The 2019 Annual AHEAD Conference was held July 9-13 at the Westin Boston Waterfront and broke records with over 3700 people in attendance! After beginning with two days of in-depth preconferences, the rest of the week was highlighted by over 100 sessions; the first AHEAD anti-ableism caucus; a keynote presentation by Haben Girma, the first deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law; an Exhibit Hall with over 60 vendors; an accessibility scavenger hunt; and ended with an awards banquet and fabulous after party!
We look forward to having you in 2020 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa
Palm Desert, CA (July 20 – 24)!
Conference highlights include:
First AHEAD Anti-ableism Caucus Held at 2019 Annual Conference
Submitted by: Jen Dugger, Teryn Robinson, liz thomson, Melanie Thornton
Introduction
In the field of disability services in higher education, an outsider might naively assume that ableism--in its many forms--does not exist. How could it exist, they might ask, when the purpose of the profession is to ensure barriers are removed to education and that disabled students can succeed alongside their non-disabled peers? How could we, as disability service providers, be ableist or perpetuate ableism? Of course, as we know, well-intentioned individuals unwittingly make mistakes all the time that have significant negative impacts on others. Our field is not immune to the cultural ableism that exists all around us and it is our responsibility to acknowledge this and make improvements that lead to a more just profession and organization.
What Got Us Started
All of us have experienced the culture of higher education administration, the field of disability resources, the AHEAD organization, and the AHEAD Equity and Excellence Conference in different ways. It’s critical that we recognize that we are all connected to disability in different ways as well. Some of us identify as disabled; others do not. However, the facilitators and participants all came to the Anti-Ableism Caucus with certain shared values:
- Disability is dynamic and fluid
- Disability is an identity of various conditions with shared common experiences of marginalization
- Ableism exists and is harmful
- There is a positive disability identity, culture, and community
- The intersectionality of identity is important
As Disability Service (DS) providers we also recognized the power, privilege, and responsibility that comes with our role; “Nothing about us without us” is critical to our work; and that breaking down barriers and causing no more harm is everyone’s shared responsibility.
What is Caucusing?
The idea to work separately and together to combat ableism through caucusing came from similar work being done to confront and dismantle racism. For those unfamiliar with the concept of identity-based caucusing, racial caucusing is widely understood as an effective strategy for examining racism and its impact on people of color within organizations. When doing this, participants are separated into groups that correspond with their racial identity. For people of color (those without racial privilege), a caucus can provide a safer space where vulnerability is easier to achieve and where conversations can lead to a greater understanding about the impact of racism on the lives of people of color on everything from upward mobility to survival and so much in between. For white folks (those with white privilege), the conversation can assist in addressing institutional racism and developing strategies for moving the organization toward antiracism and racial justice. For both groups, there is freedom to discuss individual experiences and thoughts without the potential of offending or negatively impacting those in the other group and there is a sense of community built around anti-racist work and racial justice. Here are a few resources to help you learn more about anti-racism caucusing:
Anti-Ableism Caucus
After a strategic marketing campaign and all of us reaching out to folks we knew, a total of 55 people signed up. Of the 55, 32 people self-identified as disabled. We all started out as one large group, did introductions, went through Working Assumptions, and together created Community Ground Rules. Then, we divided into two caucuses - non-disabled and disabled. We had one hour to discuss about five questions each of the co-facilitators had created. It was safe to say that everyone in each group needed and wanted more time. “In the disabled caucus, we did more in-depth introductions and got through one question,” says Thomson. For each caucus, we took notes and made them available to those respective participants.
Overall Takeaways and Next Steps
Doing this caucus session was something new for AHEAD. However, based on the feedback provided to the facilitators, it was a valuable experience and there was interest in continuing the conversation--perhaps with a longer pre-conference session. There was a strong sense of community among the members of both caucuses and some strong emotional reactions. We appreciated everyone being vulnerable and also having humility with the experience. For many in the disabled caucus, this was the first time being in the same room with other disabled Disability Service providers or others in higher education. While AHEAD has many Special Interest Groups (SIGs), most are organized around student-related topics rather than personal identities. Furthermore, to continue the conversation and to give additional care and attention to any lingering thoughts and feelings, we’re hosting a conference call for participants.
