By Tariq Richardson
Montclair State University via the school's official website.
More than 19 percent of undergraduate students and 12 percent of graduate students reported having a disability during the 2015-16 school year. In 2022, 15 percent of students mentioned having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD. According to the Pew Research article "Eight facts about Americans with disabilities," citing the 2021 ACS estimate, American Indians and Alaska Natives are 18 percent more likely to have a disability, but Asian and Hispanic Americans are the least likely, at eight and 10 percent respectively, to say they have a disability.
The article reads, "The shares of White and Black Americans who both report living with a disability falls in the middle at 14 percent."
While resources exist on college campuses to help students with disabilities have a successful experience, these resources are far from perfect. Limited resources restrict the attention colleges can provide, which is why Bloomfield College and Montclair State University students teamed up to find a solution.
Since January 2024, Montclair State and Bloomfield College students have traveled between the two campuses, discussing and aiming to improve disability services at both institutions. This project aims to raise more student voices and research much-needed changes within the disability centers.
The project started because students didn't feel either university made the necessary changes to support services. There was a lack of pressure on administrations to implement changes. Students at MSU and Bloomfield College created surveys for those with disabilities and mental health challenges. Conducting interviews with these students was paramount. They also interviewed faculty working with disability services and former staff for additional perspectives. The interviews provided valuable information and feedback.
Dr. Timothy Pure, an assistant director at MSU's Disability Resource Center with years of experience with students with disabilities, commented on the merger. Regarding how Bloomfield students can benefit from MSU's services, he said, "When we share that with Bloomfield, they're able to look at some things and say, 'Oh, that would be cool to try on their campus.'" He added, "We can learn what Bloomfield has done and improve by bringing in innovative approaches from that campus."
When asked about MSU improving disability services, Pure replied, "We always proceed from improvement. We question what we're doing—are there better, more effective ways? We look at internal processes to improve."
Margaret Adams, head of Disability Services at Bloomfield College with over 21 years assisting those with special needs, shared her teenage camp counselor experience teaching deaf, blind, Chinese-speaking children to swim—"a real leap of faith on their part." Regarding future changes from the merger, Adams anticipated "a lot of changes with unification across campuses. We're aligning policies, procedures, digitizing, and accommodating everyone."
Even with accommodations, problems persist, as evidenced by Kyle Cox's experience as a grad student at Texas A&M. According to an NBC News article, during an ice storm on January 19, 2019, the 24-year-old was on his way to class when the elevator for his wheelchair malfunctioned, trapping him outside at College Station for over 30 minutes.
By the time he was released, his class was over.
Cox stated, "Problems like this do happen on campus, and I end up missing class or getting there late. Even when I leave, sometimes it takes up to an hour before class to give myself enough time to make it."
To gather input, Bloomfield and Montclair State held suggestion box events for voicing opinions on disability services, personal mental health experiences, and the term "disability" itself—revealing differing perspectives on the latter.
Both colleges made strides in spreading awareness. Massive improvements are needed across campuses nationwide to make college more comfortable for students. The goal is to ensure they enjoy and grow over four years, as Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast...you could miss it."
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