CUNY Coalition for CUNY Coalition for Students with Students with Disabilities Disabilities

Empowering CUNY’s more than 9,000 Empowering CUNY’s more than 9,000 Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities

By Madeline Schwartz, ChairpersonBy Madeline Schwartz, Chairperson

Disabilities Civil Disabilities Civil Rights… Rights…

Education has been mandatory for American

children since 1917, but it was not until after Ed Roberts in

the 1960s that the Disability Rights movement drew

national attention. When he was paralyzed from the neck down when he

gained admission to the University of California at

Berkeley.

History…History…

In the early 1970s, only In the early 1970s, only 20%20% of children with of children with disabilities were educated in U.S. schools.disabilities were educated in U.S. schools.

In 1972, the Federal courts determined the right to a In 1972, the Federal courts determined the right to a basic education basic education EqualEqual ProtectionProtection Clause in the 14th Clause in the 14th Amendment and demanded that “states to provide Amendment and demanded that “states to provide disabled children with an education, and financial disabled children with an education, and financial assistance to create and maintain this service within assistance to create and maintain this service within local communities.” local communities.”

In 1973, In 1973, Federal Rehabilitation Act, Section 504Federal Rehabilitation Act, Section 504 established the legislative obligation for all colleges established the legislative obligation for all colleges and universities receiving Federal dollars to increase and universities receiving Federal dollars to increase physical and programmatic access and to provide physical and programmatic access and to provide auxiliary aids and prohibit discriminatory procedures.auxiliary aids and prohibit discriminatory procedures.

History…History…

In 1975, Education most be In 1975, Education most be guarantee freeguarantee free and and appropriateappropriate public education for children with public education for children with disabilities.disabilities.

In 1992, the Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act, In 1992, the Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act, at at CUNYCUNY each campus for students with disabilities to each campus for students with disabilities to request reasonable accommodations, and a budget is request reasonable accommodations, and a budget is provided at each campus to provide those provided at each campus to provide those accommodations for students with documented accommodations for students with documented disabilities.disabilities.

History… History…

In 1984, Don Passantino enrolled at Queens College in In 1984, Don Passantino enrolled at Queens College in the effort to acquire the skills necessary to change the effort to acquire the skills necessary to change prevailing disability policies. While at Queens College, prevailing disability policies. While at Queens College, he became involved at every level of student he became involved at every level of student government, including serving as the Chair of the government, including serving as the Chair of the College’s Committee for Disabled Students, as President College’s Committee for Disabled Students, as President of its Evening Student Association, and as leading of its Evening Student Association, and as leading member of the College’s Academic Senate.  As Vice member of the College’s Academic Senate.  As Vice Chair of CUNY’s University Student Senate, Don worked Chair of CUNY’s University Student Senate, Don worked tirelessly to enhance access and opportunity for the City tirelessly to enhance access and opportunity for the City University’s more than 9,000 students with disabilities…University’s more than 9,000 students with disabilities…

…The CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities

Our FounderOur Founder

Donald PassantinoDonald PassantinoAdvocate, Artist, EnvironmentalistAdvocate, Artist, Environmentalist

1950-20041950-2004

Reestablishing…Reestablishing…

In the summer of 2003, Passantino In the summer of 2003, Passantino invited a group of student leaders with invited a group of student leaders with disabilities to gather together in a leadership disabilities to gather together in a leadership training held at Queens College followed by a training held at Queens College followed by a barbecue to celebrate the anniversary of the barbecue to celebrate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). At the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). At the event Donald Passantino reorganized the event Donald Passantino reorganized the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities once again. As a result of that event, the once again. As a result of that event, the CCSD has been working very strongly with a CCSD has been working very strongly with a common purpose, which is to reestablish and common purpose, which is to reestablish and renew old friendships with those who are renew old friendships with those who are involved in advocating for the disabled. involved in advocating for the disabled.

Represents a diverse, Represents a diverse, empowered University-wide empowered University-wide organization that is actively and organization that is actively and dramatically transforming the dramatically transforming the perception and experiences of perception and experiences of people with disabilities at CUNY. people with disabilities at CUNY.

