U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
Date: Thursday, February 27, 2014
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: 216 Hart Senate Office Building
The role of institutions of higher education is to facilitate intellectual growth of students--not punish them for their struggles. Education policy should not be focused on us as sick members of society needing treatment, but individuals with disabilities with a right to education and employment.
Based on my experiences and advocacy work with other students I recommend three major areas in need of attention: (1) policies that facilitate grassroots organizing by students for independent mutual support and self- and systems-advocacy; (2) institutional policy change, including education about accommodations tailored to students with psychiatric disabilities; (3) ensuring confidentiality and privacy in campus counseling settings, oversight of involuntary leave policies to prevent schools from dismissing students, and critical investigations of the consequences of stigmatizing policies to increase student surveillance.