cartwright Center as part of the awareness activities. Movies and a panel were also part of the activities.
Back to the top of pageDuring 1980, the emphasis was on modifying the physical facilities on campus to provide access. In October of 1981, the Handicapped Student Services Office was established in Wilder Hall and a Coordinator was hired to implement services for the students with disabilities. The position was by State money (25%) and a Student Support Services grant (75%). Thirteen students identified with disabilities were served.
The issues addressed by the Handicap Subcommittee during the 1982-83 academic year included: more visibility of department handicap representatives, handicap representatives in all departments, access to Cartwright Center, safety issues for students with disabilities, and scheduling accessibility. The Accessible Teacher Award was established and awarded. Students were added to the Handicapped Subcommittee.
In 1983-84, handicap-parking spaces, the need for funding for the programs, ice and snow removal on campus when it affected handicapped students, and access ramps for wheelchairs were issues. During 1984-85, a survey dealing with the needs of students with disabilities was sent out to faculty and instructional staff. At that time, there were 126 students being served by the Handicapped Student Services Office. The tradition of “Handicapped Awareness” conferences The subcommittee reviewed increased contact with the department handicap representatives and housing coordinators. Amplified pay phones were installed in North Hall and Cartwright Center.
In 1986-87, a new coordinator was hired to direct the services for students with disabilities on campus. In 1987-88, Halley Young Sr. was the second person in the history of the Handicapped Subcommittee to receive recognition for his leadership and contributions in making UW-La Crosse accessible. The number of students with disabilities served was now 151.
The Board of Regents passed the UW-System Policy for the Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Disability. Chancellor Richards disseminated the policy to the university administrators and faculty leaders. The UW-System was the third in the country in developing a policy that related to disabilities. The Handicapped Student Services Office changed its name to the Office for Students with Special Needs. In 1988-89, stable funding for in-services on disability issues was proposed. The Chancellor, on August 31, 1989, approved a proposal to allocate $2000.00 per year to be established in the Student Development Division for in servicing. The 504 Coordinator (the Affirmative Action Director) was reaffirmed as being responsible for implementation of compliance with the Regents policy on students with disabilities in a letter from UW-System and by Chancellor Richards in his State of the University address.
In 1988-89, 2.2 percent of the total student enrollment population at UW-La Crosse identified to the Office of Students with Special Needs with a physical or learning disability. This figure can be compared to the System average of 1.4 percent. The staff/student ratio number serving students with disabilities on the UW-L campus was significantly higher than the programs at the other UW System universities. The statewide average of staff-student ratio is 79, while the average at UW-L was 134 in the 1989 school year. Also in 1989, an UW-System evaluation on the implementation of the UW-System Policy and Guidelines Related to Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disabilities was completed.
Back to the top of pageIssues raised in 1989-90 included: funding, learning disabilities diagnostic testing costs, and adaptable computers on campus. The Chancellor’s State of the University message indicated that the Handicap Subcommittee was implementing the Regent’s Policy on Students with Disabilities.
The 1990’s brought many changes in the delivery of services to students and staff with disabilities on the UW-La Crosse campus. The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990. The ADA, a civil rights guarantee for persons with disabilities in the United States, provides protection from discrimination for individuals on the basis of disability. The ADA extends civil rights protections for people with disabilities to the private sector, transportation, public accommodations, services provided by state and local government, and telecommunication relay services. The significance of this legislation is no less than the civil rights acts in the 1960s for minorities. Post-secondary institutions that receive federal money are additionally required to comply with a similar disability nondiscrimination law---Sections 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
The ADA also upholds and extends the standards for compliance set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in the areas of employment and promotion practices, meeting planning, and communications. Therefore, with the passage of ADA, UW-La Crosse named a campus ADA Compliance Officer. This position was assigned to the current Affirmative Action Officer/504 Compliance Officer.
In 1991, the Handicap Subcommittee changed its name to the Individuals with Disabilities Advocacy Committee (IDAC) to reflect a new structure, direction, and vitality for the committee. The 1991-92 school year brought a new Chancellor to campus. The Chancellor met with the IDAC members to discuss the future of services to persons with disabilities on campus as well as the committee’s interest in including disabilities as part of the new campus strategic planning process.