Caucus Facilitators
- Jen Dugger (she/her/hers) is the Director of the Disability Resource Center at Portland State University. She identifies as a non-disabled, queer, cisgender, white woman.
- Teryn Robinson (she/her/hers) is beginning a new role in Academic Advising at Loyola University Chicago. She identifies as disabled, queer, cisgender, and white.
- liz thomson (they/them/theirs) is a PhD candidate in Disability Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the Director of Equity, Diversity, and Intercultural programs at the University of Minnesota, Morris. They identify as a disabled, bi/queer, Vietnamese adoptee, gender non-conforming female.
- Melanie Thornton (she/her/hers) is the Coordinator of Access and Equity Outreach at the University of Arkansas, Partners for Inclusive Communities. She identifies as nondisabled, lesbian and white.
2019 AHEAD Award Recipients
Service Recognition
Jim Kessler was recognized for his many years of service and dedication to AHEAD. Kessler’s career spans forty-three years and includes public (state and federal) and private rehabilitation agencies. During the last thirty-two years, he has worked with various disability services in higher education in a range of areas implementing accommodations and ensuring access for individuals with disabilities on campus. Jim has an impressive professional background that includes:
- Former Director of the Department of Accessibility Resources at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (16 years; currently retired)
- Founding member of NC AHEAD; President, 1996-1997
- AHEAD Board President, 2004-2006
- AHEAD Orientation and Mobility Consultant (present)
Student Recognition Award: Megan Zahneis
Megan Zahneis, is a senior at Miami University in Oxford, OH. She is pursuing a double major in journalism and interactive media studies with a minor in disability studies and community-based leadership. Megan is a champion for inclusion and changing the attitude around disability on campus. During her first-year, she became a founding member of a campus student organization known as the Students with Disabilities Advisory Council (SDAC). SDAC has been Megan's avenue to share her vision of what disability means and has enabled to her to change perceptions around disability.
Professional Recognition Award: Dr. Arlene Kanter
Dr. Kanter is currently the Bond, Schoeneck, and King Distinguished Professor of Law at Syracuse University, where she also directs the Disability Law and Policy Program. Syracuse University has a long and distinguished legacy of disability advocacy and continued leadership in the field of Disability Studies and Dr. Kanter's career has been an integral part of that legacy. Her accomplishments include:
- Spearheaded the first joint Law and Disability Studies program in the USA at Syracuse University
- Teaches courses that focus on Disability Law and Policy, including International Human Rights and Comparative Disability Law, Disability Law, Advanced Disability Law and Policy, Special Education Law, and Civil Rights Law
- Awarded the prestigious Laura J. & L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence
Partner Recognition Award: Campus Recreation at Missouri State University
In 2012, Missouri State University unveiled a state-of-the-art Recreation Center, which is managed by Campus Recreation. Throughout the planning of this new facility, Campus Recreation put forth an intentional effort to make accessibility an essential component of the process. They solicited input from the Director of the Disability Resource Center, as well as students with disabilities who attend Missouri State to create an inclusive space. Aside from ensuring the physical space was accessible, they added adaptive workout equipment that was able to be utilized by all students.
Partner Recognition Award: Dr. Kay Jansen
Dr. Jansen, the Undergraduate Program Director of the College of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has been spearheading a change in the College of Nursing (CON) to a holistic admissions process. While working on this new holistic admissions policy, Dr. Jansen became aware of a potential applicant who was discouraged from applying to the program due to a disability. In order to help rectify the situation and influence ableist attitudes within the CON, she assembled a taskforce made up of several UWM faculty members, staff, and graduate students. To ensure best practices were followed, Dr. Jansen consulted several experts in the field as well as multiple stakeholders at UWM. The fully rewritten and updated policy ensures that those with disabilities will not be excluded.
