Students with Disabilities and Greek life acceptance and access

[exlurker]

An article in Berkeley's Daily Californian touches on a couple of interesting topics:

* Greek housing -- whether it's adequately accessible for people with disabilities, plus the costs and difficulties of making modifications,

and

* Greek acceptance -- whether fraternities and sororities are accepting of people with disabilities.

http://www.dailycal.org/sharticle.php?id=27027

Food for thought and discussion? (Without going into the ritual and private side of membership selection, of course.)

[FSUZeta]

this young woman could not possibly know the real reason that she was not extended a bid. it is unfair of her to assume that she was not offered a bid due to her disability.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

this young woman could not possibly know the real reason that she was not extended a bid. it is unfair of her to assume that she was not offered a bid due to her disability.

She didn't assume that initially, it's that nagging doubt in the back of your mind... you don't want to think that that's why you didn't get a bid, but what if? And then someone else mentions a similar doubt and it grows.

Just because it's not overt, doesn't mean it's not there. Of course, it doesn't mean it is either.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

She didn't assume that initially, it's that nagging doubt in the back of your mind... you don't want to think that that's why you didn't get a bid, but what if? And then someone else mentions a similar doubt and it grows.

Just because it's not overt, doesn't mean it's not there. Of course, it doesn't mean it is either.

BS, how how high is the hem of your skirt up?

Yes, the reason She was not invited was because of her infirnative!


She was not in the fit! So, what does that mean to you?

[Benzgirl]

[quote=Tom Earp;1554278]BS, how how high is the hem of your skirt up?

Yes, the reason She was not invited was because of her infirnative!


quote]

What have you been drinking?

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

BS, how how high is the hem of your skirt up?

Sexual harassment much?

Yes, the reason She was not invited was because of her infirnative!

We don't know that one way or the other

She was not in the fit! So, what does that mean to you?

That in addition to being classist,drunk and tacky you're ablist.

This is my surprised face.

[33girl]

Most people don't get bids when they're going through rush a third time as a senior.

Saying that you were "denied" a bid shows an unwillingness to understand that rush is a mutual selection process - as if a bid is something that someone owes you. We have no idea how she conducted herself during rush or anything like that. This article is completely one-sided.

[Drolefille]

Anecdotal but as far as acceptance (only dorm housing at my school and that dorm was handicap accessible but not safe to live in, no first floor rooms):

I've never seen someone in a wheelchair come through recruitment, but I've seen PNMs and members with visible disabilities including my own sister who was born without her left forearm.

I never heard anyone discount someone for membership over a disability and there was never that sort of attitude displayed by the NPC orgs on my campus. That said, I don't know if there weren't PNMs in wheelchairs because they weren't interested or because they didn't feel comfortable, or because they didn't think we'd be interested.

[icicle22]

Originally Posted by exlurker

An article in Berkeley's Daily Californian touches on a couple of interesting topics:

* Greek housing -- whether it's adequately accessible for people with disabilities, plus the costs and difficulties of making modifications,

and

* Greek acceptance -- whether fraternities and sororities are accepting of people with disabilities.

http://www.dailycal.org/sharticle.php?id=27027

Food for thought and discussion? (Without going into the ritual and private side of membership selection, of course.)

I read it. But come on! According to the article it was her third time rushing (correct me if I'm wrong), and she is a senior. From what I'm read about upperclassment going through rush, seniors are less likely to receive bids, whether or not they have a particular disability, and I don't think that the NPC is one to drop rushees just because they have one.

[Glitter650]

Originally Posted by icicle22

I don't think that the NPC is one to drop rushees just because they have one.

Let's take off the rose glasses, it's possible that the reason is because of her disability, and it's possible it's happened before. It's also possibly NOT the reason she was released.

As much as I hate to say it, I think that there are certain circumstances where a disabled woman MAY be denied a bid by all sororities on campus due to her disability, maybe not overtly and openly, and it could be under the guise of some other reasoning, but it's possible it could happen.

