Affects of Organizational Structure

Organizational components of an institution arise from decisions made about environmental purpose and functions.  Again, emphasizing the idea of safety and security, the organizational structure also helps to shape the sense of security of students with disabilities. Strange (2000) explains that the larger the scale of operation is, the more challenging it might be to respond to the labor-intensive demands of individual difference.  With that being said, larger institutions have a harder time catering to the needs of students with disabilities.

From the demographic information I gathered at the beginning of the semester, I find it interesting that that larger institutions have a harder time giving programs to students with disabilities.  This is because from the basic information I gathered, 4-year and 2-year private institutions were more likely to provide services for students with disabilities than private.  Usually, public institutions are larger than private institutions. This is probably because there are MORE public institutions.  I also wonder if this speak on the quality of the institutions services.  Maybe public institutions are more likely to provide services that maybe aren't as good.

From the services I gathered that are offered at Owens Community College, students can choose from 16+ different accommodations for each class that they take.  I would consider Owens a larger institution and I think that their services are something that could be a good fit for everyone.  However, there isn't a Counselling Center at Owens, which I believe can lead to very different types of problems.  It appears that the organizational structure thinks that the recruitment and retention of the right kind of student is more important than making sure they help the students they already have.

For my other class I am working on a project about issues in higher education with a focus on change in regards of the institutional mission. I believe mission is what drives all of the organizational structures. With a mission statement that is geared towards serving students with disabilities, the organizational structure will follow. “The governance structure of the institution is one of the major components in understanding the mission of the institution and defining who will be served” (Barr, 2000, p. 31-32). The purpose of the mission is to guide how resources within the institution are utilized, what programs are implemented, and is the guiding force in all decision making processes within the institution (Stemler, Bebell, & Sonnabend, 2010, p. 384). The main purpose of a mission statement, other than showing the institutional goals, is to guide the decision making of the members within the community of the institution (Barr, 2000, p. 26).

Perhaps from my other project I have gained my own biases about how important an institutional mission is.  There are some that argue that a mission is just words put together that guide nothing:  I would disagree.  Birnbaum (1998) explains that the main element of the organizational structure is governance, or “structures and processes through which institutional participants interact with and influence each other and communicate with the larger environment” (p. 4). What guides these structures in what they do? The institutional mission. If an institution has a focus on inclusion of all students, students with disabilities will more likely feel welcome upon seeing that mission statement, and organizational units will create programming and services that work to fulfill that mission. According to Birnbaum (1988) there are three levels of responsibility in an organization: the technical level, the managerial level, and the institutional level (p.18). The technical and managerial level are driven by the institutional level (which I believe is where the mission falls)

It all boils down to the institutional mission and what these organizational structures are driven by. If inclusiveness of all students (perhaps helping the minority) is a stable in there mission, students with disablement will feel more comfortable coming to an institution, and will receive the services they need upon attending.

Birnbaum, R. (1988). How colleges work: The cybernetics of academic organization and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (Ch. 1-3, pp. 1-81)
Strange, C. (2000). Creating environments of ability. In H. Belch, Serving Students with Disabilities. New Directions in Student Services, Number 91. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 19-30.
Stemler, S. E. , Bebell D. & Sonnaned, L. A. (2010). Using school mission statements for
reflection and research. Educational Administration Quarterly, 47 (2), 383-420.
Barr, M. J. (2000). The importance of the institutional mission. In M. J. Barr & M. K.
Desler (Eds.), The handbook of student affairs administration (2nd ed.; pp. 25-
36). San Francisco: Jossey Bass

Ashley, Eric, and Lindsey: Learning Disability: Interview 2 ,3, and 4

I had the opportunity to meet with a student with a learning disability as well as conduct an email interview with another.

Ashley
First student I met with was Ashley.  Ashley made an appointment with me because she was struggling in her government classes and she was hoping that she could drop one of the classes.  Unfortunately, due to her financial aid and the requirements it had, she was unable to to drop the classes.  Ashley had been in prior to talk with another advisor about the situation who just dismissed her and told her to drop the classes (which she later found out she couldn't which was why she was back in to see me).  With her, I discuss the options she had. One recommendation I gave her was to go to the study skills center where should could get a tutor who could help her with study skills and may be able to get her connected with a peer mentor (who received an A in the class and was a great resource).  As I continued to talk with her, I asked her what kind of issues she was having in the class to try to gain more insight on what I could do, or who I could refer her to to help her further.  Finally she mentioned she had a learning disability.

