I suspect you are correct, but we need to consider a few potential contributing factors. Is it realistic to think all universities are the same? Is it realistic to expect that each university or business would reflect the total population? I would love to think that was possible, but the nature of some types of impairment might make it far less likely for them to be in employment, or in universities. I wonder, as indeed Chris does, whether disclosure is necessary?
Having said that, I would agree that we provide far better supportive environment for students than we do for staff, possibly because the DSA focuses attention on the needs of students far more overtly than ATW and I'm on a mission to ensure every eligible disabled student is recognised by us and obtains DSA support. I doubt HR has the same drive.
PS I prefer words like enablement to 'support' or 'needs' but those two latter words are the ones in wider usage.
Regards
John
On 9 Dec 2012, at 09:08, "Rossiter CJ Mr (PG/R - Psychology)" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
From my own experience I think students are much better off than staff. By which I mean the levels of support, accessibility and inclusion, or dare I say acceptance, are far higher.
A while ago my own university published its Equality Scheme plan. I was surprised to note that only 43 (1.7%) employees had declared a disability, despite the university having 2549 employees (98.3% not disabled). I think I'm right in saying that the ONS suggests one in eight adults of working age is disabled. Therefore the 1.7% figure is substantially lower than the 12.5% we might expect. If you compare this with staff who identify their ethnicity as 'BME' then the figure is much higher 8.74%, which I think is possibly higher than the national average.
The student body has a higher figure at 747 disabled students, or 5.05%.
Personally I think due to the higher levels of autonomy/control of academic staff, they're far more able to adjust their jobs/workplaces without official 'recognition'. Although this does not account for the many staff who work in administration, facilities and so on. This picture is further complicated by postgrads who also work for the university. As temporary staff they do not have access to the 'support' offered to permanent employees.
I have never seen a league table for disabled students (or staff), but if anyone knows of one please let me know.
Best,
Chris Rossiter, BSc., MSc.
PhD Candidate, Occupational Psychology and Management
University of Surrey
________________________________
From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>] on behalf of Nadia Ahmed [[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>]
Sent: 08 December 2012 13:39
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Disabled Friendly Universities.
Can anyone please name me at least the top 10 Universities that claim to be disabled-friendly for students as well as staff in the United Kingdom?
According to an article in the Guardian, Oxford, Essex, Southampton and Cardiff were supposedly the first universities to develop disability friendly accommodation schemes- I’m guessing they would be the most disability friendly institutions, if they have continued to progress over time. Although they must be many more out there?
Many thanks,
Nadia.
As we know already that the policies and practices in universities have made it very much possible and very much normal for students with disabilities to achieve higher education, but is this also the same for academics with disabilities, and their career development?
Vice-President of the Ability Society part of the Students Union at Queen Mary University of London
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