Students with Disabilities and Greek life acceptance and access

[KSUViolet06]

I'm always interested in Greek issues involving disabled people because I am disabled. I have CP and walk with crutches. Two of my close friends from undergrad are also disabled Greek women. One of them is legally blind and a DZ, and the other is in a wheelchair and a Chi Omega.

The article says things about houses not being accessible. I can't speak for all schools, but I know we all lived in our sorority houses at one point in undergrad and everything was made fully accessible for us. I believe Chi Omega even remodeled their first floor bedroom to accommodate my friend. I think that if a chapter really wants to have you as a sister, they will make the neccessary accommodations to the house so that you can live-in and have the full experience. I know that my Greek experience was in no way limited by my disability because everything was made accessible for me to participate in it.

There are alot of disabled people who live in "pity party" land, where they feel sorry for themselves, and everything they don't get accepted into, they blame it on the fact that they are disabled. This usually stems from rejections they may have experienced where their disability WAS a factor. So they transfer that to every rejection they get.

No one knows for sure why she was cut, but I'm sure it never occured to her that there may have been other reasons (like her grades, personality, etc) because she is probably most comfortable with falling back on "oh they cut me because I'm in a wheelchair."

[ealymc]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

The article says things about houses not being accessible. I can't speak for all schools, but I know we all lived in our sorority houses at one point in undergrad and everything was made fully accessible for us...
...I think that if a chapter really wants to have you as a sister, they will make the neccessary accommodations to the house so that you can live-in and have the full experience.

Not everyone has the funds to just up and renovate. Sometimes it's a fiscal roadblock to being more accommodating.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by ealymc

Not everyone has the funds to just up and renovate. Sometimes it's a fiscal roadblock to being more accommodating.

And has already been said, a lot of the houses at Berkeley (ours included) are very old and historic landmarks making it VERY expensive to upgrade/remodel. Capital campaigns are not easy things to get money for.

[paulam]

I have to add my 2 cents worth here about a fraternity making an accomodation. I have an adult son who is a high functioning autistic. He is the best person I have ever known and I wouldn't trade a nanosecond of his life for a million years of anyone elses'. Despite the fact that he doesn't often speak, he has a fabulous sense of humor. For example, his Dad is always trying to encourage him to speak and bought him a book. He asked him to open it anywhere and read. Jeff thought about it for a moment, opened the front cover, read aloud, "$24.95" and shut the book! We laughed for days.

When he graduated from high school, he was unable to attend college because he had other physical problems which would have prevented him getting around on campus, but one fraternity sent him a letter about rushing. I politely responded, letting them know that Jeff was autistic and those great guys continued sending him letters, which he read with a huge smile on his face. They made room for a disabled guy in their hearts and I will never forget that.

Jeff can live with his disability, but I don't understand how cruel people can live with theirs. I wish everyone had a Jeff in his or her life.

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
ΣΔTPatriae Multi Spes Una One Hope of Many People

[icicle22]

Originally Posted by paulam

I have to add my 2 cents worth here about a fraternity making an accomodation. I have an adult son who is a high functioning autistic. He is the best person I have ever known and I wouldn't trade a nanosecond of his life for a million years of anyone elses'. Despite the fact that he doesn't often speak, he has a fabulous sense of humor. For example, his Dad is always trying to encourage him to speak and bought him a book. He asked him to open it anywhere and read. Jeff thought about it for a moment, opened the front cover, read aloud, "$24.95" and shut the book! We laughed for days.

When he graduated from high school, he was unable to attend college because he had other physical problems which would have prevented him getting around on campus, but one fraternity sent him a letter about rushing. I politely responded, letting them know that Jeff was autistic and those great guys continued sending him letters, which he read with a huge smile on his face. They made room for a disabled guy in their hearts and I will never forget that.

Jeff can live with his disability, but I don't understand how cruel people can live with theirs. I wish everyone had a Jeff in his or her life.

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
ΣΔTPatriae Multi Spes Una One Hope of Many People

I think the reason why some people can't live with their disabilities is simply because it makes them feel like outcasts and very ostracized.

[paulam]

Originally Posted by icicle22

I think the reason why some people can't live with their disabilities is simply because it makes them feel like outcasts and very ostracized.

What I meant when I said my son could live with his disability but I don't understand how cruel people can live with theirs is that a cruel nature is in itself a disability, worse than any physical or mental impairment.

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
ΣΔTPatriae Multi Spes Una One Hope of Many People

[ZTAMich]

I *think* I saw last year at Homecoming that our chapter has a member with a disability (wheelchair??) but I can't totally remember. Blame my bad memory on the festivities! ZTAmillz could tell for sure. While our campus has become more ADA compliant our house certainly is not, unless some door ways have been widened! Luckily, we mostly used student center rooms for meetings and I think they still do. My senior year a girl who was blind was living in the dorms and a lot of modifications were made to help her.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by paulam

What I meant when I said my son could live with his disability but I don't understand how cruel people can live with theirs is that a cruel nature is in itself a disability, worse than any physical or mental impairment.

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
ΣΔTPatriae Multi Spes Una One Hope of Many People

Unfortunitly, people are not so nice!

There are many disabilities out there whether is be physical, mental, or color.
Oh yes color, and I am sure I will hear about this from some on GC!

While the old Houses, not the GLOs do not have ways for those in a physical problem access, they are doing it. Our new House was made that way, by law, yes, but there is also another reason!

Not every member is the Biggest and Bestest looking of the campus!

There are people who can join a GLO that become a very important part of the Chapter.

We had a young man who was not okayed by some people and I raised 10 tons of hell!

I am proud to say He is a heck of a Brother and while moved from my Chapter, he has alligned himself within the city He moved to and another Chapter!!


That is being a Brother and a Member!