Skip to main content

University "Giving Up" Autism Support Program

I wish I could say I am shocked... but I'm not. The announcement below is probably going to become the norm. Minnesota: leading the way in autism acceptance, I suppose.

Special Supports to be Discontinued

The University of Minnesota is terminating the Strategic Education for Asperger Students pilot program.

The University of Minnesota is announcing this change in disability services effective June, 2008. This change will affect all students registered for services related to ADD/ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, High-Functioning Autism, and PDD-NOS.

With the SEAS pilot program ended, the University has decided that DS specialists should work with students only on academic accommodations (extended test time, notetaker, etc). Specialists can no longer work with students as they have with SEAS.

I have been told the basic implications could include:

  1. The end of scheduled appointments (no longer meeting weekly or monthly)
  2. No special support for other issues like time management, social issues, writing help, and coaching.
  3. No mediation with departments to explore alternative accommodations.
  4. No special outreach to faculty, as SEAS was the conduit for autism awareness training.
There is no way, absolutely no way, I could have completed my Ph.D coursework (yeah!) without the help of the dedicated individuals in Disability Services. I had several seizures, fell (with injuries) a couple of time, and in general struggled with the topography of the university. I really do thank the people at DS and within the Office of Diversity.

To learn the university is saving money by cutting supports is truly disheartening.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Comments violating the policies of this blog will not be approved for posting. Language and content should be appropriate for all readers and maintain a polite tone. Thank you.

Popular posts from this blog

Autistic Burnout

Summer demands a lot of social energy, especially for parents. For autistics, the never-ending social calendar of summer can cause serious autistic burnout. Host C. S. Wyatt discusses his need to find a balance between social demands and self-care. Check out this episode!
Post a Comment
Read more

ABA and NARTH

There must be something better out there. I'm not sure what, but the more I interview functional adults with autism who received ABA-based or similar therapies, the more I know there must be a better approach. The problem is, I have no idea what that "better approach" is. I'm not a psychologist. I'm a language arts and autism specialist. My research is on how autistic students learn to master written communication (which doesn't really mean "written" in all cases). I am not a therapist. I am not a counselor. But there has to be a better way to help students and young children. I am not suggesting all ABA-based therapies in use today are bad. I sincerely believe ABA must be revised, researched, and ideally all connections to anything Lovaas did forgotten to history. I'd even like to see whatever evolution occurs to have a name other than "ABA-based therapy." The history and associations are that troubling. So, understand I'm ca...
19 comments
Read more

More on Autism Puzzle Piece Logos, Symbols, Ribbons

I joined Twitter on the first day of 2011 ( @autisticme ). I also joined a Twibe (seriously?) and registered with WeFollow.com to learn more about what autism-related Twitter feeds might exist. Within a few days, I was already observing a familiar debate. In fact, it the debate I described in the single most-viewed blog entry of The Autistic Me, which dates back to 2008 (see " Logos, Symbols, and Ribbons "). Various "Aspie Advocates" are still protesting the puzzle piece. I'm sure they will be protesting the puzzle piece next year, in five years, and a decade from now. The "neurodiverstiy" (ND) movement doesn't like the puzzle piece. (Everyone's brain is different: neurological diversity is a fact of life.) Honestly, I don't care for the puzzle piece either. I've written and said that I find it personally off-putting. If I am a puzzle, I'm not more or less of a puzzle than most human beings. I'm told, "Oh, no, it is autism ...
10 comments
Read more