In 2024, Tennessee nearly failed people with disabilities.
Every year, the Tennessee Disability Coalition assesses the state’s ability to assist its disabled citizens — with generally poor reception.
Last year, the TDC assigned Tennessee an overall D grade despite “accomplishments having, in some cases, profound positive effects on the disabled community.” In a college environment, a D implies inadequate effort. Does MTSU fit into that implication, or can it rise above Tennessee’s grade?
The 2024 Tennessee Disability Scorecard evaluated education in the state with the same meager score, but mostly evaluated K-12 schools throughout the state. Colleges are less influenced by the state government, complicating the assessment of higher education’s capabilities, TDC Director of Public Policy Jeff Strand said.
“That’s not to say the state has no influence,” Strand said. “In fact, they tried to flex it over the last couple of years.”
Post-secondary education can be hindered by economic restraints. In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, nearly 58% of the state’s higher education funding is outcomes-based, according to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
Public universities and community colleges receive a portion of funding based on students’ performance after they leave campus grounds. The focus on students getting jobs after graduation encourages higher education institutions to perceive disabled students as a statistic to overcome, Strand said.
“The TDC does not believe that’s the way society should operate for the disabled,” Strand said. “Instead, it should primarily be viewed as a reason to help disabled students.”
Despite this potential limitation, MTSU reaches out to the disabled through the Disability & Access Center. For example, political science student Jacob Pagel travels around MTSU campus in a wheelchair. The process for acquiring accommodations is straightforward, Pagel said.
“The DAC was one of my first calls because of how hectic MTSU can be,” Pagel said. “When I went into Motlow Community College, even reaching the front doors was chaos.”
MTSU’s geometrically flat profile makes getting to class simple, Pagel said. He can call the DAC whenever there’s something he needs.
When former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence came to the university’s Tucker Theatre on Sept. 17 for a Constitution Day speech, the DAC ensured Pagel’s attendance.
“I nearly forgot to call the DAC when I wanted go to that event,” Pagel said. “When I did, they rushed me to the front row.”
The DAC’s assistance extends to a spectrum of physically disabled students. Accommodations range anywhere from captioning in MTSU’s live events to audio descriptions of pictures, DAC associate director Gerald Christian said.
This wide variety stems from the center’s first director, John Harris.
“[Harris] was blind and did a lot to make the university accessible,” Christian said.
MTSU is also one of the first universities in Tennessee to have an Adaptive Technology Center, DAC director Kevin States said. In the James E. Walker Library, registered students can utilize computers with various hardware and software accessibility components.
Despite these accomplishments, MTSU is not perfect.
Mentally disabled citizens are among the most difficult ones to accommodate in Tennessee, Strand said.
Tennesseans in this category have “invisible disabilities,” which are difficult to notice without a proper diagnosis. Most places in Tennessee become less understanding of such challenges due to their undetectable nature, Strand said.
“We can easily accommodate people who use a wheelchair,” Strand said. “However, the nature of invisible disabilities makes them distinct from the individual, which makes it hard for schools and colleges to adequately accommodate those students.”
The DAC works with students on a case-by-case basis, which includes looking into student complaints about professors not accommodating their specific needs.
Most MTSU professors ensure that disabled students get their accommodations — however, invisible disabilities are involved among the most common cases of unwilling MTSU professors. Most of these situations stem from a lack of awareness, Christian said.
“I think it’s a matter of educating these professors,” Christian said.
The DAC has received less complaints throughout recent years, Christian said. States and Christian plan to further spread awareness on mental disabilities by setting up speeches throughout the campus.
Even with a physically accessible campus, there are still some areas in need of improvement. Older buildings like Peck Hall are more difficult to traverse without assistance. Additionally, elevators tend to break down in various buildings. The elevator in the Keathley University Center remained broken for most of the fall 2024 semester, Pagel said.
“That’s where the DAC is,” Pagel said. “I find that ironic. I can easily get to their office on the first floor. However, if I wanted to go to higher floors, I’d be out of luck without someone helping me.”
The DAC plans to incorporate adaptive sports into MTSU campus life, like wheelchair basketball and beep kickball, States said, though they currently face challenges in implementing these activities in an inclusive way.
In 2022, the U.S. Office of Civil Rights received the highest number of disability discrimination complaints since 1985, according to Christian.
“I’m depressed that America has regressed in this way,” Christian said. “With that in mind, Tennessee not being at its best isn’t surprising.”
The Office of Civil Rights maintains a list of discrimination cases against educational institutions throughout the United States. MTSU has no pending cases regarding disability as of Jan. 14, 2025.
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