National Disability Law Expert to Speak at WSU

PULLMAN, Wash.—Jane Jarrow, president of Disability Access Information and Support (DAIS), will give a public address on accommodating the needs of disabled students at 1 p.m. July 31 in the Smith Center for Undergraduate Education, Room 419.

Jarrow’s speech will be part of a three-day intensive training effort intended to educate WSU faculty and staff about this growing segment of the student population.

The number of disabled persons attending colleges and universities is increasing and faculty and staff need to understand how to accommodate their needs in order to allow them to achieve academic success, Jarrow said.

“They are coming to higher education institutions like Washington State University expecting to be full participants in the academic community,” she said. “As faculty and staff, we have legal, ethical, and practical responsibilities for helping them reach their educational goals.”

WSU Disability Resource Center Director Rosie Pavlov said her office currently makes accommodations for approximately 350 students each year.

“The number is growing steadily and will continue to do so as we step-up our efforts to make students aware of our services,” she said.    

Jarrow worked with the Association of Higher Education and Disability for 14 years and has been affiliated with DAIS for over a decade. DAIS assists higher education institutions by providing materials to help with interpreting legal mandates, professional development opportunities, policy and procedure reviews, quality assurance and compliance. She travels extensively presenting workshops and training sessions and is considered by many to be a leading resource on issues of disabilities in postsecondary education.

In addition to her public address, Jarrow will conduct special training sessions specifically geared towards WSU employees in student services, enrollment management, professional academic programs, and the libraries.

Pavlov acknowledged some faculty and staff will be on vacation during Jarrow’s visit, but said summer is the only time many people can devote significant time to professional development.

“I am so excited for her visit to Pullman,” she said. “Jane Jarrow can really help us build consensus between our different campuses on policies and strategies that serve our disabled students.”