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Disability and Privilege: A Diversity Event (and Controversy) at an Elite College

Disability and Privilege: A Diversity Event (and Controversy) at an Elite College. Andy Christensen Carleton College AHEAD: July 16, 2014. Purpose of Presentation. Not a “How-to” Not a cautionary tale An initiative that led to unintended consequences

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Disability and Privilege: A Diversity Event (and Controversy) at an Elite College

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  1. Disability and Privilege: A Diversity Event (and Controversy) at an Elite College Andy Christensen Carleton College AHEAD: July 16, 2014

  2. Purpose of Presentation • Not a “How-to” • Not a cautionary tale • An initiative that led to unintended consequences • Platform for deeper, more rigorous conversations

  3. Overview • A little about Carleton College • A little about Disability at Carleton College • What we were trying to do • What actually took place • Concluding thoughts

  4. Carleton College • Extremely rigorous • About 2,000 students, all traditional undergraduates • Small Minnesota city • Largely inaccessible campus

  5. Carleton College Disability Services • 122 students registered in 2013-14 • Almost exclusively invisible disabilities • No hearing-, visually-, or mobility-impaired • One staff person (with visible motor disability)

  6. Programming Challenge • Beyond ensuring compliance, seeking an elevated discourse about disability • Films • Off campus speakers • Student testimonials (trying to reduce) • Not particularly rigorous • Feelings rather than thoughts Also worried about overprogramming

  7. Walking a Fine Line • Positive learning outcomes • Student control is important • Leveraging student enthusiasm • I can advise and teach, but I don’t want to decide

  8. A Parallel Initiative • Cohort of aspiring occupational therapy types • Volunteering at local community provider (1:1) • Students report clientele disappointment at never coming to campus • Wouldn’t it be great to host these friends on campus once? (Yes!) • Uncomfortable with this being the only portrayal of disability on our campus in an academic year

  9. Concerns • Not sure if community provider would see this as an opportunity or burden • Logistics of moving half a dozen people with significant mobility issues around a relatively inaccessible campus • Really important that community participants feel invited, respected and welcome

  10. The Opportunity • This is a good chance to broaden and show complexity of disability on campus • What if we alternated campus and community speakers in the same event? • Democracy and disability • Commonality • A chance to really embody inclusion and break barriers

  11. The Visitors • Excited to be on campus • Many prepared (with assistance) presentation of their lives • Brought interested family members and/or support staff • Enthusiasm is palpable

  12. The Students • Not as prepared; off-the-cuff • Very busy schedules • One or two looked surprised by the inclusion of nonstudents • How might this have affected their thinking as they prepared to tell their own story? • Conjecture: Seeing folks with significant disabilities affected how students thought about their (“minor”?) disabilities

  13. The Event • A little ragged and choppy • Two parallel programs trading off • Pizza for everyone! • Not perfect (I would have done both aspects slightly differently) • Not about me • End of term—not much feedback

  14. The Article • Underground newspaper • Senior participant • Rant: “Many” thought the event was entirely inappropriate and insulting to all participants and someone (Me?) should have seen this coming and averted this disaster • Why was she uncomfortable? • Signed the article, but never came to see me in person

  15. My Reaction • Regret putting student(s) in situation without support • Not sure such provocation is a mistake • Hard to access the intersection of disability and emotion • Not following up on such strong reactions was a lost opportunity for everyone, including me • Could have really had some powerful, transformative discussions

  16. Going Forward • More student involvement in programming decisions • Student advisory board • Importance of changing things up • Students can’t feel we do the same thing every year • More pressure on me to come up with different events (at least four)

  17. Final Thoughts • Thought I knew this stuff, but I was caught by surprise • Encourage campus conversations • Take chances • Don’t wait until the end of the year. Let things fall as they will

  18. Contact Information Andy E. Christensen Coordinator of Disability Services Carleton College anchrist@carleton.edu Thanks for listening!

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