Letter from URI President Robert L. Carothers
February 12, 2004
Dear Colleagues,
Since the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, there has been a sea change in the ways in which our society addresses the needs of the differently abled. Indeed, rather then further separating people with disabilities from what are traditionally considered mainstream populations, the ADA has served to assist us to understand that disabilities are more broadly present an our society than previously understood. We now realize that accommodation for disabilities must take a myriad of forms from the wheelchair accessible doorway to the note taking assistant in the classroom. As a community of scholars, we have learned to look beyond the disability to the ability. We now recognize that students with physical and learning disabilities enrich our campus with their unique perspectives and range of talents. In fact, among them have been some of our most successful recent graduates.
While the medical and research communities continue to unravel the complexity of many disabilities and make astounding progress in their diagnosis and treatment, those of us outside the medical profession it often find it difficult to keep abreast of the range and definition of disabilities let alone our appropriate role in assisting students who are so challenged. Fortunately, we are a community dedicated to the welfare of our students and have managed to serve many disabled students well through sensitivity and commonsense. However, we also realize that there is an information gap between their needs and our understanding. To assist us in improving our ability to meet the needs of students with physical or learning disabilities, the Office of Disability Services has prepared this Guide. I am sure you will find it informative and helpful in assisting students who may enroll in your classes. I encourage you to make a note in your syllabus inviting students with documented disabilities to talk with you, thereby ensuring that they have an opportunity to succeed through appropriate support. Please also be aware of the considerable assistance that the Office of Disability Services can provide you in working with students with documented disabilities.
Sincerely,
Robert L. Carothers
President