I was amazing by how long it took for her to explain that she had a learning disability, and I was even more surprised when she didn't know that we had a disability services office.  Usually advising appointments are 30 minutes. Because I am still new in advising, I am given an hour time slot for appointments.  It took more than 30 minutes for me to finally know that Ashley had a learning disability, and she wasn't shy about it.  Ashley had been on IEP (individualized Eduation Plan) in high school and had been formally diagnosed with a learning disability (had all the paper work done) but no one had told her about disability services and what she needed to do to get the services she needed.  As much as I understanding that students must develop competence  (Chickering and Reisser), students still need to be guideded.  In high school students were given the resources they needed and now students must seek it out (it may not have been apparent that things had changed so drastically from high school).   After our appointment, I walked her to Disabiltiy Services,

I believe that discussion the physical environment and the human aggregate of the office is extremely important in this instance.  When Ashley and I walked into Disability Services there was a front desk area.  We weren't greeted  and I had to grab the attention of the secretary working before we were acknowledge.  Ashley explained her situation and the secretary was able to bring out one of the advocates for Ashley to talk to and make an appointment with.  As Ashley and the representative were talking, I grabbed a "request for accommodations form" from the front desk area so I could have more information how Owens' Disability Services.  As I started to walk out the secretary said "Excuse me, can I ask why you took that"... shocked by her tone of voice I stumbled over my words and explained that I was doing a project on Disability Services for the CSP program at Bowling Green.  The secretary said "oh" and the disability representative spoke up and said that he went to BGSU and gave me his card so I could contact him with any questions I had.

There are three things that upset me about that situation:

1. How unfriendly and unwelcoming the secretary was.  Sometimes students with disabilities are shy about their disabilities and it takes a lot for them to walk in there and ask for him.  When they are greeted (or not greeted) in such a way, it can really make them feel unwelcome.  I personally felt awkward, I can only imagine how someone who wanted help would have felt.

2. When she asked me why I took that paper, I could have been a student that was too scared to ask for help and wanted to see what services they had before committing.  I understand that she may have been trying to spark up that conversation had  I been one of those students, but it was aggressive and uncomfortable.

3. When the secretary called me out and I explained I was doing a project on students with disabilities (in front of Ashley), I worried whether Ashley thought I only had a vested interest in her because I was doing a project.  Now that Ashley knew, I wondered if she felt uncomfortable around me.

Because Ashley knew I was doing a project on students with disabilities now, I kept in contact with her to see how she was doing with the services and if there was anything else I could do for her.  When we emailed back and forth, she said that her classes were doing better and she was almost done with the process of getting signed up for disability services (she said they were very helpful).

Later, she met with me again, and she had gained the services she needed from disability services and she felt she was doing much better.  Ashley was much more outgoing the second time we met and showed much more confidence than before. She had nothing to hide anymore and she was happy to receive the services that she did, when she did (this is her first semester).  She says that if it weren't for me, she would never have gone to receive the help she needed.  This goes to show how important it is for the human aggregate to be open to students and to help them receive the services they need

A. Smith (personal communication, October 10, 2011)

To get in contact with the next two students with disabilities, I got in contact with students via email.  I had posted a status on my Facebook to have students with disabilities contact me so I could ask them questions for a project.  From there I explained the projected and asked them questions about what it was like to be on a college campus with a learning disability.  I explained that this would be anonymous and they didn't need to answer my questions if they didn't want to.

Eric
1. Have you used any services provided by BGSU for help with your learning disability? If so, were they helpful/ easy to obtain etc.?

"I have gone thought student disabilities. Hmm I not really use extra time but I wished they could have given me extra time on papers (where I struggle). I don’t like going to the writing center or the “special” writing center. They make me feel stupid because grammar and spelling is hard for me as well, as saying worlds I’ve never seen before. And on their websites it says don’t come if you want your papers edited. That’s where I need my help, because coming up with topics and support is not hard for me. My other adviser for my disability is really stupid when it comes to what I need and done need. I got wrong info so now I have to stay another semester, and that really upset me."

2. If applicable, are your teachers willing to work with you if you run into problems with classwork because of your learning disability?

I don’t tell them anymore but I’m in there office hours talking about “stupid” questions a lot. Freshman year I told a few and felt like they looked down on me.

3. What would you feel others don't understand about having a learning disability and what would you like them to know?

I don’t tell anyone because in HS and younger I got made fun of a lot, even though I can do the work. When I told professors they treated me different, like less of a student. Idk my disability doesn’t keep more from not doing work or not being able to do it. It just takes me a lot longer than the avg student so it’s not too apparent and I feel a lot of my upper level professors would never guess I have one. I would like people to know, I’m not stupid.

4. OVERALL, to you think that BGSU is accepting and accomodating of students with learning disabilities? If so, HOW? If not, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?

"I don’t know there isn’t something BG can do different but I feel like its socialite problems, in that people that are different reserve different treatment. Sometimes I wish I could tell people and get the extra help that sometimes I need but too afraid to tell. I just don’t want to be treated differently."