If it IS her disability that got her released, it makes SENSE that it was her 3rd time rushing, the disability is not going to go away the second time you rush like your horrible GPA you worked to get back up.

[DGTess]

Whether or not she was discriminated against, I am sorely disappointed in the fact that so many Greek houses/facilities are not handicap-accessible. Shame on us that we need the ADA to help us do the right thing.

Of course, we'll never know why there are so few disabled people in the greek system.

[DUKyleXY]

Originally Posted by DGTess

Whether or not she was discriminated against, I am sorely disappointed in the fact that so many Greek houses/facilities are not handicap-accessible. Shame on us that we need the ADA to help us do the right thing.

While I do agree with you, as the article stated, many Greek houses are considered landmarks and are therefore extremely hard to have renovated. The landmark laws prevent any major changes to the structure of the house and most facilities would require an elevator or an addition to be ADA compatible. For example, my house would be a nightmare. There are stairs to everything. It is very unfeasible in many situations.

[bejazd]

I can think of at least three people I knew well who had physical disabilities when they joined their respective chapters. I can't imagine a chapter not willing to make reasonable accomodations for a member they wanted to pledge. And you don't have to live in the house to have the sisterhood/brotherhood experience.

ADA covers all kinds of disabilities- not just physical ones. Should we make all our chapter houses peanut-free? Would we have to accomodate scholarship requirements for PNMs with ADHD or dyslexia?

[AlwaysSAI]

Yes, the woman discussed in the article was senior at the time but she rushed 3 times prior. I would say it is safe to assume she was a sophomore when it all began--class standing most likely was not the only reason she was released when she was a sophomore.

And, yes, I know I am not an NPC member, but I do have an obvious physical disability and I can see where the young woman is coming from. None of us were in the MS meetings--we will never really know why, but one thing I do know as physically disable american, it is VERY difficult to put yourself out there knowing good and well you may be rejected-be it for whatever reason.

Things happen in younger grades that stick with you--that pervade your every day life and make you wish it would go away. Example: I have an identical twin sister (for those of you that don't know). She was always pretty popular in school and I was always just kind of her lacky. In the eigth grade a pretty popular guy in school tells my sister that she is really cool and that "your sister would be really cool too if she didn't limp." That was also the same year that all of my friends (including my sister) began picking on me because it became the cool thing to do. I was called gimp, cripled, crip and they would imitate the way I walk when they passed me in the hallway.

Yes, middle school kids can be very cruel due to their own insecurities, but those kinds of things have really stuck with me.

Yes, I found my way and have been very successful with my life, but those kinds of comments have alway stuck with me.

I guess I'm just trying to say that it's very easy for this woman to blame her disability. It's what she knows, it's what she's comfortable with and honestly, it probably makes the most sense to her. Because, I gaurentee she has been denied other opportunities based solely on that.

There is a possiblity she is right. I don't know. I know many disabled members of NPCs on my sisters campus-but none in wheelchairs. We just initiated a blind individual into my Phi Sig chapter and I guess I count too.

Gosh...I wrote a book....

[skylark]

Originally Posted by bejazd

Should we make all our chapter houses peanut-free? Would we have to accomodate scholarship requirements for PNMs with ADHD or dyslexia?

This makes me think of something I read the other day about a law school that had to go "peanut-free." (here is a link to a discussion on another site: http://www.abovethelaw.com/2007/11/d...ating_witc.php)

Apparently, since many things are cooked in peanut oil, it isn't just about not eating peanuts. There are a lot of things off-limits, and even being in the same room as some of that stuff can send some people with severe allergies into a reaction.

I would never encourage discrimination, but I get the impression from many posters here that they are assuming most chapters could reasonably accommodate nearly every disability. The fact of the matter is that many chapters are simply not financially/practically able to accommodate for every specific disability that PNMs might potentially have. If chapters can accommodate, that is great. But any kind of blanket "we should accommodate any disability" statement is simply naive.