The week of Oct. 12-16 is Disability Awareness Week at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
During this week, several organizations on campus will be working together to bring attention to A&M-Commerce’s disabled student population.
“There are currently 145 students enrolled on our campus that registered with our office,” Leigh Ann Powell, coordinator of student disability resources & services at A&M-Commerce said.
Disability Awareness Week is a series of planned events headed by student disability resources and services. The week is intended to increase campus and community awareness about different disabilities and the ways they impact people in their everyday lives.
“The disabled student population has definitely grown since last year,” Powell said. “During this week we hope to work together and gain a better understanding of disabled people’s struggles, so we can help them more.”
Several events will be happening during this week. On Oct. 13, the Diversity and Dialogue conference with guest speaker Marcus Engel will be held in the Sam Rayburn Student Center Innovations Room from 12-1:30 p.m. Later that day, Engel will give the keynote address from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Ferguson auditorium. On the 14th, the Disability Awareness Week feature movie, Radio, will be playing in The Club at 7 p.m. The 15th wraps up the week with two sporting events. From 3-5 p.m., there will be a goalball tournament in the Morris Recreation Center gym. At 5:30, the University of Texas at Arlington Movin’ Mavs wheelchair basketball team will be playing the Dallas Mavericks wheelchair basketball team, also in the MRC gym.
“All of these events are free and open to everyone,” Powell said. “There will be a lot of door prizes, free food and shirts for everyone coming.”
While student disability resources and services is heading the week, there are several organizations and departments on campus helping with the planning and execution of this week. The Student Council for Exceptional Children, career development, the Counseling Center, and the department of human health performance will all be involved. Gee Library is also participating.
“I think it’s important for us at Gee Library to be visible and participate in a week like this,” Adam Northam said. Northam is the digital collections librarian at Gee Library.
Northam said he knows from personal experience A&M-Commerce’s standing on accessibility for disabled students.
“I think A&M-Commerce has made huge strides in disability awareness,” Northam said. “I was a student here from 1999 to 2002, and I have been working here for about three years. They have always been accommodating, but earlier you had to ask for it more. Now, it’s more readily available for students.”
As one of the biggest service locations on campus, Gee Library’s involvement can be crucial in the events of this week.
“It’s good for the students to know what is available on campus to help them,” Sarah Northam said. Ms. Northam is the business reference and outreach librarian. “Especially if you’re a first time student, something like this encourages them to get out and use the resources that we offer them.”
The library offers handicap-accessible technology on a daily basis. “We have books about disabilities and dealing with them,” Janet Bridges said. Bridges is the cataloging and library assistant at Gee Library. “We also have Braille books, a Braille typewriter and stations in the library disabled students can use.”
Gee Library will be hosting a booth at the student’s disabilities fair from 10 a.m. – 2p.m. The fair will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15 in the Sam Rayburn Student Center.
For more information about Disability Awareness Week, contact Leigh Ann Powell with Student Disability Services and Resources at (903) 886-5835.