Disability Pride Guide
MSU is recognizing October as Disability Pride Month. This month includes recognition for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Down Syndrome Awareness Month and World Mental Health, among others. MSU is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of people with disabilities and furthering advocacy.
Accessibility is a central tenet of diversity, equity and inclusion at MSU to support visible and invisible disabilities and create opportunities to maximize ability through partnership.
This guide provides stories, perspectives and resources to learn about disability and our campus community. Submit feedback to inclusion@msu.edu.
The concept of this guide and the identification of its resources is attributed to Access Specialist Colleen Floyd in the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, or RCPD. We thank Colleen and RCPD for increasing MSU's understanding of the need to support access for all.
Upcoming events
Universal Access: Accessibility in the Library World Exhibit
This exhibit, curated by the Michigan State University Libraries’ Accessibility and User Experience units, showcases the MSU Libraries’ commitment to accessibility, demonstrated through its collections and archives, assistive technologies and equipment, and spaces. This exhibit also provides interactive sensory experiences via the sound dome and tactile table. Located in the 1st floor of the MSU Library, this exhibit will be up through January 31. Learn more on the Libraries’ website!
Collaboration with Strange Matter Coffee in the Union
All October long, Strange Matter Coffee in the MSU Union will be adding disability stickers to all their to-go cups!
Adaptive Sports Day
Get started celebrating Disability Pride Month at MSU by attending Adaptive Sports Day with the Council of Students with Disabilities. Enjoy Trasketball, Handcycling, Pickleball, Sit Volleyball, and more in the Demonstration Hall Arena on Saturday, October 5th from 1 – 4 pm. Thank you to our sponsors, MSU Recreational Sports and Fitness Services MSU Adaptive Sports & Recreation Club for helping us host this event for over eight years and for providing this programming year-long!
Disability Justice with Lydia X.Z. Brown
Join our virtual speaker event and learn more about Disability Justice with Lydia X.Z. Brown, a prominent figure in the disability community on Monday, October 7th from 6 - 7 pm! The Council of Students with Disabilities and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities look forward to hosting Lydia X.Z. Brown as we kick off our second year celebrating Disability Pride Month at MSU. Register on Zoom for login information.
Love, Simeon HIVES event
Love, Simeon is a motion-picture experience and imagined cinema workshop that cross-cuts between HIV and COVID to examine the nature of spillover events. These are zoonotic viral vectors that entangle human and non-human actors in the messy webs of the medical-industrial complex. Rhesus macaques emerge as the receptacles of our hopes and futures in the face of these devastating illnesses. In this workshop, we turn our attention to the hopes and futures of these simians who labor for our lives in the shadows. Register to join the 3pm screening, October 10, in Snyder-Phillips Room C203.
Disability Bingo
Join the Council of Students with Disabilities for Disability Bingo in Bessey Hall Room 114 on Thursday, October 10 from 5 - 6 pm. We’ll be learning about disability fun facts/trivia all while experiencing the highs and lows of a bingo game. No prizes, but if you win, you’ll get campus bragging rights!
Universal Access: Accessibility in the Library World Open House
Thursday, October 17 the Libraries’ Accessibility Team is hosting an Assistive Technology Center (ATC) Open House from 1 – 2 pm. This exhibit, curated by the Michigan State University Libraries’ Accessibility and User Experience units, showcases the MSU Libraries’ commitment to accessibility, demonstrated through its collections and archives, assistive technologies and equipment, and spaces. This exhibit also provides interactive sensory experiences via the sound dome and tactile table.
Hallowzine Disability Zine-Making Workshop
Celebrate MSU Disability Pride Month with a beginner friendly, zine making workshop! We'll provide some supplies and instruction to get you started expressing yourself in this fun, interactive style. Happy Hallowzine!
Presented by the MSU Libraries and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities.
If you have questions about accessibility or need to request accommodations, please email lib.dl.accessibility@msu.edu.
Alex’s Great State Race
Each year on the eve of the MSU v. U-M football game, an elite team of Army ROTC Cadets from both universities come together to run the game ball across 64 miles of Michigan back roads and finish at the university hosting the game. Alex’s passion for MSU, joy in athletics and zest for life is celebrated along the way! Learn more on RCPD's website. More event details coming soon.
Campus stories
Additional stories
MSU leads collective effort to strengthen Michigan’s direct care workforce
Disability Summit: Fostering Disability Identity in Higher Education (msu.edu)
Spartans of education and health innovation
Ask the expert: How can adults help prevent youth suicide?
MSU launches new center to help individuals with disabilities
Disability perspectives
Videos
STRIDE/RCPD student job placement program on campus. To learn more, check out the Building Opportunities for Spartan Success.
Supporting Spartans with Disabilities in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Supporting Spartans with Disabilities in Registered Student Organizations
Visible: MSU Students' Stories of Hidden Disabilities
My Body Doesn't Oppress Me, Society Does
I'm Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much
Podcasts
Disability Visibility hosted by Alice Wong
Disability Activist and Media Maker Alice Wong talks about life through a disabled lens. The podcast features conversations on politics, culture and media with disabled people.
The Loudest Girl in the World hosted by Lauren Ober
Host and Producer Lauren Ober shares the understanding and journey of what it means to be on the autism spectrum, and how to navigate life as a newly diagnosed autistic person.
Books
Disability Visibility: First Person Stories from the 21st Century, edited by Alice Wong
As a collection of contemporary essays written by disabled people, this book brings the conversation of disability justice to the forefront and explores the urgency and importance of being represented in the media.