E. Smith (email communication, October 19, 2011)

Lindsey
1. Have you used answer services provided by Lourdes for help with your learning disability? If so, were they helpful/ easy to obtain etc.?

"Lourdes does really well in helping me with my issues. They helped me picked classes that the teachers are more willing to work with me and they helped me do part time classes so I wasnt so overwhelmed"

2. If applicable, are your teachers willing to work with you if you run into problems with classwork because of your learning disability?

"I go to disability for help and I also have a tutor that helps me for all my classes"

3.Are your teachers willing to work with you if you need things explained?

"All of my teachers so far are really helpful, my sociology teacher even lets me take my test orally if I need it or will read the questions to me and help me with them"

4. What would you feel others don't understand about having a learning disability and what would you like them to know?

"I feel like with my learning disability people think I am stupid and I cant read and I wont succeed in school, I want them to know that I am doing really good and I am not stupid it just takes me longer to understand some things" 

 5. OVERALL, to you think that Lourdes is accepting of students with learning disabilities? If so, HOW? If now, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?

" Lourdes is really accepting of students with disabilities they make sure everything is right at our fingertips with help and programs and just really good people with care"

L. Smith (email communication, October 19, 2011)

These two students have had two very different experiences.  Both to do with how inclusive and accepting the human aggregate is.  It seems as thought the services offered are not as important as how the people within the institution treat those with learning disabilities.  I think it's important to note that it may also have do to with the stigma they have placed upon themselves.  Eric for example talks about how he FELT.  Though it may be true that the human aggregate was not accepting, some of these stimgmas appear to the his own.  The societal views and behaviors make or break if a student feel accepted.

Affects of Human Aggregate

"Human aggregate components are those related to the collective characteristics of people in an environment" (Strange, 2000, p. 21).  These components range from demographic to psychosocial.  Environments that are inhabited mostly by individuals of one characteristic or type is said to be highly differentiated and consistent.  "The quality of anyone's experience is therefore a function of his or her congruence, or degree of fit, with the dominant group" (Strange, 2000, p. 21).  When an individual is in an incompatible environment they are less likely to be reinforced for preferred behaviors and is more likely to leave.  As I stated with the physical environment, safety and inclusion is extremely important, and this feeling of safety also comes from the congruence of the individual characteristics to the dominant characteristics in the environment.  According to the minority group paradigm (Jones, 1996) those who are of the numerical minority usually feel less welcome on campus.

I believe that the human aggregate is a very important aspect of the feelings of inclusion for students with disabilities because the term "disability" is socially constructed (which is also a big part of campus culture).    Jones (1996) explains that the social construction perspective  is based on understanding that what is believed about people with disabilties is based on meanings given to disabiltiies by those who do not have them. Regardless of where a student with a disability is, they are still the minority, regardless of where they are (except maybe the office of disability services).

Examples of how the Human Aggregate can affect students with disabilities.  
Low (1996) conducted several qualitative interviews with students with disabilities and noted the following:

-"Just as the road to hell is paved with good intentions, help from others may being students with disabilities into jeopardy" (Low, 1996, p. 239).  There are times when students that don't have disabilities try to help the students with disabilities which can end in making the situation worse. Low (1996) shared an anecdote of a time when a student was climbing up the stairs and another student grabbed their arm to help them and they ended up falling down the stairs.  The human aggregate needs to be informed on when to help and when not to.

-Sometimes the human aggregate can do the exact opposite form the situation about and ignore the disability.  This can be just as detrimental.  When a person ignores the disability they may say things that are harmful or hurtful like "let's go for a walk" or "you're crazy".  For someone with a mental illness, even joking around and telling someone they're crazy, but not meaning it in the literal way, can be very hurtful.

-Low (1996) explains that "the visible nature of student's disabilities often constrains the way in which others interact with them" .  In one of Low's interviews a student stated " if you're in a wheelchair people have to look down at you... they physically condescend to you" (p. 242).  This was something I had never thought about before.  Other people stated that they felt they would never have a relationship.  Students that don't have disabilities tend to stay away from those that do.  Because of this, students with physical disabilities tend to try to conceal them from the outside world so they aren't treated differently (not bringing all the needed materials for class like a brail machine, or not having a guide dog when it would be most beneficial)

-Students with learning disabilities and mental illness don't have to deal with the automatic stigma of a visible disabilities   These students, I believe more-so than students with visible disabilities, go back and forth between having a disabled identity and a non-disabled identity.  Low (1996) explains that there is an institutionalized acceptance of non-disabled identity, makes the student lose their disabled identity, which can be detrimental to the student who needs to accept the disabled identity to get the help and services they need to succeed.

