BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
University Disability Advisory Committee
Newsletter April 2015
Growing Number of Disabled Students
in Higher Education
By Robert Wislock and Darlene Perner
There is a growing number of students with disabilities who are enrolling and
succeeding in U.S. colleges and universities (Snyder & Dillow, 2010). A 2013 report
from the U. S Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) indicated that 11 percent of undergraduate students in the U.S. reported
disabilities. The disabilities identified by the students included specific learning
disabilities, attention deficient disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD), physical challenges, and psychological conditions. More detailed information
about students with disabilities are available in the NCES 2011 report (Raue & Lewis,
2011)
With this increase in student enrollment, Bloomsburg University’s Office of
Accommodative Services for Students with Disabilities (OAS), like other university
disability offices, offers a variety of services to support students’ accessibility in
classrooms and on campus. Some services include testing accommodations, note
taking, adaptive equipment, audio books, and interpreting. A comprehensive student
support network is also established in collaboration with other campus offices such as
Tutorial Services, TRIO Student Support Services, Academic Coaches, Academic
Advisement, Center for Counseling and Human Development, Veteran Affairs Office,
and Writing Center that facilitate specific support services based on the individual’s
needs. Students with disabilities who actively utilize these services tend to be more
academically successful than students who do not (Lightner, Kipps-Vaughan, Schulte,
& Trice, 2012). Yet, there are students with identified disabilities who do not access
these university services. The number of students with disabilities who do not use
services varies according to recent research studies. However, the important
questions focus on the reasons that students do not access disability services and
how university staff and faculty members may encourage and support students’ use of
these important networks.
Continued on page 3
“Everyone is handed adversity in life. No one’s
journey is easy. It’s how
they handle it that
makes people unique.”
-Kevin Conroy
In This Issue

Quick Tips

Social Media

Veterans Affairs

Guest Speaker Series

Closed Captioning

Honor Society

Pet Therapy Day
Social
Media
Presence
By Suzi Glowaski
Accommodative Services’ Facebook page : www.facebook.com/BUOSD
Quick Tips:
Office of Accommodative Services
Located in the Warren Student Services Center – Room G043
REMINDER TIPS FOR BLUE FORMS:


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Write legibly
Confirm you wrote the correct date and day on the form
Include the professor’s first and last name
Include the course name and number
Remember to get instructor’s signature if needed on the request form prior
to submission
REMINDER TIPS FOR DISCLOSURE FORMS:


Students are required to meet with Dr. Wislock at the beginning of each
semester for a renewed disclosure form, including summer sessions.
It is highly recommended that you make your appointment with Dr. Wislock
for the Summer and/or Fall semester before leaving campus in May.
REMINDERS FOR FINALS WEEK: INSTRUCTORS




