Students with Disabilities Have an On-Campus Support System

If you’re looking for information about what it will be like navigating NYU with a disability, your first stop should be the Moses Center for Student Accessibility. The Moses Center can work with you to design a plan of action. They can also lead you through the process of figuring out accommodations.

Robyn Weiss, the Moses Center’s assistant vice president, explains, “The Moses Center works to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified students who disclose their disability. This can mean adjustments to policy, practice, or programs that provide equal access to NYU’s programs and activities.”

You’ll work with an accessibility specialist, who will talk with you about your needs and guide you through the resources that are available. They can tell you about academic-related help, such as alternative formats for course materials and assistive technology software available for the classroom or during exams. They can also provide you with housing accommodations, like furniture modifications, a placement in a residence hall that is more proximate to classrooms, or a single or wheelchair-accessible room. According to Weiss, “Accommodations and other related services are determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration each student’s accessibility-related needs and NYU program requirements.”

If you’re planning to study abroad, you can turn to the Moses Center to help you decide which NYU sites and cities are good fits for you. You and your accessibility specialist will discuss the accommodations that are possible at the global locations you’re considering. They’ll also address the potential challenges of the cities you’d like to study in. In addition, they’ll connect you with their on-site liaison and global site staff to make sure you’ll have everything you need during your semester or year abroad.

 

“As a manual wheelchair user, I worked with NYU London staff to make sure I would be able to access the campus and the city. NYU London’s staff is very much committed to making sure their students feel like they have a place there. I had the opportunity to arrive a week early so I was able to settle in and learn how to get around, which was really helpful in terms of feeling comfortable.”

—Johileny Meran, Global Public Health and Sociology major with a minor in Disability Studies

Sometimes connecting with other students to hear their experiences is the best way to find out how to navigate college with a disability. Check out the Disability Student Union (DSU), a group made up of students and alumni who either have disabilities themselves or advocate for others with disabilities.

The DSU works with the University to improve accessibility, promote disability awareness on campus, and discuss ways to increase inclusion in society as a whole. The student group also hosts events and serves as a safe space for students to explore ideas related to disability and share common experiences. And if you’re thinking of studying abroad, you can ask the DSU to connect you with other students who have studied at the sites you’re interested in so that you can hear their perspectives and advice.