The university currently has many pockets of expertise in disability and accessibility studies throughout various Schools and Colleges, as well as among individual faculty, staff, and students. Some individual faculty members have created courses with a focus on disability and accessibility, but these classes are few and far between. Additionally, the U-M Initiative on Disability Studies (“UMInDS”) has been in existence for over two decades. The purpose of UMInDS is to “expand diversity at the University of Michigan by integrating the study of disability into research, scholarship, and teaching.” However, this initiative requires additional resources and support to develop further into an intentional academic program in Disability Studies. This sub-group provides guidance and recommendations for creating such a program.
While the university has multiple faculty members who teach disability and accessibility specific courses, there is no single, unified program akin to other identity-specific subjects such as Women’s Studies, LGBTQ and Sexuality Studies, and Ethnic Studies. Furthermore, multiple other institutions offer such programs, suggesting that creating a Disability Studies program at the university would attract students and offer exceptional contributions to numerous degree programs and offerings.
The university has a history of innovation in pedagogy, as well as creating new focused areas of study and certificate programs. The institution should leverage this expertise and its history of academic advancement to create an undergraduate minor or graduate certificate in Disability Studies. See Academic Program Report, Recommendation 1, Appendix 8.
In order to begin creating a Disability Studies program, it is recommended that the university charge the UMInDS Steering Committee with building a curriculum, proposing an administrative home for the program, and assessing budgetary needs. With regard to budget, it is noted that additional resources would be needed in order to hire additional faculty and staff as well as attract existing faculty to dedicate a portion of their appointment to this program. See Academic Program Report, Recommendation 1, Appendix 8.
Finally, it is recommended that all models of pedagogy associated with the Disability Studies program should be fully accessible, including online content. Specifically, these learning spaces should support multiple forms of access and engagement, and should effectively support virtual participation to allow enrolled students to join remotely. Therefore, the university is encouraged to support the construction of an accessible learning space that enables instructors and students to practice radical and accessible pedagogy. See Academic Program Report, Recommendation 2, Appendix 8. See also Pedagogy Report, Recommendation 14, Appendix 3.