The CUNY Coalition for The CUNY Coalition for Students with Students with

DisabilitiesDisabilities

Structure…Structure…

Our Current Members Our Current Members are Students and are Students and Alumnus:Alumnus:

BMCCBMCC QCCQCC La GuardiaLa Guardia City CollegeCity College Baruch CollegeBaruch College Hunter CollegeHunter College Queens CollegeQueens College Staten IslandStaten Island Kingsborough Kingsborough

Community CollegeCommunity College John Jay John Jay

The board of directors:

Chairperson Vice chairperson Treasurer Secretary Member at Large

Identity…Identity…

A Logo Contest !

Logo Contest …Logo Contest …

IndependenceIndependence of CUNY students of CUNY students with disabilities with disabilities

LeadershipLeadership by CUNY students by CUNY students with disabilities with disabilities

AdvocacyAdvocacy by CUNY students with by CUNY students with disabilities disabilities

Spirit of communitySpirit of community among among people with disabilities at CUNY people with disabilities at CUNY

Equal Equal accessaccess for people with for people with disabilities at CUNY disabilities at CUNY

Equal Equal opportunityopportunity for people for people with disabilities at CUNY with disabilities at CUNY

ExcellencyExcellency of CUNY students of CUNY students with disabilities with disabilities

Students with disabilities as an Students with disabilities as an integralintegral part of CUNY part of CUNY

Students with disabilities Students with disabilities contributions to CUNY’s contributions to CUNY’s diversitydiversity

A Logo Design that reflects the essential

spirit and values of the group:

Webpage … Fliers…Webpage … Fliers…

Arts Department Disabilities Service Offices Listserv

About Us Photo Gallery Guidelines Application Join Us Event

Sponsor…Sponsor…

• Disability Awareness Month Disability Awareness Month Kick Off ReceptionKick Off Reception• $1,000.00$1,000.00

• CUNY Coalition Logo Design CUNY Coalition Logo Design Competition & ReceptionCompetition & Reception• $2,300.00$2,300.00

Award Presentation…Award Presentation…

April 19, 2005April 19, 2005

1:30 pm to 4:30 pm1:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Borough of Manhattan Community Borough of Manhattan Community College Richard Harris TerranceCollege Richard Harris Terrance

Guest Speakers:Guest Speakers: USS Chair Lauren FasanoUSS Chair Lauren Fasano

Dean Harry FranklinDean Harry Franklin

The Winner…The Winner…

Cesar RiveraNew York City College of Technology

Current Projects…Current Projects…

The The ToolTool KitKit is is another project another project designed by CCSD designed by CCSD “to ensure there are “to ensure there are a student disabilitya student disability organization and/or organization and/or club on each of the club on each of the CUNY college CUNY college campuses.” campuses.”

The The TRIOTRIO ProgramProgram; ; by August 2005, by August 2005, more than 2,000 more than 2,000 CUNY students in CUNY students in need of support need of support services, including services, including many with disabilities many with disabilities are schedule to lose are schedule to lose their funds in 12 their funds in 12 institutions in New institutions in New York State and nine York State and nine are CUNY colleges. are CUNY colleges.

What can I do to stop these cuts?

Together, We Can Make a Difference! 1. Log on to www.supportcuny.org2. Sign up with Support CUNY3. Click on “To Do”4. Click on the “Take Action” icon corresponding to the category that bestdescribes you as a constituent (I.e. “Student-Federal Issues” , “Student with a Disability”, etc..). Modify the sample letter to write to your U.S. Senators and Representatives asking them to stop the cuts to CUNY’s Student Support Services (TRIO) Programs!

Our Goal…Our Goal…

It is our It is our long-term goallong-term goal is is to implement these to implement these plans plans and especially to and especially to remove remove the physical the physical barriers to education and safety, to barriers to education and safety, to create awareness within the create awareness within the community, and to fully establish community, and to fully establish and be a recognized organization and be a recognized organization on each and every CUNY campus.on each and every CUNY campus.

Our Future…Our Future…

ExcellenceExcellence

FairnessFairness

InclusionInclusion

Harmony