Disability Pride Flag on the WWU University Flagpole during Disability Pride Month
This year, we are focusing our support on the Disability Outreach Center, a program of the Disability Access Center.
Disability Outreach Center
The Disability Outreach Center (DOC) is a resource centering the needs and experiences of disabled students and allies. The DOC connects students with community resources, raises awareness, and advocates for disabled students’ human and civil rights by:
- Promoting community building and pride for students with disabilities,
- Providing educational programming, referrals, and information about disability topics for students,
- Facilitating Disability Outreach Center Affinity Centered Groups, and
- Coordinating disability affinity event programming including
- DisOrientation (part of Western Welcome),
- Disability Action Month (October),
- Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month (April),
- DisCo (Disability Community) Celebration of Graduates and Awards Ceremony (part of Commencement), and
- Disability Pride Month (July).
The Disability Outreach Center is one of the less than 20 Disability Cultural Centers on a U.S. college or university campus.
Highlights from 2024-2025:
- Hosted and co-hosted 80+ events, activities, and programs including
- Inaugural DisOrientation, Disability Action Month, Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month, DisCo Celebration of Graduates and Awards Ceremony, and Disability Pride Month,
- Two affinity groups: Spoons and Knives & Neuro Space, and
- Mask4Mask event series,
- First time the disability pride flag and neurodivergence pride flag have flown over campus,
- Launched the Disabled Peer Mentorship Program, a mentorship program for first year, transfer, and recently self-identified or newly disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent, Blind and low vision, d/Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing students at WWU to receive individual mentorship from upper-level peers to increase the retention, success, and wellness of mentees,
- Provided consultations, facilitated trainings, and shared educational information about disability, accessibility, and universal design to the campus community, and
- Served on committees and working groups including the Services and Activities Fee Committee, Information Technology Accessibility Committee, Transportation Advisory Committee, Gender Affirming Care Committee, and Neurodiversity Inclusion Collaborative.
Help support our current and future projects!
- Expanding our capacity for DOC student employees to create more events and programming including additional affinity groups,
- Continuing and improving the Disabled Peer Mentorship Program,
- Establishing a student scholarship,
- Creating a community mural in the Disability Outreach Center lounge,
- Reestablishing and improving our Disability Studies library,
- Creating an allergen free pantry and microwave in the Disability Outreach Center lounge,
- Establishing a sensory friendly space, and
- Updating our DisCo graduation cords and creating pins for a DisOrientation pinning ceremony.
Disability Access Center
Vision:
Every disabled student graduates, thriving and prepared for a life of growth and purpose.
Mission:
Through services, programming, and advocacy centering disabled Western students, the DAC advances holistic student development and inclusive achievement. Focusing on disability outreach services, DAC helps ensure institutional legal compliance and fosters a justice-oriented campus community that centers disability-positive identity formation. DAC increases access, equity, and inclusion for disabled Western students through collaborative transformation of structures, policies, and practices.
Goals:
- Determine student eligibility for reasonable disability-related accommodations and services and facilitate their implementation across campus,
- Engage in transparent communication around accommodation-related procedures and policies,
- Build community through outreach and programs that foster self-advocacy and disability-positive identity development, and
- Increase equity on campus by advocating for access to all programs with a focus on disabled students.
Your gift helps support student success at Western. Thank you for your support!
