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The Daily OrangeSU advocates for disability minor, accommodations
By Amity Paye
Posted: 2/19/09, 5:15 AM EST Section: News
Kanter started the nation's first joint program in law and disabilities studies, in 2003, and a Graduate Disabilities Studies program has existed since 2001. Now with the help of Steven Taylor, professor of cultural foundations of education and co-director of SU's Center on Disability Studies, Law and Human Policy, this program is now close to becoming a minor.
Taylor said the foundation is working on an undergraduate minor in disability studies and is in the process of getting approval from various university bodies.
"We hope to have the minor in place sometime during the 2009-10 academic year," Taylor said.
Taylor said the minor, consisting of 18 credits, will include classes on disability and pop-culture, the sociology of disability, and gender and disability. The minor will be offered to students in several SU colleges, and its organizers aim to not only teach students, but also raise awareness about disability issues on campus.
"We hope that the university will make a commitment to go beyond compliance so we can create a community where people with disabilities can fully participate," Kanter said.
Every year BCCC gives The Beyond Compliance Award to any SU department, faculty, staff or student that tries to raise awareness about disabilities and, as Ben-Moshe said, "goes beyond compliance." She said this means they go beyond what is legally required when accommodating people with disabilities.
Ben-Moshe said the first person to win this award in 2001 was a staff member of FIXit, the maintenance and housekeeping unit for residence halls and dining centers, and last year's winner was an SU staff member who helped with the planning of the Marshall Square Mall Fitness Center.
"The people who designed the gym really went above and beyond to make the gym accessible," Ben-Moshe said. "For instance, they did things like color contrasts for people who are visually impaired. We're hoping to get some very strong nominations like that this year as well."
The nominations for this year's award are currently being collected and are due March 6.
"SU has a huge potential to be an extremely inclusive space," Ben-Moshe said. "We are now at the point where real change can actually happen."
ampaye@syr.edu
Taylor said the foundation is working on an undergraduate minor in disability studies and is in the process of getting approval from various university bodies.
"We hope to have the minor in place sometime during the 2009-10 academic year," Taylor said.
Taylor said the minor, consisting of 18 credits, will include classes on disability and pop-culture, the sociology of disability, and gender and disability. The minor will be offered to students in several SU colleges, and its organizers aim to not only teach students, but also raise awareness about disability issues on campus.
"We hope that the university will make a commitment to go beyond compliance so we can create a community where people with disabilities can fully participate," Kanter said.
Every year BCCC gives The Beyond Compliance Award to any SU department, faculty, staff or student that tries to raise awareness about disabilities and, as Ben-Moshe said, "goes beyond compliance." She said this means they go beyond what is legally required when accommodating people with disabilities.
Ben-Moshe said the first person to win this award in 2001 was a staff member of FIXit, the maintenance and housekeeping unit for residence halls and dining centers, and last year's winner was an SU staff member who helped with the planning of the Marshall Square Mall Fitness Center.
"The people who designed the gym really went above and beyond to make the gym accessible," Ben-Moshe said. "For instance, they did things like color contrasts for people who are visually impaired. We're hoping to get some very strong nominations like that this year as well."
The nominations for this year's award are currently being collected and are due March 6.
"SU has a huge potential to be an extremely inclusive space," Ben-Moshe said. "We are now at the point where real change can actually happen."
ampaye@syr.edu
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