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The Daily OrangeDisabilities not considered to be part of diversity hiring at SU
By Amanda Waddell
Posted: 9/23/03, 12:50 AM EST Section: News
Diversity may be a core value of Syracuse University, but when it comes to hiring new employees, diversity is very strictly defined.
SU does not plan on paying extra attention to the hiring of people with disabilities in its efforts to increase faculty diversity - a greater emphasis is instead being placed on increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of the incoming faculty, said Michael Flusche, associate vice chancellor of academic affairs.
"There is a greater need, in terms of the population of the campus, to have a stronger presence of racial and ethnic diversity, as well as gender diversity," Flusche said. "The need to hire folks with various disabilities is not nearly as pressing. Although it's a good thing to do, it doesn't have the same educational importance to the university. In terms of sheer numbers, our students, to a great extent, are not mentally or physically disabled."
Steve Simon, director of the Office of Disability Services, said more than 700 SU students - approximately 5 percent of the total student population - have a documented disability. The number is likely even higher, but not all students have their disabilities registered with the university, Simon said.
"If we look at national statistics, about 10 to 12 percent of first-year, first-time college students declare a disability," Simon said. At SU, the number of requests for accommodation plans is increasing, as well as the number of students with disabilities, he said.
The percentage of faculty members with disabilities, however, is not known because many times people don't disclose information concerning their disability to the university, said Kim Salanger, recruitment and diversity specialist at the Office of Human Resources.
"While it's very educational and very valuable for all students to see folks with various levels of disabilities in important positions, [people with disabilities] are not actively recruited - although we would certainly welcome them," Flusche said.
SU does not plan on paying extra attention to the hiring of people with disabilities in its efforts to increase faculty diversity - a greater emphasis is instead being placed on increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of the incoming faculty, said Michael Flusche, associate vice chancellor of academic affairs.
"There is a greater need, in terms of the population of the campus, to have a stronger presence of racial and ethnic diversity, as well as gender diversity," Flusche said. "The need to hire folks with various disabilities is not nearly as pressing. Although it's a good thing to do, it doesn't have the same educational importance to the university. In terms of sheer numbers, our students, to a great extent, are not mentally or physically disabled."
Steve Simon, director of the Office of Disability Services, said more than 700 SU students - approximately 5 percent of the total student population - have a documented disability. The number is likely even higher, but not all students have their disabilities registered with the university, Simon said.
"If we look at national statistics, about 10 to 12 percent of first-year, first-time college students declare a disability," Simon said. At SU, the number of requests for accommodation plans is increasing, as well as the number of students with disabilities, he said.
The percentage of faculty members with disabilities, however, is not known because many times people don't disclose information concerning their disability to the university, said Kim Salanger, recruitment and diversity specialist at the Office of Human Resources.
"While it's very educational and very valuable for all students to see folks with various levels of disabilities in important positions, [people with disabilities] are not actively recruited - although we would certainly welcome them," Flusche said.
