Serving Longwood since the 1990s, the Office of Disability Resources has assisted students, faculty, staff and visitors, doing everything from providing disability-based housing to ensuring accessible parking. According to Director of Disability Resources Lindsay Farrar, about 10 percent of the student body is formally registered with the office and the number of registered students has doubled over the years.
“We are able to successfully fulfill our mission and vision to increase awareness, remove barriers and promote an inclusive environment where students are empowered to be successful learners, self-advocates and citizen leaders,” said Farrar in an email.
For example, the program helps students academically by enabling students to share notes if a fellows classmate isn’t physically able to take them during class. An able student in the class may copy notes, then leave them in the Disability Resources office to be picked up and used by the student unable to record the notes.
The office, located in Graham Hall, provides services like academic accommodations, alternate format services, assistive technology, and interpreting. According to Farrar, Longwood’s Disability Resources stays up-to-date with best-practice methods in the field and constantly expands the program to improve and successfully accommodate the student body and faculty.
“Additionally, our campus-wide programming and partnerships benefit all students, regardless of disability or being registered,” said Farrar.
The program is staffed with three full-time professional staff members and two student workers during the academic year. Student workers can be enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs to qualify. Farrar works alongside associate director Dana Kieran. The program’s 2016-17 Student Resource Team includes Graduate Resource Assistant Hunter Reese and Student Resource Assistant Stephanie Miller.
Director of Disability Resources Lindsay Farrar said the office has more than doubled the number of students it serves since its establishment in the 1990s.
