The records of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) document the assistance the university provided to students with various types of disabilities. The records span the years 1973-1993; the bulk of the materials covers 1980-1986. The records are divided into two series: Advisory Board Minutes and Topical Files.
In 1966, the State of Michigan enacted a law mandating the accommodation of the physically handicapped in the construction or major remodeling of public buildings (Public Act I, 1966). The University of Michigan took the occasion of the enactment of Public Act I as the impetus to review its services for disabled students.
In 1969, 1970 and 1971, the university created several committees charged with creating a system of programs to serve the disabled students on campus. The most significant outcome of those committees and the reports they issued was the installation of curb cuts and ramps around campus. The Committee on Aid to Disabled Students (CADS), a student-staff oriented committee, created in 1971 by the Student Government Council, addressed the interests of the students with handicaps. This committee is best known for its Wheelchair Awareness Day, during which university administrators, staff, and regents were asked to undertake daily work in a wheelchair.
After considerable efforts to obtain funding, CADS received a grant from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) in August 1973 to start a program for disabled students. Disabled Student Services (DSS) began functioning under the auspices of the Office of Student Services on February 1, 1974, with Mr. Joseph Varghese as program manager. Varghese found his two largest tasks were to identify the group of individuals to be served and to survey the needs of these individuals.
Disabled Student Services sought to provide equal opportunity to handicapped students so that they might compete with their peers in all aspects of campus life. This was accomplished by providing classroom materials in alternative media (braille, tapes, etc.), volunteer readers; tutorial help and attendant care; emergency repairs of wheelchairs; assistance in finding accessible housing close to campus; the duplication of class notes for the hearing impaired; counseling; advocacy; and help in the removal of architectural barriers. A monthly newsletter was created to keep the university community abreast of projects underway. During this time, a considerable amount of time and energy were spent on educating the university community about misconceptions and prejudices related to the disabled.
When funding from HEW ended in June 1974, the university stepped in and allocated funds to operate the program. University funding, at a reduced level from HEW's funding, focused on student needs rather than education in the university community.
By 1980/81, DSS's major areas of responsibilities were support services to facilitate equal educational opportunities for disabled students at the University of Michigan and to serve as a liaison with state and community agencies and organizations that assist individuals with disabilities and professional development. Included within support services were accessible transportation, accessibility maps, handicapped parking on campus, aids for the visually and hearing impaired, and financial aid.
During the 1983/84 academic year, DSS began coordinating a new lift-equipped campus transportation service, offered campus-wide awareness programs which included "Meeting the Challenge: A Guide to Barrier Free Learning," and, for the first time, developed proposals to support students with learning disabilities.
In 1989 DSS officially changed its name to Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in order to put the focus on the student, rather than the disability.
According to the Services for Students with Disabilities brochure dated 1993, located in box 2 of this record group, Services for Students with Disabilities:
Offers selected student services which are not provided by other University of Michigan offices or outside organizations. Our services are free. Assists students in negotiating disability-related barriers to the pursuit of their education. Strives to improve access to University programs, activities, and facilities for students with disabilities. Promotes increased awareness for disability issues on campus.
