Mt. Holyoke College fails

[newsflash]

My best friend has a lot wrong with her. She's a juvenile diabetic. She's got a disease called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) that makes mobility an issue. She uses a service dog for stability and balance and to pick up things she otherwise would be unable to, among other uses.

Understandably, it's hard to complete formal education with all of this going on, which is why she hasn't finished her undergraduate degree. So imagine her elation when she was accepted to Mount Holyoke College under their program for non-traditional students. She was part of a group of older students whose educations had been interrupted for whatever reasons--health, children, poverty, career.

To make a long, painful story very short, she's had a shocking, nightmarish experience at Mount Holyoke, which you would expect to be a liberal, supportive environment since it's a women's college. She was led to believe everything would be in place for her arrival and that disability services there were top notch. However, it's been a nightmare. She was unable to eat in the cafeteria the first two months of school because the student workers told her she couldn't bring a dog in. Disability services told her they weren't sure what they could do, because not all student workers might understand an email saying they couldn't refuse her service. She was given a room on a third floor that her scooter wouldn't fit in, and when she complained she was told to leave her expensive piece of medical equipment in the lobby. When they finally moved her to a new dorm room, she had to go across campus to shower in her old dorm because they didn't install grab bars in her shower. She wasn't given accommodations letters for her professors for months. Etc. She learned her experience wasn't isolated, and after months of pain and frustration last semester, she and a large group of disabled students met with the dean of the college, with very unsatisfactory results.

My friend blogs about it here.

Comments

[meansgirl]

That is unbelievable. I hope they throw the book at these jerks.

[jackandahat]

"because not all student workers might understand an email saying it was illegal for them to refuse her service"

How the hell can they not understand? Presumably if they're working with people, they have at least one language in common with their bosses. What's hard to comprehend about "You are breaking the law by not letting her in. Stop breaking the law, she's allowed in."

And sadly, yeah, the "If you keep "making trouble" we'll deal with you..." is all too common in education.

[hilarytamar]

Dear god in heaven. That's just… it's completely outrageous. I've been sitting here trying to find more words and coming up blank. I'm really glad your friend has been able to coordinate with other students and put both legal and public pressure on the administration. 'How to enforce your rights 101' is hardly the education she should have to be getting.

(And I understand all too easily how someone can get to being dean by being evil, but I'd think an understanding of the concept 'PR nightmare' would be a prerequisite.)

[jadelennox]

that story totally sucks. Sadly, I've worked in many well-meaning, liberal universities, and that never translates to a responsive accessibility department.

[chosenmortal]

........oh my god, that is awful. i'm an alum of mount holyoke, and you better believe i'll be writing to them about this. this is fucking terrible.

[synecdochic]

FLAMES on the side of my FACE AUUUUUUGH.

[codeman38]

How... how is this LEGAL? >_<;;

[elekdragon]

*inarticulate yell*

I want to say I'm surprised to hear all this, but after visiting that area, I'm totally NOT surprised. Disgusted and angry and *flails* but not surprised.

[amadi]

College Students.

At one of the most exclusive colleges in the country.

Wouldn't understand "let her in with her service dog" if told so by their superiors.

I got that far and my brain shut down. I don't even know...

[pauamma]

I'm speechless.

[softestbullet]

Holy shit.

Sometimes I'm glad I just dropped out when I became disabled, rather than trying to get accommodation. :/

Mount Holyoke College

[mjcurtis]

While Mount Holyoke College cannot comment on the details of this situation, there are inaccuracies in this account and we are attempting to meet the student's needs to her satisfaction. Mount Holyoke is fully committed to providing equal access to all of our students, and we address each and every student issue with all of the resources at our disposal.

[ironed_orchid]

Oh My God!

That's utterly appalling. The third floor!

I had temporary accom in a student apartment designed for disabled access while the fulltime resident was on fieldwork. It was on the ground floor, was in a straight line from a card activated gate, had an open plan design with grab bars, the bathroom floor was completely level for wheelchair access to shower, and there were emergency call buttons by the bed and in the bathroom. I am shocked that any campus can't offer at least some dorm rooms set up to these requirements.

[watersword]

::jawdrop:: I work at another Seven Sisters disability office. I am forwarding this to my boss and flipping out.

[killing_rose]

I've been trying to come up with a way to respond, but to be honest? I have no words. I do, however, have an overwhelming need to strangle Mt. Holyoke's administration.

And yet, I'm not actually surprised. Massachusetts liberal arts colleges...sometimes, they drop the ball on accessibility. (Obviously, this is not the case everywhere. I'm actually only comparing this to the liberal arts college I attend in northern Mass.)

[lovely_evil_wolf]

Who can we contact?