When second-year philosophy student Sam Schaffel was choosing between UCLA or UC Berkeley as a high school senior, it was not only the caliber of academics or the qualities of the student body that he was considering.
Schaffel, whose cerebral palsy can make it difficult to get around campus, said he was very impressed by the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) at UCLA, which ultimately led him to come here.
“Berkeley is a huge campus, and their van service is definitely inferior,” Schaffel said. “Between the environment and the services offered, (UCLA) seemed like an overall better choice.”
According to OSD, UCLA is 100 percent programmatically accessible, meaning disabled students are not only able to get around campus physically but also can fully participate in all parts of campus life.
Both Schaffel and Michelle Tang, a second-year English student who is hard of hearing, said they have both had good experiences with OSD and rarely hear complaints from the other students who utilize the many services it provides.
These services include van rides around campus, extra time for exams, coordinating easily accessible parking and housing, and note taking, which is the most commonly used.
Ed McCloskey, assistant director of services and relations for OSD, said that to qualify for assistance, students must show documentation of a permanent or temporary disability from an outside expert, such as a physician or psychologist, and then meet with specialists to determine what services they need.
“OSD does a really good job of assigning (students) to specific departments. You know exactly who to look for (to get assistance),” Tang said of this specialized and personalized attention students receive.
Schaffel and UCLA alumnus Atif Moon, who uses a wheelchair, said because the vans run earlier and later than the OSD office hours, it can be difficult to call and get help after hours if there is ever a problem with the service.
Moon, who helped spur the university to build a wheelchair-accessible ramp at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center, said he had few problems getting around campus, though he mentioned that elevators are often slow and cumbersome.
While physical limitations can often be circumvented thanks to technology, some students still struggle with other aspects of campus life.
Tang said though she has an amplification device to help her, she often has to rely on lip reading, which can make following class challenging if the teacher is not aware.
“I find it kind of difficult because I miss certain things people say,” she said.
Moon said OSD would help make sure there was a table for him in each of his classes, but even after putting signs on the desk, people would continually remove them.
Anjali Vallabhapurapu, a second-year Chicana and Chicano studies student and vice president of Disabled Students Union (a student organization that helps advocate for students with disabilities), said she has attention deficit disorder.
She said it can be particularly challenging when those around her don’t understand her need to focus and follow study habits that may be different from theirs.
Originally founded after World War II as part of a federal program to serve injured veterans, OSD changed to its current form in the 1980s, McCloskey said.
Tang, who is the current president of Disabled Students Union, said they are currently recruiting members and are hoping to “make our group a little more cohesive.”
Because it had been inactive in recent years, the group was unable to apply for office space last year, though Tang and Schaffel, the Disabled Students Union’s programmer, said the group will still meet and continue its work.
Tang said keeping the group going and recruiting new members is a slow process, but she said she is optimistic about the future.
Schaffel said he has been very pleased with his experience at UCLA.
“Between OSD and DSU, between the support and accommodations … it’s a very good environment,” he said.
Vallabhapurapu said she appreciates that the services offered at UCLA allow students to simply be a part of the community, instead of putting the focus on any disability or handicap they may have.
“It’s all about being at UCLA and feeling welcomed. You’re still a Bruin, and I like the fact that everyone helps each other,” she said.