During this slick, icy weather, many people may feel physically impaired. A simple walk to class becomes a nuisance, if not an entire ordeal.
But for a wheelchair-bound student, a trip to class is always an ordeal. For a deaf student, taking notes in class can be an ordeal. Yet, most students and faculty carry on merrily, never needing to worry about their ability to perform routine tasks.
To bring attention to this, the Learning Needs and Evaluation Center partnered with Student Council's Disability and Access Committee to organize Disability Awareness Week, featuring a series of events such as film showings and student panels.
Co-organizer Greg Propp, who works with deaf education and the Learning Needs and Evaluation Center, explained some motivations behind the event.
"Historically, the population [at the University] has been primarily 'invisible disability,'" he said. "Recently, we've had a tremendous increase. In terms of physical disabilities, we're seeing more and more students coming here. Hopefully this will be an eye-opening event."
Many eyes remain shut, however. Several events had to be postponed due to inclement weather, the most prominent of which are the simulations. This activity in particular would have given people a hint of what it's like to be disabled.
"The idea behind the simulations was that we'd ask people, like some of the deans and active students, to get in wheelchairs and go to class or work in wheelchairs," said second-year College student Bridget Lowe, co-organizer of the week and Council Disability and Access Committee chair.
"One girl e-mailed me back and said, 'It's snowy and icy. Do we really have to do it?' And it's interesting, because people who are disabled are disabled every day," Lowe said.
This sort of dismissive reaction, along with a general lack of recognition of disabled students, is what Propp, Lowe and others aim to work against. And their devotion to the cause continues outside just one week in January.
"There's been a big cryout for diversity," Propp said. "But if you look at every speech Casteen has made, there's no mention of disability. When you think about the mission statement of the University, about the search for intellectual knowledge and a free and open diverse society, it's important to have a wealth of perspective. Disability brings to bear on diversity as much as any other population, and I think it needs to be valued as much as any other"
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