-Eudaly (2002) in her paper about students with mental illness explains that instructors sometimes have worries about their personal and classroom safety when there is a student with mental illness in the class.  With these types of stigmas, even from teachers, fear to try to get the services they need because they are afraid to alienating themselves because those who are misinformed in the human aggregate of the institution (Eudaly, 2002, p. 3)

I believe that the human aggregate is probably what affects students with disabilities most.  From the social constructivist perspective, disability is constructed by the social environment/human aggregate, when in turn creates the campus climate and culture that the student is a part of.  The name "disability" already implies the contrary "abled" which in turn, already implies something negative.  On top of that, students must deal with the stigmas that SOCIETY (human aggregate) places on their already negative label.  Students with disabilities are already the minority which comes with its own hurdles, but must also deal with stigma placed on what is making them the minority.

Strange, C. (2000). Creating environments of ability. In H. Belch, Serving Students with Disabilities. New Directions in Student Services, Number 91. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 19-30.
Jones, S. R. (1996) “Toward Inclusive Theory: Disability as Social Construction.” NASPA Journal, 33, 347–354.Low, J. (1996).  Negotiating identities, negotiating environments: an interpretation of the experiences of students with disabilities. Disability & Society, 11, 235-348.
 Eudaly, J. (2002). A rising tide: Students with psychiatric disabilities seek services in record numbers. Retrieved October 10, 2007, fromhttp://www.heath.gwu.edu/files/active/0/psychiatric_disabilities.pdf

Affects of the Physical Environment

For students with disabilities, the physical environment plays a large role in the students' interaction.

According to Strange (2000), and Strange and Banning (2001) the physical environment can send symbolic non-verbal messages and can encourage or limit the interactions within an environment.  "The campus physical environment is an important feature that influences students’ attraction to and satisfaction with a particular institution” (Strange & Banning, 2001, p.14).

Nonverbal messages that may be sent to students with disabilities:
-having services on upper floors of a building with no elevator may give the non-verbal message that the institution doesn't care about the needs of students in wheelchairs.  This is an example of how physical structures can give off non-verbal messages(Strange & Banning, 2001, p. 23).

-the quality of the construction of wheelchair ramps. For example if it is made correctly versus incorrectly.  What struck me about this was that it wasn't something I had automatically thought about. To me, seeing a ramp makes me think "we care about the needs of students in wheelchairs" when in reality... this ramp isn't constructed correctly, which gives the nonverbal message to the students in wheelchairs, that their needs are not THAT important. The ramps Owens are functional because they have the ability to carry out the basic tasks However, they are out-of-date, and poorly functioning and poorly constructed ramp gives a symbolic message their needs are not considered The link between the function of something and the symbolic message it gives is “nonverbal communication”(example from Strange, 2000) (Strange & Banning, 2001, p. 16) .Perception is key

-having a sign for disability services with a persona in a wheelchair.  Students with learning disabilities may get the message that disability serivices isn't for them and may not feel comfortable going to receive services.

-landmarks of physical environment may be used by students that are blind.  When these landmarks are changed or moved around this can significantly affect how the student navigates by (Low, 1996)

-Something that Low (1996) emphasized that I had never thought about was the issue of time.  Students with disabilities may have a harder time getting to places in a timely manner.  Scheduling classes isn't just about allowing themselves to sleep in or have no Friday classes.  It's about ensuring they will be able to get there on time and allotting more time in between classes to navigate.

-Signs may play a large role in how accepted and normal a person feels.  If, for example, there are signs all around for the counselling center that seem welcoming and they offer free screenings... a student with a mental illness may feel more at ease to gain help.  This fives a message that the campus cares about students with disabilities and is more inclusive.

It's easy to understand that the physical environment tends to affect those with physical disabilities more-so than students with learning disabilities and mental illness.  Strange (2000) emphasized the importance physical safety and belonging and stated that "Students who lack a basic sense of belonging in an institution, free from threat, fear, and anxiety, will likely fail at other goals of learning" (p.23).  The physical environment is the first place that students gain a feeling of safety and security. Most on college campuses have this fulfill, but students with disabilities, particularly physical, are not given that sense of safety when the physical environment is not inclusive and does not cater to their basic needs.  From the basic demographic information I was able to find (in past entries) it seems that public institutions are much more likely to be inclusive than private (private may not even offer services for students with disabilities). On top of that, the number is growing...this statistic is for all disabilities yet services are still not always available.
Strange, C. (2000). Creating environments of ability. In H. Belch, Serving Students with Disabilities. New Directions in Student Services, Number 91. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 19-30.
Strange, C. C., & Banning, J. H. (2001). Ch 1: Physical environments: The role of design and space. In Educating by design: Creating campus learning environments that work (pp. 9-32). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
Low, J. (1996).  Negotiating identities, negotiating environments: an interpretation of the experiences of students with disabilities. Disability & Society, 11, 235-348.