Full accessibility an ongoing goal for Vassar, peers

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed by Congress in 1990, derives its origins from the self-advocacy of the civil rights era of the 1960s, influenced by the American Civil Rights Movement's advocacy for a just, free and inclusive society. For colleges and universities, however, realization of the Act's provisions for community members with disabilities has been an ongoing process, and Vassar has not been immune to the changes and institutional self-reflection required by the ADA.

This idea of inclusiveness, taking into consideration all human beings, became a fundamental ideal for the disability rights movement that began in the 1970s. Since then, activism among individuals with disabilities continues to the present as they fight for greater accessibility for themselves and their peers. Among the legislation that resulted from this movement was the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability in programs managed by federal agencies or receiving federal financial assistance, which Vassar does.

Vassar Professor of Sociology Marque Miringoff currently teaches a course titled Disability and Society, which investigates the disability rights movement. The class addresses the evolution in thinking about disability in terms of a social—as opposed to a medical—concept, the greater awareness and consciousness among the public, and how society constructs or deconstructs barriers preventing individuals with disabilities from living independent lives. Miringoff explained, "It's not the disability that's the issue; it's the social environment. Today, disability is not thought of as a deficit, but more in terms of how to change the surrounding environment."

On college campuses, Miringoff explained, the importance of providing both social and physical accessibility to students with disabilities can be a complicated issue. At Vassar, the Office of Disability and Support Services (DSS) works to provide and create a variety of accommodations and services for students with disabilities. "It's very important to have an office that provides such accommodations," said Miringoff, praising DSS, "and it's grown over the years. There's greater knowledge on campus and greater flexibility for students with disabilities."

In compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and ADA, Vassar offers an array of support services and initiatives to students with disabilities, promoting nondiscrimination and full participation in College life. Associate Dean of the College and Director of Equal Opportunity Belinda Guthrie is in charge of creating a more inclusive environment for students with disabilities. Always looking for feedback and recognizing the complexity involved with eliminating obstacles to inclusion, Guthrie said, "There's a shared responsibility on this campus to promote greater awareness among other students concerning accessibility for students with disabilities."

According to Guthrie, in 1996 and 1997, the Office of Disability and Support Services worked with around 87 students. Today, thanks to greater opportunity and awareness, DSS accommodates approximately 225 students with disabilities that include mobility impairments, visual and hearing impairments, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, psychiatric disabilities and severe chronic health conditions. Guthrie noted, however, that these are only semantic categories, and there's a great deal of variation among them.

DSS offers many programs and initiatives, such as classroom relocation and specialized furnishings, alternative print formats such as audio tape, library support services, course and program alterations, note-taker services, shuttle transportation with wheelchair ramps, peer mentoring programs and career consultation. Vassar also offers academic coaching, a resource that Guthrie says is unusual in comparison to other peer institutions. This coaching is designed to help students with disabilities become aware of their own unique learning style and give them opportunities to learn new skills in a supportive environment. In part, Guthrie noted, Vassar has its small size to thank for these opportunities to provide students with individualized attention, as well.

Guthrie also listed many structural improvements that have taken place at Vassar over the years, including ramp and side exits at Chicago Hall, automatic door openers and elevators in Main Building, new sidewalks, a FM listening system in Hallie Flannigan Davis Powerhouse Theater, as well as the current renovations to Jewett and Davison Houses, specifically with respect to wheelchair accessibility, elevator access and accessible bathroom facilities. The College is also currently reviewing proposals concerning two proposed wheelchair accessible entrances at Cushing House.

Vassar does pose challenges as a campus whose architecture, though pleasing to the eye, establishes many barriers in terms of accessibility. Recognizing that Vassar still has a ways to go, Guthrie is hopeful, and stated that many improvements and changes continue to take place. "The sky is endless in terms of what Vassar could do, and there's been a lot of progress in the last 20 years with respect to greater inclusion of students with disabilities and altering of the very definition itself," Guthrie said.