Disability Resource Center Student Success Programs

Annual Report 2023-24

Mission Statement

The Disability Resource Center (DRC) provides leadership, guidance and facilitation of equal access for disabled students resulting in their full participation in curricular and co-curricular offerings. The DRC contributes to the design of inclusive environments for all campus participants through education and collaboration with students, faculty, staff and community partners.

Vision Statement

The DRC aims to be a global leader in contributing to full access for all students participating in curricular and co-curricular activities.

Program Elements

The DRC provides a thorough and coordinated approach to address the diverse needs of the Purdue community. Key program elements include:

Program Elements

  • Individualized Student Support: Conduct one-on-one meetings with students through an interactive process to identify environmental barriers and create personalized access solutions.
  • Accessible Material Development: Produce alternative format course materials that are accessible and usable for students with diverse learning needs.
  • Campus and Community Resource Liaison: Facilitate referrals and connect students with beneficial campus and community programs, resources and support networks.
  • Accommodated Testing Assistance: Support faculty in providing necessary accommodations for testing to ensure student access is met and establish dedicated testing support for instructors in Indianapolis through a newly created testing center, with all procedures managed and overseen by DRC staff based in Indianapolis.
  • Peer Mentor Program Development: Develop and sponsor a peer mentorship program to support the social and academic growth of disabled students.

Collaboration and Support

  • Faculty Consultation for Accommodations: Advise faculty on implementing course accommodations that maintain the integrity and elements of the course while meeting student accessibility needs.
  • Outreach Engagement: Participate in events and outreach activities for prospective students and families, emphasizing Purdue's commitment to accessibility and support.
  • Collaborative Accessibility and Inclusion Support: Contribute to university-wide collaboration to advance accessible practices, offer guidance on inclusive instructional design, consult on accessible physical space planning, promote a shift toward viewing accessibility as a shared campus responsibility, and serve as a resource to nurture a culture that values and prioritizes inclusion for all members of the university community.
  • Disability Awareness and Culture Education: Deliver class presentations on topics including disability awareness, inclusive design, and disability culture to foster campus-wide understanding and empathy.
  • DRC Scope and Role Presentations: Provide presentations for staff and instructional personnel to clarify the role and services of the DRC.
  • Housing, Dining and Parking Accessibility Coordination: Maintain ongoing communication with University Residences and Dining Services to ensure students’ housing, dining and parking accommodations are met.
  • Legal and Equity Consultation: Collaborate with the Offices of Legal Counsel and Institutional Equity as needed to ensure compliance and promote equity.

Program Outcomes

The DRC promotes an environment that reduces barriers for students so they can achieve equal access in all curricular and co-curricular activities. Through their engagement with the DRC, students will:

  • Understand Their Right to Equal Access: Gain a deeper comprehension of their legal and institutional rights to equal access across all aspects of the university experience.
  • Recognize Available DRC Services and Support: Become familiar with the various DRC services available, including educational programming, course accommodation letters, testing accommodations and faculty collaboration.
  • Clarify the DRC’s Facilitative Role: Develop a clear understanding of the DRC’s role in facilitating accommodations and rely on DRC staff for support rather than independently negotiating with instructors.
  • Achieve and Persist Academically: Perform and persist at similar or better rates than their nondisabled peers, fostering academic success and retention.

These outcomes align with Purdue’s commitment to fostering an equitable and accessible educational environment for all students.

Notable Changes From 2022-23 Academic Year

  • New Leadership: Mandie Greiwe joined as the new DRC director in November 2023, marking a new chapter in leadership and strategic direction.
  • Purdue Indianapolis: The DRC in Indianapolis formally launched July 1, 2024, and is staffed by Assistant Director Jordan Grammas and Access Consultant Betsy Kiel. There are roughly 200 students engaged, and the staff oversees a testing center to support accommodated exams.
  • Consultant Team Expansion: The DRC expanded its team in West Lafayette to include three senior access consultants and nine access consultants. It also added an assistant director and an access consultant in Indianapolis to better meet student needs.
  • New Staff Onboarding: Eight new staff members were recruited and trained — six in West Lafayette and two in Indianapolis. This required a significant investment in onboarding resources.
  • New Case Management Software: The DRC launched an updated version of the Accessible Information Management (AIM) software, significantly improving case management efficiency.
  • Consistent Accommodation Application and Language: All accommodations were reviewed and updated to ensure consistency in language, application and understanding for DRC staff, students and faculty.
  • Procedure Updates for Flexible Deadlines and Attendance: Revised processes were implemented to enhance support for reasonable access accommodations related to flexible deadlines and attendance.
  • Faculty Accessibility Consultant Collaboration: DRC staff are working collaboratively with the Center of Instructional Excellence’s faculty accessibility consultant to support proactive access in the classroom.
  • Rebuilding Departmental Relationships: The DRC prioritized efforts to rebuild and strengthen relationships with departments that previously experienced tension or challenges when collaborating with the DRC.
  • Increased Student Registration: The DRC experienced continued growth, serving an additional 679 students compared to the previous year. This was a 1.1% increase in the total percentage of Purdue students engaged with the DRC.
  • Temporary Accommodations: The DRC saw an 81% increase in temporary accommodation support from the 2022-23 school year. Staff have made a concerted effort to ensure that faculty, staff and students understand the DRC supports temporary disabilities.
  • Parking Accommodations Overhaul: The DRC worked closely with Parking Services to create a streamlined process for accessible parking, including connecting students with the state BMV for accessible placards.
  • Peer Mentor Program: A graduate student was hired to coordinate the program and foster a sense of belonging among students with disabilities. This redesigned is intended to provide balance for full-time staff members in the DRC.
  • IDA+A Project: The DRC is engaged with IDA+A and other campus partners on a project to understand factors that contribute to achievement differences between disabled and non-disabled students. By identifying and analyzing these gaps, the hope is to pinpoint actionable opportunities to enhance equity and support disabled students' academic success.

Program Assessment

The 2023-24 academic year marked transformative growth for Purdue University’s Disability Resource Center through new leadership, an expanded team and enhanced operational processes. All of these efforts were aimed at reinforcing an inclusive, accessible environment for students.

Our Data

For a full picture of our data from the 2023-24 academic year, please view or download our Full Annual Report by clicking the button below.

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