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Email requests for final exams will be sent to instructors by OAS staff 2
weeks prior to exam date
Instructor should email exam as an attachment to the original exam request
or hand carry the exam to OAS no later than 2 days prior to the exam date
Instructor includes exam directives ie: use scantron, calculator allowed,
class notes or open book permitted
Instructor or deptartment secretary should pick up exam in OAS
Please contact or stop in the Office of Accommodative Services with any
questions or concerns
Contacts: Linda Tomashefski – x4265 or Denise Recla – x5205
During the Fall of 2014 the
Office of Accommodative
Services for Students with
Disabilities launched a
Facebook page. Students,
faculty, and staff are
encouraged to visit the link
and ‘like’ the page. The site
is updated periodically with
news regarding the office,
deadlines that students
may find useful, study
habit/time management
strategies as well as a
‘Student Worker Spotlight’.
We plan on continuing the
spotlight to include staff
and faculty involved with
the office as well. Please
feel free to visit the page,
like it, and send any
suggestions for the page to
Suzi Glowaski
(sglowask@bloomu.edu).
Guest Speaker
Series:
A Veteran’s
Perspective
This coming fall, the
committee will bring
nationally renowned Iraq
War veteran, Bryan
Anderson, to campus.
Anderson, a Purple Heart
recipient and one of the few
triple amputees to survive
his injuries in Iraq, has
received extensive media
coverage including USA
Today, Esquire Magazine,
as well as numerous
articles in major
newspapers and
publications, from his
hometown Chicago Sun
Times to the LA Times and
NY Times. In 2012,
Anderson won a regional
Emmy Award for his PBS
television show, Reporting
for Service with Bryan
Anderson. He also authored
a book entitled, “No Turning
Back: One Man's Inspiring
True Story of Courage,
Determination, and Hope.”
Continued from page 1
Growing Number of Disabled Students
in Higher Education
There are common reasons that students do not actively contact and interact with
university disability offices. One major reason students do not use these services
is they want to avoid negative stereotypes or a “social stigma” with other students,
and faculty and staff members (Marshak, Van Wieren, Ferrell, Swiss, & Dugan,
2010). Other reasons include time constraints, a student’s desire to establish a
personal identity free of a disability, negative experiences with faculty members,
and personal questions about the usefulness of the disability services (Lightner et
al., 2012; Marshak et al., 2010).
However, students with disabilities who were choosing to not use academic
support services tended to seek out accommodations when they experienced
failure in one or more courses. In order to establish a more positive relationship
where a greater number of students are aware of available services and are
comfortable with requesting services, university disability office staff need to
provide critical information to students and the university community about its
services, documentation requirements, and office processes. In addition, faculty
and staff members who discover a student’s need for services in their interactions
should encourage and refer students to discuss their needs and services with
disability office staff members. At Bloomsburg University, individuals can access
information about these services at http://www.bloomu.edu/accommodativeservices, or make an appointment by visiting the office in Warren Student Services
Center, ground floor, room 043.
References
Lightner, K. L., Kipps-Vaughan, D. Schulte, T., & Trice, A. D. (2012). Reasons
university students with a learning disability wait to seek disability
services. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 25, 145-159.
Marshak, L., Van Wieren, T., Ferrell, D. R., Swiss, L., & Dugan, C. (2010).
Exploring barriers to college student use of disability services and
accommodations. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22,
151-165.
Raue, K., & Lewis, L. (2011). Students with disabilities at degree-granting
postsecondary institutions (NCES 2011–018). U.S. Department of
Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC:
U.S. Government Printing Office.
Snyder, T. D., & Dillow, S. A. (2010). Digest of education statistics 2009 (NCES
2011-013). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education
Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC.
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2013).
Digest of education statistics, 2012 (2014-015), Chapter 3. Retrieved from
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d12/
Guest Speaker
Series: Paul
Wichansky
This Spring, we had the
pleasure of hosting Dr.
Paul Wichansky, affiliate
of A Vision in Motion
Speakers Bureau. His
presentation asked people
to consider how your
challenges can become
among the greatest gifts
you have in life.
Overcoming Adversity
By Tess Fosse
In April of 2015, Dr. Paul
Wichansky came to
Bloomsburg University of
Pennsylvania to speak on
Overcoming Adversity as
a Person with Disabilities.
Wichansky is a
motivational speaker who
focuses on spreading
awareness surrounding
anti-bullying, peer
leadership, character
education, and optimistic
outlooks. His
presentation, sponsored
by the University’s
Disability Advisory
Committee, Social Equity,
and the College of
Education, took audience
members on a journey of
inspirational anecdotes.
As part of our vision
statement explains, “Bloomsburg University aspires to be a diverse
community that produces positive change” (www.bloomu.edu/strategic).
Falling in line with the university’s vision, Wichansky explained how,
“Allowing our imagination and our realistic possibilities to soar, enables us
to confidently leap over some of the most overwhelming hurdles that life
throws our way.” It is necessary for all persons to realize their individual
abilities and use those strengths to overcome obstacles placed in
their path. Only through such positive changes in perspective can people
reach their full potential.
“Each of us can be heroes — ordinary people who
triumph over extraordinary circumstances — like our
favorite television characters do every week.”
―Paul Stuart Wichansky
At the conclusion of his presentation, Dr. Paul Wichansky opened the floor
up for questions. His openness, humor, and optimism made for a
welcoming and enjoyable presentation. The University Disability Advisory
Committee is excited to continue sharing Dr. Paul’s perspective, creating a
campus environment that takes the focus away from the disabilities and
places it on abilities. We hope to accomplish this through ongoing
education, presentations, and future initiatives on campus.
Closed Captioning coming to the BU Website
By Becky Kovach
An initiative was started last fall in hopes of securing professional captioning on Bloomsburg
