Disabilities come in diverse forms and have the potential of posing lifelong challenges that require appropriate management. Most disabilities occur at conception or birth or during a person’s lifetime. The medical community classifies conditions causing disabilities as inherited, congenital, acquired or unknown.

As postsecondary education becomes the gateway to better employment opportunities and improved lifestyle outcomes, for many with disabilities, college remains an unrealized dream. Federal law outlines the students protected in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to: (a) “have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities”; (b) “have a record of such an impairment”; or (c) “be regarded as having such an impairment.”

Those with disabilities who leave the protected environment of their high schools continue to have the rights that prohibit discrimination. College students are protected under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and by Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. Enforcement of this law in postsecondary settings rests on the shoulders of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, which is charged with the responsibility of supporting the rights of individuals with disabilities and assisting to disseminate rules and regulations of the Acts.

To ensure strict implementation of the Disability Acts, most American institutions of higher learning receiving any type of federal funding are subjected either to one or both laws embedded with similar requirements. Private colleges that don’t benefit from federal funding are governed by Title III of the Americans With Disabilities Act, enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice. In order for students with disabilities to fully benefit from those amenities, it is imperative that they have full comprehension of their rights to enable self-advocacy if those rights are violated.

As students try to make themselves feel at home in their new college environment, informing professors and fellow students about their disabilities in an attempt to enhance their transitions can sometimes prove daunting. Realizing that disclosure of certain disabilities accelerates access to accommodations, students must make the decision to contact their campus disability services’ office.

Brianna Esposito is a student at Eastern University who was born with a hole in her right ear in Russia. She didn’t receive proper medical attention until years later, when she was adopted at 15 months and brought to the United States by her parents. At eight, doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in King of Prussia managed to close the hole. Success of the surgery alleviated her fear of water damage to the eardrum. Sadly, Brianna has never fully regained her hearing. Over the years, she has learned to make adjustments by sitting in front of her classes very close to instructors and making sure the majority of her classmates are always seated by her left ear. Brianna explains that she is absolutely thankful for the services the Cushing Center for Counseling and Academic Support (CCAS) is providing students with disabilities. She notes that if she would ever need assistance, CCAS would be her first place of refuge.

Eastern University’s Accommodation for Students with Disabilities Policy fervently upholds the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. The policy ensures equal access to educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities. It is not intended that academic standards be lower or essential elements of programs or courses be changed, and accommodations are not intended to ensure a satisfactory or desired grade for a student. Eastern’s determination of reasonable accommodation is based on students’ documented needs, essential elements of the involved courses or University activities and institutional resources. For full access to Eastern’s disabilities services, students are required to contact CCAS.

Dr. Lisa M. Hemlick is a licensed psychologist and the director of CCAS. She explains that they are always ready to provide viable services to students with or without disabilities whenever they seek accommodation. She points out that all of the ninety students (80 in the College of Arts and Sciences and 10 in the Campolo College of Graduate and Professional Studies) who disclosed their conditions and sought accommodations were provided with assistance accordingly.

Hemlick reiterates Eastern’s faith-based responsibilities to cater to the less fortunate and the needy.

“As a Christian institution, it is imperative that God’s children be cared for with compassion” she adds.

The Cushing Center for Counseling and Academic Support
Walton 210
Phone: (610)341-5837
Fax: (610)225-5036
E-mail: ccas@eastern.edu

Source: ED.gov

A communications professor at a reputable university in Philadelphia once joked that the euphoria transfer students experience in transitioning to a new college is like an envious man admiring his neighbor’s olive green lawn without having a peep at the water bill.

Regardless of the relentless efforts students and their parents dedicate to exploring the precise college that is right for them, it can be disheartening when they realize that their choice didn’t live up to their expectations. Even though some students nurse the notion that transferring to a new school might bring them joy, that perception is not always fulfilled.

On the other hand, unavoidable circumstances like the academic programs, cost, and social life might prompt students to opt out of going to their preferred schools. There is absolutely nothing wrong with transferring, for nearly 30 percent of college students actually do. As a matter of fact, transfer students all over the nation should be commended for being able to distinguish between what they want and need in the pursuit of higher education.

Obviously, the academics, cost, and social life are the core areas transfers expect their new schools to address satisfactorily. Eastern University is no exception as it thrives to provide all the necessary services that could enhance the learning experiences of both on-campus and commuting transfers.

“There is a large population of transfer students at Eastern University. We generally welcome about 60 new transfer students in the fall and 40 in the spring semesters,” explains Sarah Deysher, Transfer Admissions Counselor and Assistant Director of Community College Relations at Eastern.

According to Deysher, who works directly with transfer students as they complete their applications and consider enrollment at Eastern, their credits are first evaluated by the Office of the Registrar upon submission of their official transcripts. Transfers with more than 24 credits are mandated to register for Introduction to Faith, Reason and Justice for one credit, instead of the three credits required of first-year students. When asked about future plans of the university to increase transfer enrollment, Deysher expounds that communication literature is being designed to make this clearer. She points out that there are many pieces that need to come together to enable prospective transfers to make informed decisions on attending Eastern.

“Interoffice communication is quite vital in ensuring transfers receive all the needed information,” Deysher adds.

Molly Cannon, a sophomore transfer and an education major, is full of praises for Eastern, especially the students whom she finds friendly, kind and willing to accept transfer students without prejudice or being judgmental in any regard. When asked about the outstanding things at the university, Cannon wastes no time in elatedly interjecting that the warm support teachers give at the university is exceptionally outstanding, and their friendly attitude and desire to see students succeed is commendable.

“Another fascinating thing I found incredible about Eastern was the recent facilitation of my trip to New Zealand to study. I never dreamt of studying abroad until Eastern made it possible. Even though upon transfer I forfeited some of my credits, I remain grateful for the opportunity to be enrolled at Eastern,” Cannon concludes.

Olivia Jacabella is another transfer student trying to make a smooth transition into the Eastern culture of academia. She points out that her experience at Eastern has been great, and she has found the professors to be nurturing, knowledgeable, and eager to incorporate faith into what they are teaching. Olivia maintains that Eastern students are welcoming, and that has enabled her to make great friends, even though it’s hard to be a transfer at Eastern sometimes because of how closely the school is knitted. On the question of whether the university has lived up to her expectations, Jacabella replies in the affirmative.

“I feel like they did a good job describing all of these things during my transfer interview and tour. I will say that it helps to have friends that you can always go to in order to learn the Eastern lingo,” she says.