JPED Reviewer of the Year: Dr. Janet Medina
Medina said, “I have been working in the field of Education for the past 32 years. My experience with students has covered a wide range, including working with students with disabilities, English Language Learners (ELLs), students from economically challenged backgrounds, first-generation college students, and academically-challenged students. Helping secondary students make the transition to postsecondary education and beyond has been an important part of my personal and professional life. Students with disabilities, ELLs, and ELLs with disabilities, especially, have unique needs when facing the prospect of navigating the path to a postsecondary education.”
Durasae Hall Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award: REDD SIG
This award was established to publicly honor an AHEAD member or group of members who have promoted diversity within our profession and/or the place of work of the candidate(s). We recently changed the name of this award to honor the memory and legacy of Durasae Hall whose many significant contributions continue to push AHEAD to be a more inclusive and equitable organization. This year, for the inaugural DH Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion award, we choose to recognize the Racial and Ethnic Diversity and Disability special interest group, the REDD SIG, a group of leaders passionate about promoting diversity across our members and our programming.
Meritorious Contribution Award: Larry Markle
Larry has a long history in disability services at Ball State University. He is committed to service and uses disability studies to inform and advance his work and is dedicated to mentoring younger disability services educators. He is a past president of the Indiana affiliate of AHEAD and served on the planning committee for two national AHEAD conferences (Louisville and Indianapolis). Larry helped create the AHEAD SIG on disability athletics and served as AHEAD’s liaison to the NCAA. He has been an active member of AHEAD for twenty years, has presented at 13 national AHEAD conferences and over 100 other international, national, regional, state, and local professional settings.
Ronald E. Blosser Dedicated Service Award: Jane Thierfeld-Brown
Jane was nominated for AHEAD’s highest honor by numerous members, evidence of how overdue this honor is. While it’s impossible to represent everything Jane has done for AHEAD and the field, an excerpt from Neera Jain’s nomination letter provides a wonderful overview: “Jane’s commitment to the field of disability access in higher education is encapsulated in the concept of “Shine Theory.” Coined by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, the theory outlines a way of being with others in the world that calls for, “An investment, over the long term, in helping someone be their best self—and relying on their help in return. … Shine Theory is a commitment to asking, ‘Would we be better as collaborators than as competitors?’ The answer is almost always yes.” Jane has generously given counsel and engaged in partnerships with other practitioners with the larger mission of improving access and building sustainability in the field. Through her efforts, she has supported the development of the next generations of leaders with humility, respect, compassion, and expertise. That web of practitioners shines brighter because of Jane’s tireless efforts.
Conference Report from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing SIG
Submitted by Lauren Kinast
The Deaf/HH SIG met at AHEAD 2019 to get acquainted with everyone in attendance and provide an opportunity for those who wished to share current challenges on their campuses. We had a total of 7 individuals attend the meeting, a mix of current members of the Deaf/HH SIG and individuals interested to join. Some of the challenges discussed were social opportunities / engagement ideas and events for students, providing dual accommodations (e.g. interpreting and speech-to-text services) and self-advocacy skills. The group then discussed the purpose of the Deaf/HH SIG and what kinds of support disability services professionals need from this group. It was suggested for the Deaf/HH SIG to become more active as a community of support. Members Nadaya and Julie were interested in volunteering as needed for the Deaf/HH SIG. Join the AHEAD: Deaf and Hard of Hearing SIG community listserv to connect with others and to seek support on serving deaf and hard of hearing students!
The Deaf/HH SIG would like to Thank Cassie Franklin for serving as Co-Chair for the last two years, we are excited to welcome Nadaya Cross to serve as the new Co-Chair, working alongside with Lauren Kinast from the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes. Nadaya is currently the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Coordinator for Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. Nadaya believes in equitable access to course materials, campus activities and student services in Deaf peoples’ native language, American Sign Language or written English. Nadaya strives to build a thriving community between Deaf and Hard of Hearing students with their hearing peers. Nadaya is a certified (Texas BEI) professional Sign Language Interpreter and has been providing interpreting services to the Deaf Community since 2015. In her free time, Nadaya enjoys binge watching TV with her husband, spoiling their two dogs and knitting all of the yarn.