Every March, institutions across the country recognize Disability Awareness Month as a time to celebrate the progress that has been made by the urging of disability advocates, reflect on the improvements that can still be made on our campuses and raise awareness about the resources available in our community.
At Purdue University, everyone shares the responsibility of making our campus equitable and accessible. This Disability Awareness Month and every month after, let’s unite in our commitment to creating an environment where everyone — regardless of ability — can take their next giant leap.
Students are encouraged to advocate for their needs by requesting accommodations through the Disability Resource Center (DRC). Staff and faculty are entrusted with the task of fulfilling these accommodations. And the DRC serves as a vital resource that supports and guides students and faculty in matters of accessibility. When we share in these responsibilities, we can create a more inclusive campus for all Boilermakers.
What is the DRC?
The DRC serves disabled undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus and Purdue Polytechnic Institute Statewide Programs, whether part-time, full-time, or online. The staff of the DRC strives to proactively identify and remove barriers to access while promoting inclusion. The DRC also determines reasonable accommodations for eligible Boilermakers.
What informs the DRC's work?
The four pillars that support the DRC's mission and vision include:
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): In accordance with ADA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, no qualified person will be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the University because of disability.
- Social Justice: Disability is an aspect of diversity, integral to our society and to the Purdue community. All disabled students are valued members of the Purdue community and should have equitable access to all curricular and co-curricular offerings of the university. The DRC works to ensure that access is provided seamlessly, with minimal additional burden on the disabled student.
- Universal Design: The DRC promotes universal design, the idea that experiences should be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible, ideally without the need for individual adjustments. Identifying and removing barriers to access in the design process can result in an enhanced experience for all participants and reduce the need for individual accommodations.
- Disability Studies: Disability Studies is a multi- and interdisciplinary academic field of inquiry that defines impairment as naturally occurring on the continuum of human difference. Experts in the field challenge the dated view of disability as an individual deficit or defect, emphasizing instead that individuals are disabled by their environments, not by their impairments.
Pictured: Young Hall at Purdue University, which houses the Disability Resource Center on its 8th floor
What resources are available?
The DRC offers a comprehensive and coordinated approach to meeting a diverse set of needs across Purdue’s campus. For students, the following resources are available:
- Access consultations to determine appropriate accommodations
- Peer Mentor Program
- On-campus support for accessibility concerns
- Mental health resources
For staff and faculty, the following resources are available:
- Consultations on implementing accommodations
- Testing Center for accommodated exams
- Assistance making classroom materials more accessible
- On-campus support for accessibility concerns
In addition to the DRC, more resources are available through other organizations, including:
- Purdue Testing Services
- Center for Instructional Excellence
- Vice Provost for Teaching & Learning
- Innovative Learning
For more information about Purdue’s Disability Resource Center and the university’s mission to be accessible for all, please visit their website.
Emily Jones
Communication Manager for Student Success Programs, jone1594@purdue.edu