To those that do from one trying to make others do. I need some strategy
advice.
I'm a non academic person with a disability trying to stimulate the
formation of the disability studies program based on the social model of
disability at the University of Washington, Seattle. I have a "Interest
committee "consisting of 14 faculty and staff (and one student with a
disability) from various graduates and undergraduates departments. The
co-chairs of the committee disagree on how to proceed. One feels that there
is not enough students with disabilities involved and is not sure of the
market for a disability studies program. (The University has approximately
30,000 students. ) She wants to study the issue and do surveys. The other
chair wants to move forward and first create disabilities studies content in
the existing curriculum while working towards new courses and the
development of the undergraduate major.
I'd definitely feel the need for more involvement by students with
disabilities and I'm continuing to work on this issue but I'm concerned by
the potential momentum killer of the "study and survey”approach. Should I
be worried about a potential market? Or is this a case of “if you build it ,
they will come?”
Advice please.
Dennis Lang
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|