By
I write in response to Nicholas Moore’s April 6 Cardinal article titled “U of L shoots itself in the foot once more”.
I take my responsibilities as Director of the Disability Resource Center very seriously, and it does concern me when I am characterized as stupid, ignorant and a law-breaker in the same article! I am fortunate to have a thick skin so I write this response not so much to dispel the myth that I am evil incarnate, but to address how eligibility for specific, disability related accommodations is determined. Mr. Moore states “the DRC’s decision not to award all disabled students with priority registration is based on complete ignorance”. In fact, decisions regarding accommodations are made on a case by case basis and involve a thorough and thoughtful analysis of the request. The premise that ALL students with disabilities should be granted the accommodation of priority registration is totally contrary to the requirement to consider each request based on it own merit. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended) are federal laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability; they are all about providing reasonable accommodations or modifications to provide effective access to programs and services. Precisely HOW to prohibit discrimination is, for the most part, undefined. Neither the statues nor the regulations are specific regarding “who” gets “what”. Mr. Moore’s assertion that all students with disabilities are legally entitled to priority registration is erroneous.
The granting of this accommodation at U of L is made on a case by case basis; examples of situations that may warrant this accommodation include but are not limited to students with very specific transportation needs due to mobility impairments, students for whom our office must identify and hire sign language interpreters, etc. The institutions (and there are some) of higher learning that DO grant this accommodation for all students with disabilities are, in my opinion, usurping their responsibility to provide this accommodation only to persons who require it to achieve equal access. Granted, making these decisions on a case by case basis is time consuming, but adding analytical judgment to any decision is what gives our office the credibility and respect that we have enjoyed for over 40 years. I would agree that all students, including those with disabilities, benefit from having the most manageable schedule possible and, for each student, defining “manageability” is unique. I contend that there are alternative ways to achieve a manageable schedule short of “carte blanche” priority registration; assisting students with disabilities with strategies to achieve the manageable schedule is a service that our office routinely provides. (My high school French teacher would roll over in her grave if she thought I had used the phrase “card blanche” as I was misquoted in Mr. Moore’s article!)
In conclusion, the Disability Resource Center at U of L does not grant priority registration to all students with disabilities for one simple reason- not all students with disabilities need it to achieve equitable access. We have confidence in our students’ abilities to assume the responsibility to register early and utilize resources to achieve the manageable schedule. By the way, I also do not automatically allow the person who is blind to go ahead of me in the Starbuck’s line, nor do I purchase light bulbs from the telemarketer who shares that he or she is disabled (unless of course I happen to need light bulbs). To do so is nothing short of condescending and runs counter to the efforts of the majority of persons with disabilities who prefer to be viewed as peers rather than as objects of charity.
This is my stance – if this makes me stupid, ignorant, and a law-breaker, then please arrest me immediately. In the interim, I will continue doing what the University has charged me to do, balancing the rights of students with disabilities to equitable access to University programs and services while maintaining the academic integrity of the institution. I welcome further discussion and can be reached at 852-6938 or cathy.patus@louisville.edu. Thanks for the opportunity to comment.
Cathy Patus
Director, Disability Resource Center