Ways to get involved
Council of Students with Disabilities
CSD is an undergraduate student organization at MSU for students with disabilities and their support system that focuses on awareness, advocacy and support. The group strives to empower students with disabilities by offering a safe and welcoming environment where conversations can be had about concerns, experiences and ideas. The CSD hosts meetings throughout the semester as well as engaging and accessibility events. This fall, the group meets on Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. in Bessey Hall Rm 114. Find more information on their Instagram.
Alex Powell Spartan Experience Leadership Endowment
Alex’s Great State Race occurs each year in honor of Alex Powell to raise money to support students with disabilities. Proceeds from the race support the Alex Powell Spartan Experience Leadership Endowment, which provides funding for professional development focused on capacity and specialized assistance to those facing challenges around difficult disability dynamics. To donate and learn more, visit the giving page.
Accessibility on campus
How families can help students with disabilities as they begin working
Connie Sung, professor and director of the master’s rehabilitation counseling program, and Marisa Fisher, a board-certified behavior analyst and associate professor of special education, share advice for support systems on how to prepare students with disabilities as they enter the workforce after graduation.
Learn more about digital accessibility to help remove barriers at MSU
Accessible Design helps to remove barriers when it comes to internet usage as a way to ensure the success of internet users. MSU provides resources, training and guidance on the Accessibility and Universal Design website.
Inclusive restrooms on campus
MSU has restrooms on campus designed for single-occupancy. Students, employees and visitors may use restrooms that correspond with their gender identity. There is a map that provides the locations of accessible and inclusive restrooms throughout campus, with instructions on how to differentiate between the various types of bathrooms available.
Multi-sensory patio at Bessey Hall
RCPD has partnered with Infrastruture Planning and Facilities Campus Planner Steve Troost and IPF Landscape Architect Yun Cao to create a multi-sensory patio area at Bessey Hall. The construction has created a place for occupants, students, visitors and community members to experience multi-seasonal visuals, smells and textures from the varied plantings and hardscaping elements used.
Outreach services to support employee readiness
The STRIDE Center provides various outreach services to ensure and support employee readiness. Each of the programs focus on accommodation and training, which can be found on the STRIDE website.
Disability and Reasonable Accommodation Policy
MSU is committed to full inclusion of persons with disabilities. To ensure that inclusion is supported and incorporated on campus, the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance created a Disability and Reasonable Accommodation Policy.
Tools and support
Disability and accommodation training (Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities)
The self-enroll D2L course, RCPD Disability and Accommodation Training, helps MSU instructional staff become more informed about the experiences of disabled students and improve their effectiveness with facilitating accommodations. Using text, videos and resources from various disability scholars and activists, the course covers disability education, RCPD office and accommodation information and accessibility best practices.
Assistive technology support
RCPD Assistant Director of Assisitive Technology Innovation Tyler Smeltekop is available to meet with students to help with Assistive Technology by appointment both in person and virtually. Connect with him via email to set up an appointment (smeltek5@msu.edu).
Assignment tracker
The Assignment Tracker is a tool that can be used to input homework, projects and other assignments from your classes to have them organized by their due date. This template can be copied and used for future semesters.
Tower Guard support
Tower Guard is a second-year student organization that volunteers with RCPD to support all students in an effort to make MSU a more accessibility community. Students can complete this form to submit a request and be matched with a Tower Guard member.
MSU places
Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, or RCPD, was created as a response for equal access to a university education for all students. The center strives to create a welcoming environment, fortify capacity and compassionately challenge each person to reach their fullest ability. Team RCPD assists students, employees and visitors with resources that build a community of opportunity through a variety of sources.
Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders
The Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences seeks to advance the understanding of speech, language, voice, swallowing and hearing. They strive to translate scientific discovery to improve diagnostic and treatment approaches for individuals with disorders through cultivating knowledge. The department offers a masters and doctoral degree, as well as several undergraduate preparatory classes.
STRIDE
STRIDE is a Center designed to support and train underserved people with disabilities, their families and other community stakeholders. The Center aims to provide training, conduct research, engage with communities and fulfill the land-grant missions of MSU. STRIDE offers a variety of services and programs to help aid in creating a more accessible community.
Office of the ADA Coordinator
The Office of the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator facilitates MSU’s compliance with its Disability and Reasonable Accommodation, Anti-Discrimination and Web Accessibility policies, as well as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, Michigan’s Persons with Disabilities Act of 1975 and other laws and regulations prohibiting disability discrimination and harassment. In addition, the office oversees the Presidents Advisory Committee on Disability Issues that ensures broad institutional input on matters relating to persons with disabilities of all characteristics at MSU.
Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education
CEPSE is a department within the College of Education, and is dedicated to the study of human learning and development in individuals. The department has five program areas of different levels and modes of study with the opportunity to learn and collaborate across disciplines.
Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling Program
The College of Education offers a Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling Program offers opportunities to advance expertise in the areas of counseling, the social and psychological aspects of disability, the vocational rehabilitation process, case management, ethical practices, independent living, disability management, transition from school to work, vocational assessment, career development and employment strategies. The degree program is dedicated to preparation and promotion in effective delivery of rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities.
Student organizations
Council of Students with Disabilities (CSD)
Graduate Student Accessibility and Support Network (GSASN)
Spartan Alliance for Disability Inclusion and Equity (SADIE)
Additional resources
Disability as DEI presentation (RCPD)
Inclusive Communications Guide
Guidelines for inclusive online spaces
Join the conversation
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