Student with Disabilities Commission

Mission Statement:

Our commission aims to increase support for students with disabilities through project-based initiatives. We work to raise awareness of disability-related issues and lead student-driven projects that make Rice more accessible and inclusive, bridging the gap between the student population and access to disability resources.

Our subcommittees provide intentional channels through which we provide support and resources to students with disabilities across Rice's campus. Our O-Week and student resources subcommittee works with O-Week coordinators and RHAs to address issues related to accessibility, infrastructure, and accommodations as new students matriculate. Our accommodations and DRC liaisons work closely with faculty at Rice's Student Disabilities Resource Center. Finally, we collaborate with professors via our faculty awareness subcommittee to ensure students enter classrooms prepared for their best learning.

Please reach out to us with questions or to learn more about our commission! Email vm38@rice.edu

Goals: 

• To empower students with disabilities with resources and equitable access

• To educate the Rice community on disability rights and justice

• To facilitate the development of a welcoming, inclusive, and informed disabled community at Rice

Proposed Initiatives:

We focus on two main projects, with smaller projects that are developed based on members’ interests:

• A disability ombuds project, in which Rice students can guide their peers, especially new students, through the accommodation process via the Disability Resource Center (DRC). This is currently in its pilot stage at Will Rice College.

• A disability awareness week, in which the commission collaborates with non-profit organizations and other student organizations to raise awareness on various disabilities and conditions, in addition to how best to support students who have these conditions. This is still in the planning stage.

Smaller projects that are still being planned include:

• Advocating for a centralized test center on campus

• Implementing changes on Rice websites to accommodate the needs of all students

• Potentially improving the DRC and its services as a whole

• Streamlining the accommodation process for students

Commissions:

• Access & Rights: This commission focuses on initiatives to protect the rights of disabled students. The chair of this commission shall plan efforts to make accommodations, both formal and informal, easier to access and fair.

• Advocacy & Awareness: This commission focuses on educating the Rice community about disabilities to promote empathy. The chair of this commission shall plan efforts to platform disabled voices in an engaging way.