Many of the initiatives in the early 90’s revolved around the changing of funding and reporting lines of the Special Needs office, personnel in the disability service areas, space and accessibility issues, and adaptable computer accessibility for students with disabilities. During the early 1990’s, two residence hall rooms in Wentz Hall were designed for students with physical disabilities and the building was equipped with an elevator. Thus, Wentz was considered to be the “accessible” residence hall.
During this time, the ADA committee began a self-study of UW-La Crosse’s needs for persons with disabilities. In 1993, the campus began its strategic planning process, forming a study committee, the Diversity Action Group, which concluded ADA had greatly impacted the concept that individuals with disabilities are a minority population and that individuals with disabilities belong within the definition of “campus diversity.”
Back to the top of pageIn 1993-94, IDAC provided training at for new faculty and staff orientation. A Professional Staff grant written by June Reinert, Coordinator of the Special Needs Office, was funded to bring a national expert in disability issues to campus to provide education/training sessions and to review and report on disability services on the UW-La Crosse campus. Implementation of the university reorganization, from the campus strategic plan of 1993-94, began during the summer of 1994. One element of the plan was the creation of the Human Resources and Diversity Office led by an Association Vice Chancellor. The education and advocacy components formerly reporting to the Assistant to the Chancellor for Affirmation Action were transferred to this newly established unit. IDAC was one of these diversity elements to come under the auspices of the new office.
In October of 1994, Dr. Jane Jarrow, Executive Director of Association of Higher Education and Disability, a nationally recognized leader in the field of providing services for college students with disabilities, visited the campus for three days. During Dr. Jarrow’s assessment period, she met with administrators, faculty, staff, and students, delivered seven presentations, including in-service workshops, and met personally with a number of individuals to discuss and review disability issues.
In February 1995, Dr. Jarrow provided a “Site Visit Report” with recommendations for the university in regards to disability issues on the UW-La Crosse campus. Some of the issues were discussed and some recommendations are still to be addressed by the university in the next millennium. The report can be located in the Disability Resource Services office at UW-La Crosse.
The 1995-96 school year brought changes to the way services for students with disabilities were delivered on campus. The name of Disability Services/Special Needs Services was changed to Disability Resource Services (DRS) and was relocated in a new space in the library addition. The location proved to be much more accessible. In 1995, accessible computers were moved into the Wing Communication Center. The consolidation of accessible computers was completed with students input and consideration as well as input from the Disability Services Office. Push button automatic door openers were installed to accommodate accessibility.
In the 1994-95 academic year, the ADA Self-Evaluation Desk Audit tool was developed, with input from all UW campuses, by UW-System Administration. The ADA Desk Audit is based on the federal law and regulations, technical assistance materials, and involving legal opinions. This tool will be very helpful to the campus to ensure that UW-La Crosse has identified and addressed all areas that require review and evaluation. UW-La Crosse Campus Planning Office continues to address accessibility issues noted in the self-study through major and minor repair and remodeling projects.
The Students Advocating Potential Ability (SAPA) was alive and well through the 1990’s, presenting many informational conferences every spring, including career information, advocacy, recreational opportunities, and disabilities services within the greater La Crosse area. The “Most Accessible Professor Award” was presented annually. In addition, a “Staff Excellence Award” and an award for the “Most Accessible Department” were also given. Students with disabilities choose the “Most Accessible Professor” and “Department” awards, while the DRS staff chose the winner of the “Staff Excellence Award.”
Back to the top of pageThe members of the Individuals with Disabilities Advocacy Committee (IDAC) have worked diligently to provide education for faculty and staff. In 1996-97, the DRS office and IDAC created a significant tool with the development of The Faculty-Staff Manual for Students with Disabilities. This handbook is design to provide understanding of ADA and System policies, legal issues, and sensitivity issues as they relate to students with disabilities, with input from all UW campuses. Another handbook, called the Reasonable Accommodation Policy and Procedures Manual for Employees with Disabilities, which had been created earlier, was re-distributed throughout the campus community.
The DRS office recommended that a sign-language interpreter be provided for all formal, public university functions, that proper Braille signage is installed in all buildings, and that all new educational videos purchased by the university include close captioning. The services continued to grow as the DRS office was now servicing over 400 students and providing over 20,000 hours of service each academic year. Since about one-quarter of the DRS student population are also Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) clients, DRS began working more closely with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), a statewide organization that provides funding for persons with disabilities. Previously, the UW-System had entered into an agreement with DVR in Wisconsin. As part of the agreement, the university schools would be reimbursed for accommodations used by DVR clients.
