Creating an Inclusive College Experience: Access Beyond the Classroom

1. Creating an Inclusive College Experience: Access Beyond the Classroom AHEAD / PTI 2014 July 16, 2014 Lauren MB Kinast, University of Texas Bambi Riehl, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

2. Workshop Overview • What IS the ‘college experience’ for students? • Challenges Accessing the “College Experience’ • Actual Experiences Shared • PN2 Research Found • Sample Campus Philosophy on ACCESS • Survey Respondents • Campus Coordination & Budget Models • Tools / Steps to Take with You

3. Do Share! Do you have coordination and funding models that provide students with equal access to ALL services, programs and activities?

4. College Experience Activities • Student Government • Student / Fraternity / Sorority / Greek Organizations • Happy Hour with Graduate Cohorts • Health Center, Financial Aid Appointments

5. College Experience Activities • National Conference on campus • Guest Lecturer/Author/ Speaker/Activist • Post-Dissertation Reception for Colleague • College / Department Open House, Receptions

6. Actual Experiences • In the News: http://georgetownvoice.com/2014/04/10/gusa-resolution-aims-to-assist-deaf-community/ • “Presently, there is no centralized system to pay for sign language interpreters at extracurricular events, and the responsibility often falls on individual students to arrange for their own interpreters.” • “If I ask for interpreters, it’s through the Academic Resource Center, and it’s a battle, not necessarily with the ARC, but with the departments here because it is all about money,” Heather Artinian (COL’15) previously told the Voice.

7. Actual Experiences In the News: http://www.ilusa.com/News/deaf_college_un.htm ''I find it very frustrating,'' said Collins, speaking in sign language translated by an interpreter. ‘'I feel I have to fight for everything. ... I can't relax and have a regular college experience.'‘ • ''Social learning - discussion in a cafe, discussion with a professor - shouldn't be considered incidental,'' said Ruth Bork, director of the Disabilities Resource Center at Northeastern. ''It's part and parcel of what you come to college for. It contributes to your growth, to figuring out who you are.''

8. PN2 Research Notes PN2 Needs Assessment Report http://pepnet.org/sites/default/files/NAMASTERCOMPILEDPDF.pdf Another trend that professionals have noted as a concern is that it is difficult to determine who is paying for the resources available to students who are DHH. One focus group, discussed this in depth, and they tended to agree that the services requested by students are available, but that they are difficult to implement, because there are challenges to finding who would be financially responsible for the service. The professionals believed that the bureaucracy and lack of coordination between departments of the institution created difficulties in attaining financial support for services requested.

10. PN2 Research Notes PN2 Needs Assessment Report • “I think something that frustrates me is when people start doing finger pointing as to who is responsible for providing this, who is paying for this... Is it the faculty? Is it the department? Is it the college? Is it I.T.? Is it disability services?... It would be nice if we could get past the finger pointing because it is the responsibility of the institution.”(professional)

11. A Campus’ PHILOSOPHY • Deaf and hard-of-hearing students are very much a part of campus life at (college). The Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students at (college) provides total access for deaf and hard-of-hearing students and members of the community to all programs and activities at the college. Qualified interpreters and notetakers are provided for classes and for conferences in any campus office. In addition, interpreting services are available for any student club activities, athletic and cultural events.

12. Survey Responses Responses for: Bill to Department(s) Athletic Events: 34.09% Dept Meeting for Student Workers: 33.33% Fraternity/Sorority/Greek Organizations: 31.58% TIED: Plays / Student Organizations: 28.57% National Conference on Campus: 28.26% Happy Hour with Cohorts: 27.03% Guest Lecture: 26% Career Services/Workshop: 22%

13. Coordination – Budget Model 2009 PEPNet Postsecondary Interpreting and Speech-to-Text Survey

14. Today ….

15. Coordination – Budget Model 2009 PEPNet Postsecondary Interpreting and Speech-to-Text Survey: “Other” • Eight Respondents said it comes from Disability Services budget • Five Respondents said it comes from Campus General Fund/Administrative Account/Etc. • Five Respondents said it is billed directly to Department/Host • Three Respondents said they provide Department with referrals and the Department then schedules and covers the cost(s) We both, bill back dept, have funds for staff needs and pay from Disability budget on case by case basis. We don’t have in house staff. We don’t have general campus funding, we provide services as our academic related schedules allow. We absorb the cost. Depts with deaf staff are responsible as of year two of employment (to give the dept time to budget for interpreters).

17. An Ideal Model? Funding & Coordination 50% from university general funds to cover costs for accommodations outside of the classroom

18. Workshop Overview • What IS the ‘college experience’ for students? • Challenges Accessing the “College Experience’ • Actual Experiences Shared • PN2 Research Found • Sample Campus Philosophy on ACCESS • Survey Respondents • Campus Coordination & Budget Models • Tools / Steps to Take with You

19. Tools / Steps to Take With You • Review with your Administration: • Compliant: Is your institution in compliance at all times? • Budget: Isn’t it the institution as a ‘whole’ responsible? • Sample of Models • Survey • Comprehensive Survey provided for your review. • Check List • Conduct Surveys with your D/HH students. Sample questions provided. • Review your campus’ current practice and policy for accommodation requests, is there one in place?

20. Thank You • The remainder of this presentation are Tools / Resources for you to utilize. Thank you very much for attending our session, enjoy the rest of the conference! Lauren MB Kinast, Associate Director Services for Students with Disabilities University of Texas at Austin Lkinast@austin.utexas.edu http://ddce.utexas.edu/disability/ Bambi Riehl, Interim Assistant DirectorAccessibility Resource CenterUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukeebriehl@uwm.eduhttp://www4.uwm.edu/sac