Ella Hahs:Disability Resource Center

The Disability Resource Center eases anxieties for students with ADHD, but DEI drawbacks pose devastating losses.

 

“College was the best four years of my life,” is a statement that is not foreign to any student on the precipice of their college career. In movies, college is depicted as four years of non-stop partying, creating friendships that will last a lifetime, with only a side of homework. But as many students know, the truth is quite the opposite. 

While college does harbor its weight in fun, it also brings a mirage of anxieties: looming due dates, larger than life midterms, and projects worth a quarter of the final grade. All of these plague many students’ collegiate careers. 

However, for some students, the anxiety surrounding the academic side of the college experience is felt tenfold. 

Ainsley Bridgers, a senior Business Administration major, worried that her Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) would cause her to fall behind her peers when it came to the increased workload from high school to college. 

“I first got diagnosed with ADHD when I was eight years old,” she said. “I always felt like I had to work twice as hard in highschool to keep up with the other students.” 

Bridgers recalled feeling anxious about the transition from highschool to college.

“When I got to college I was mostly nervous about testing. In highschool, I was able to take my tests in another classroom with less distractions, so I was worried that in college I would struggle when I took tests,” Bridgers said. 

It was after joining her sorority and expressing her worries, that Bridgers first heard about The Disability Resource Center (DRC) at Mississippi State University. 

“I heard about the Disability Resource Center through one of my sorority sisters. She told me that she was able to get time extensions on tests and even take them in a different room,” she said. “I immediately applied and got accepted.” 

The Disability Resource Center describes its purpose as this: “The Disability Resource Center’s (DRC) is committed to fostering an environment where all individuals can fully participate, thrive, and achieve their goals. We provide support, advocacy, and resources to remove barriers and create opportunities for students.” 

Through registration, students can receive additional time to take exams, and even private exam rooms to help limit distractions for students who need quieter environments.

The DRC helps a multitude of students with disabilities that range from learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and even chronic illnesses. The main goal being to ensure that each student is set up with the resources that will help them succeed in their academic career. 

MSU junior, Faith Heifner, a Finance major, discussed the ways that the DRC accommodations helped her.

“I applied to be a part of the Disability Resource Center my freshman year. It wasn’t that hard to apply; I just had to submit proof of my ADHD diagnosis.”

Heifner chose to register with the DRC after hearing about the ways other students were benefitted. Specifically, she expressed how the private testing rooms were a saving-grace from the normal bustle of regular classrooms.

“I can’t take tests in a normal classroom. It’s really distracting when people move around during tests–especially when they begin packing up to leave,” she said. 

Heifner’s anxieties over testing were significantly eased by the atmosphere of the private testing rooms. 

“I like it [the testing room], it’s peaceful and quiet. It’s definitely better than a normal classroom,” Heifner said.

These are only a few testaments about the positive impacts that the DRC had on students with learning disabilities. In all, the DRC has provided many students with equal opportunity, and promoted success in students who need additional help academically.

However, with the recent passing of the presidential act, “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” there could be detrimental effects to the emotional support for programs such as the DRC.

While Disability Rights are not fully encompassed by Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, they work in tandem to foster positive learning environments for students with disabilities. 

Many DEI offices provide support for disabled students, whether it be making sure working environments are accessible helping create equal hiring opportunities, or even help reduce the stigma around disabled individuals. 

While they are not one in the same, the elimination of DEI programs could lead to devastating losses such as lack of language support and training for those with disabilities. People with disabilities could essentially lose vital advocates by DEI eliminations. This could lead to discrimination, loss of critical support, and again, a loss of advocacy. 

These are not far-fetched effects. People are losing necessary support right now due to these drawbacks. However, inclusion is not restrained to governmental programs. 

Diversity, equity and inclusion stems from individuals. There are ways to circumvent these governmental drawbacks.

Promote diversity by creating equal opportunity for every individual, no matter their differences. Promote equity through integrity. And promote inclusion by practicing empathy.

 

Email the team at ech386@msstate.edu with any questions

View our Sources