The 1997-98 school year brought a new Affirmative Action and Diversity Assistant to the Chancellor to campus. This person was also the ADA and 504 Compliance Officer. The addition of this new senior administrative position signals the campus’s commitment to individuals with disabilities at UW-La Crosse. The IDAC committee worked on four different areas of access. They were computer access, education of faculty, staff and students about disability issues, public relations and physical accessibility/ADA issues. The DRS office received a $66,000 grant to address the future employment needs of students with disabilities on campus.
During the 1998-99 school year, a unique opportunity arose. This opportunity was recommended by Chancellor Kuipers to the Affirmative Action Officer. There would be a UW-La Crosse Strategic Plan developed for Diversity. This commitment shows a true support of making the campus available and accessible for all persons.
During the early 2000’s there was a Disability Awareness Month established. The DRS office spearheaded the programming for this month in conjunction with the Affirmative Action and Diversity Office, WTC, the Recreation Department, Students Advocating Potential Ability Student Organization and Great Rivers Independent Living Center. A theme was developed as well as a button and a program. Information was shared across campus. During these years, Affirmative Action and Diversity helped plan visits by two distinguished lawyers that were expert in Disability Law in Higher Education.
Back to the top of pageThe Individuals with Disabilities Advisory Council worked on web accessibility, assistive technology, an education program for faculty and staff, as well as looking at the physical facilities on campus. During this time there were numerous budget requests written to employ a program assistant for the DRS office. During this time DVR reduced its support of payment of accommodations and was only funding hearing and deaf services, on a limited basis. The DRS office at this time was receiving 50% of its operating costs. This caused the university of rely more on 102 funding from the university; the university was also going through cuts in their state funding. A Program Assistant and monies for interpreting was requested by Dr. Petra Roter in 2004 through the Budget and Finance Committee. It was voted down. There was money set aside for interpreting accommodations.
In 2006 there was a dramatic increase in the usage of the testing facility in the DRS office; visits were made by the Director of Disability Services to the colleges to discuss this situation. Some of the reasons for this increase were due to the lack of space in many of the departments. In 2007 money was requested for from the Lab Modernization Fund, it was granted and paid for the addition of surveillance equipment for the testing facility in the DRS office. This was installed in 2008. Because of this increase of testing, DRS wrote an Academic Initiative to fund a Program Assistant to deal with the increasing demand of testing. Academic Initiatives funded a USA hired in the front office for $12,500.00, Affirmative Action and Diversity provided the rest of the funding and Student Development picked up the rest of the cost. The request for the USA was made at least for 10 years, without any allocation of funds from the Joint Finance Committee.
The 2008 school year, showed that over 450 students were served by the DRS office, the highest number were students with Learning Disabilities, AHDH and students with Psychological Disabilities, which was close to 5 % of the university undergraduate population. It is estimated, nationally that close to two thirds of students with disabilities do not seek services, therefore which would make the population of students with disabilities between 12 and 15 %. Thirty-eight percent of the students served were Science and Allied Health majors, thirty-two percent were Liberal Studies Majors, eight percent were Education Major, while twenty-two percent were Business Majors. In Business, the highest percent were Marketing Majors, in Liberal Studies, the highest percent were Psychology majors, while Biology had the highest percent of Science and Allied Health majors, with sixteen percent were undeclared. There was an increase of 79 % of tests given in the DRS area, with over a 38% increase in the hours for testing.
The DRS office collaborated with three national grants between 2005-2008. Two were faculty training grants with The Ohio State University and Utah State. DRS partner with a grant at UW-Milwaukee in promoting universal design. By using inclusive approaches for people with disabilities, such as using Universal Design. An example of a Universal Design application in architecture is the use of a ramp instead of steps to navigate a short rise. This helps everyone avoid the need to step up, step down, or threaten tripping on the rise or drop. It assists the person in a wheelchair, as well as the technician pushing an audio-visual cart, and the mail delivery person. An example of universal design in the classroom is the instructor who provides hand-outs in print and electronic form (such as via email or on the WWW). With e-hand-outs, all students can access the hand-outs from anywhere, anytime, and using a wide variety of reading methods. The student who is blind or another who has a reading disability can use speech output reader devices to access the hand-outs. The student with severe arthritis or another with hand paralysis, both with significant dexterity problems, can use the computer to access the paperwork. With electronic hand-outs all students (if they wish) can alleviate needing to carry binders of paperwork from class to class and from home to school.