“I got in the club to put young people in check,” joked Barbara Cunningham, a three-year member of De Anza College’s Disabled Students Unlimited club.
Disabled Students Unlimited was established at De Anza College more than 25 years ago “to provide accessibility assistance with accommodations for people with special needs,” explained Vice President Ray Fahey.
New officers this year brought fresh ideas and new blood.
“Since most of the officers are new, we are trying to reestablish the club and keep it afloat,” said Fahey.
President Christina Hicks, Vice President Ray Fahey, and Secretary Lisa Fahey are all newly elected DSU officers this year. The officers created a club Web site this quarter at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/deanza_dsu/
“In the last 60 days, Lisa has invited an additional 60 people to join the club,” said Fahey.
Some of the major goals of the club are to remedy disabled accessibility problems on campus and to foster more understanding of disabled students at De Anza.
“There’s a lot of faculty on campus that do not have the sensitivity training for people with special needs,” Lisa Fahey said. “You can’t see all disabilities, they’re not seen to the naked eye.”
Some of DSU’s suggestions for a more disabled-friendly campus include lower payphones, better bathroom access, removal of potholes and heavy doors, more sensitivity to the dietary needs of disabled students, and better labeling of rooms and buildings.
“The club is here, basically, as a support group and to educate people about people with special needs. We want at least an equal playing field for all students,” Lisa Fahey said.
Fahey said of the club’s mission, “We’re not people who can be walked all over on. Take us seriously.”
In addition to being an active student advocacy club, DSU is “hoping to have some summer camping trips but it’s still in discussion,” Fahey said.
DSU is open to everyone who is intereste. Students need not be disabled to join.
“Lisa and Barbara told me about [DSU] last quarter when we were in the same Math class,” said member Amber Arseneaux.
Disabled Students Unlimited meetings are held at 2:00 p.m. on the last Friday of every month at 2 p.m. in the Seminar Building near De Anza’s Disabled Student Services.
