Concrete - Issue 205

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LCR ACCESS Â DENIED

7EDNESDAY TH 3EPTEMBER 5%!gS &REE )NDEPENDENT .EWSPAPER )SSUE

"EING A FRESHER #ONCRETE WELCOMES YOU TO 5%!

&EATURE PAGES AND

2ICHARD 2EYNOLDS .EWS %DITOR

*AMES $EXTER THE 5%! DISABILITY COORDINATOR LEFT HIS JOB OVER THE SUMMER VACATION )N PART IN PRO TEST OVER HIS hCONTINUING FRUSTRA TIONv WITH THE 5NIVERSITY S hLACK OF SERIOUS SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES v -R $EXTER WHO ORGANISED A h$ISABILITY $ISCUSSION &ORUMv WHICH WITH THE #OMMUNICATIONS AND ,IBERATIONS /Fl CERS OF THE 3TU DENTgS 5NION COMMISSIONED A SUR VEY OF DISABLED STUDENTS VIEWS ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES INCLUDING ACCESS AND PROVISION OF SUPPORT SERVICES (E THEN PUBLISHED AN INTERNAL RE PORT ON ITS l NDINGS WHICH HE CHOSE TO SHARE WITH #ONCRETE 4HE LENGTHY REPORT MAKES A NUMBER OF CLAIMS ABOUT DISABILITY PROVISION AT 5%! INCLUDING h4HE SERVICE IN THE $EAN OF 3TUDENT OF l CE $O3 IS UNDER FUNDED AND UNDER STAFFED $EPARTMENTS AND SCHOOLS ARE NOT TAKING ON THEIR RE SPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE A LEAST SIC RESTRICTIVE AND NON DISCRIMINATORY ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH DIS ABILITIES &URTHER IT POINTS OUT THAT h;T=HERE IS NO PRO VICE CHANCELLOR OR COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS DISA BILITY AS PART OF THEIR REMIT !S OF THE STUDENT POPULATION ARE DISA BLED THIS IS NOT WISE v *AMES $EXTER ENDED HIS REPORT SAYING THAT hUNTIL THERE IS TOP DOWN LEADERSHIP ON DISABILITY ISSUES THEN THE SITUATION WILL NOT IMPROVE v #ONCRETE CONTACTED THE 5NIVER SITY FOR A COMMENT ,INDA 3HEP HERD $EPUTY $EAN OF 3TUDENTS EXPLAINED THAT THEY WERE LESS THAN HAPPY ABOUT MANY ASPECTS OF *AMES $EXTER S l NDINGS h7E ARE EXTREMELY SURPRISED AND DISAP

&!" 4HE BRAINS BEHIND 4HUNDERBIRDS

%VENT 3UMMER m OODING 2AIN RAIN GO AWAY )T DIDNgT 7E REMEMBER THE CHAOS IT CAUSED

&EATURES "LACK HOLE QUEUEING 2EAD THE THEORY ON JUST WHERE ALL THOSE FRESHER QUEUES CAME FROM

POINTED BY THE NEGATIVE SLANT PUT ON THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY WHICH ACTUALLY INCLUDES SOME VERY POSI TIVE COMMENTS ABOUT THE 5NIVER SITY S PROVISION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES &OR EXAMPLE OVER OF RESPONDENTS WOULD RECOMMEND 5%! TO SOMEONE WITH A SIMILAR DIS ABILITY 4HE SUMMARY DOES NOT ACCU RATELY REm ECT THE l NDINGS OF THE SURVEY NOR DOES IT ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEDICATION OF STAFF ACROSS THE INSTI TUTION WHO PUT GREAT EFFORT INTO EN SURING THAT STUDENTS HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE AT 5%! v

(OWEVER DESPITE THE 5NIVER SITY POINTING OUT THAT THEY hWERE AMONG THE l RST UNIVERSITIES TO AC KNOWLEDGE THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES PUTTING PROCE DURES IN PLACE AS LONG AGO AS v 4HE REPORT DOES SHOW THAT THERE ARE ONLY h TUTORS FOR SUPPORTING A POTENTIAL l GURE OF STUDENTS v 3OME OF THE RESPONDENTS SPEAK OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THEIR l NANCIAL AND EXAM RELATED SUPPORT ORGAN ISED FOR MONTHS /NE SECOND YEAR DYSLEXIC STUDENT #ONCRETE SPOKE TO SAID THAT h) DID NOT EVEN GET ANY SUPPORT DURING MY EXAMS n THEIR

ATTITUDE MADE IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO SORT THINGS OUT v 4HE 5NIVERSITY DOES HOWEVER POINT OUT THAT hWE HAVE ALREADY DOUBLED OUT DYSLEXIA PROVISION IN RECENT YEARS AND ARE ONE OF THE FEW UNIVERSITIES IN THE 5+ WITH A FULL TIME MENTAL HEALTH CO ORDINA TOR 4HE $EAN OF 3TUDENTS /Fl CE ACCOMMODATION IS BEING EXTENDED NEXT SUMMER TO GIVE US MORE SPACE TO EXPAND OUR PROVISION FURTHER v &URTHER ISSUES WERE RAISED ABOUT THE LACK OF FREE PARKING FOR PHYSICA LY DISABLED STUDENTS AND POOR COM MUNICATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS

/PINIONS 4HATgS ENTERTAINMENT 'ET THE LOW DOWN ON ALL THE LATEST l LMS MU SIC AND BOOKS %VENT


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