Student Disability Services: Helpful or Harmful

Co-authored with Alina Brown, Pao Sanchez-Gonzalez, & Jude Zash

---

St. Edward’s University claims equal access for its students with disabilities. Those students say otherwise. What does St. Edward’s provide in the name of accessibility and how does it compare to what they claim?

Students at St. Edward’s begin their time at the university believing that their campus is inclusive of those with disabilities. As students spend more time around one another, they notice that the claims the university makes lack the follow-through that SEU is proud to share on its website.

The St. Edward’s Student Disability Services (SDS) mission statement states, “...SDS fosters an inclusive campus community by providing equal access to students with disabilities.” SDS’ mission statement is discredited by other declarations made on its website.

During an interview with Student Disability Services, a representative stated that their policies are “an active work in progress… that’s why we double check things yearly because the rules and regulations in regards to these disability services change frequently. We have to make sure that our policies are current.”

Students in need of accommodations understand that changes cannot happen overnight. The issues that hinder those in need, though, are long overdue. While students recognize that St. Edward’s is making strides to create a more inclusive campus, the institution itself is not remaining accountable for its students with disabilities.

The university is relying heavily on students and staff to jump through hoops to get the accommodations they need to be successful at this institution. Students should be able to rely on their university to help them–not create more harm.

See our chatbot for specific examples and student testimony about misinformation propagated by SDS and the university at large.

---

Cover Photo Credit to Chelsea Purgahan at St. Edward's University