University’s website. Captioning benefits a variety of populations; Deaf/Hard of Hearing, visual learners,
English Language Learners, etc. Currently BU uses free voice recognition software which does not
always accurately portray the university’s message. After several months spent researching the number
of videos on the website and estimating future captioning needs, we compiled the data and presented
our findings to the Bloomsburg University Executive Staff. The appeal for funding was approved. We are
now in the process of captioning videos and hope to have them have up and running in the near future.
Honor Society Opportunity for
Students with Disabilities
By Cori Gresh
During the spring 2008 semester, Bloomsburg University of
Pennsylvania, through the Office of Accommodative Services for
Students with Disabilities, organized the Omicron Chapter of Delta
Alpha Pi Honor Society, an international honor society established to
recognize students with disabilities for their academic accomplishments.
In addition, this honor society facilitates development of skills in
leadership, advocacy and education for participating students. Although
membership was successful for a few years, the chapter eventually lost
momentum. The fall of 2014 saw a renewed interest in the organization
with several students attending an informational meeting in hopes of
getting the honor society up and running again.
A meeting held February 20th, 2015 presented an opportunity for
students in attendance to brainstorm ideas for participation in a charity
event during the spring semester. Ideas discussed were The Big Event,
Special Olympics or Relay for Life, as well as dues and an induction ceremony. At the meeting on
March 24th, 2015 a fundraising event was planned for Wendy’s on April 13th, 2015. These are the
beginnings or what we hope to be a successful organization creating campus-wide impact.
Criteria for Delta Alpha Pi includes a documented disability and be affiliated with the Office of
Accommodative Services for Students with Disabilities, as well as demonstrate an interest in disability
issues. Undergrad students must have completed a minimum of 24 credits and earned an overall
Quality Point Average of 3.10. Graduate students must have completed a minimum of 18 credits and
earned an overall Quality Point Average of 3.30. For more information or other inquiry please contact
the advisors: Cori Gresh (cgresh@bloomu.edu) or Marybeth Bergen (mbergen@bloomu.edu).
Students enjoying Lincoln’s company on Pet Therapy Day
Diesel
Riley
Pet Therapy Day
By Maureen A. Hill and Montana Drumheller
Imagine the sights and sounds heard during a marriage proposal or a birth announcement: the
outstretched arms inviting a hug, the tears of joy, the clapping of hands, the “ooo’s” and “ahh’s”, gasps, and
affirmations. That is exactly what was witnessed on campus the week before Spring Break 2015 and will
occur again during Finals Week 2015. Pet Therapy, or Animal-assisted Therapy, is a “goal-directed
interaction designed to improve the quality of life through the utilization of the human animal bond” (Delta
Society, 1991) where ‘pet’-ting a dog, cat, or rabbit is allowed and highly encouraged! Research has shown
the many therapeutic benefits of animal-assisted activities from quicker recovery time for heart surgery
patients to lowered blood pressure and heart rates in college students faced with the stress of exams, to
increase confidence in children when reading to a trained therapy canine or feline, and to veterans
regaining the normalcy of life when suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. For the past thirty years,
scientists have researched and have proven that contact with animals lessens anxiety and reduces pain,
depression, and fatigue. Pet Therapy is being used in nonmedical settings as well, such as universities and
community programs to help people deal with stress and anxiety, provide emotional comfort, attain bodily
equilibrium, and provide overall healthy sense of well-being.
Last fall, the Office of Accommodative Services for Students with Disabilities invited certified therapy dogs
and their handlers from The Susquehanna Trail Dog Training Club to educate our university community
about the many beneficial effects gained through animal-assisted therapy, as well as an opportunity to
bask in the unconditional love of a dog. Due to the overwhelming paws-itive response from that initial Pet
Therapy Day 2014, we have garnered subsequent visits, and enlisted some of our Bloomsburg University
faculty and staff who, with their own pets, have participated in a sanctioned dog training organization and
received pet therapy certifications!
One of our goals is to develop a Pet Therapy Pilot Program here on campus in order to provide this
alternative, innovative, and holistic practice on a more regular basis. Through the Office of Accommodative
Services for Students with Disabilities, in conjunction with the Office of Drug, Alcohol, And Wellness
Network, we sponsored “Pet Therapy Day: The puppies are back in town…” a 2-day event before Spring
Break. We will have therapy dogs here, again, on Monday, May 4, 2015 from 2-4pm and Tuesday, May 5,
2015 from 12:30-2:30pm located in the outside area of the rear entrance of the Student Services Center
(SSC), near the ATM (Rain location will be the SSC Atrium/Lobby).
We welcome the Bloomsburg University community to support our endeavor and to partake of the
innumerable benefits of animal-assisted activity on Pet Therapy Day.
Film Presentation:
No Ordinary Hero,
The SuperDeafy Movie
By Marybeth Bergen
The movie “No Ordinary Hero, The SuperDeafy Movie” will be shown on
campus April 29, 2015 at 7:00pm at the Gross Auditorium in Carver
Hall. The movie is co-sponsored by the Department of Exceptionality
Programs within the College of Education. In the movie, Deaf actor John
Maucere plays a superhero on a TV show who must look beyond his
cape to inspire a Deaf boy to believe in himself. This film marks the first
time in cinematic history that a SAG commercial feature film is executive
produced exclusively by Deaf executive producers and directed by a
Deaf director. The film will have open captions so everyone can be
entertained by and appreciate this unique film.
The film will be shown again in the Fall, at which time the star of the
movie, John Maucere, will attend the showing and present his one-man
show. More details will be made available as soon as they are finalized.
Disability Advisory Committee
Contact Us
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
Newsletter Editor
Mrs. Tess Fosse
tfosse@bloomu.edu
www.bloomu.edu/
disabilities
“Bloomsburg University does not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national
origin, ancestry, disability, or veteran status in its programs and
activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of
1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and
other applicable statutes and University policies.”