ACCESS, the Vassar organization for students with disabilities and allies, has been keeping busy! On Friday, October 5, ACCESS held a very successful game night in the Faculty Parlor in Main.  ACCESS’ began holding game nights to provide an alternative activity for students on Friday nights.  ACCESS’ next game night is November 16th.  Location TBD.

Dean Chenette’s recent curricular proposals have also caught ACCESS’ attention.  After discussing the changes, ACCESS has decided to write a letter to Dean Chenette in support of the reduction of the course credits required to graduate from 34 to 32.  With the current course credits requirement at 34, students have often elected to take more than 4 credits in a semester throughout their four years here.  ACCESS recognized that taking more than the standard 4 credits in a semester can often be more difficult for students with disabilities (for a variety of reasons).

Finally, as you all know, the Bookstore will be relocating.  This relocation will also bring a lot of other moving of offices and such.  With spaces opening up, ACCESS has taken this opportunity to push for a disability cultural center, similar to the LGBTQ Center, ALANA Center, and Women’s Center.  Why is ACCESS pushing for this kind of space? Here are just a few reasons:

1. Currently, there is no space on campus for students with disabilities.  Although AEO provides individual academic support and accommodations, there is no permanent, accessible, community space for social, educational, and cultural activities on disability issues for students and faculty.

2. Students with disabilities are an important group to recognize and support.  One in ten students on campus are registered with AEO and there are many more with unregistered disabilities or an interest in disability issues.

3. Disability cultural centers are beginning to pop up at colleges all over (including UC Berkeley, Syracuse, Georgetown, and Wesleyan, to name a few)!

4. It would provide students with a supportive, safe, and open space on campus that would foster a welcoming environment for the discussion, understanding, and support of disability issues and concerns.