More than 300 students are currently registered for Disability Support Services (DSS). However, the center is understaffed, according to DSS Director Starr Wheeler and Assistant Coordinator Patrick Devendorf.

“We need additional resources,” Wheeler said. “Pat and I are the only full-time faculty…if we were to work with students on an advising basis we would [require] some additional help…and space.”

Wheeler said she is open to the opportunity of advisement for students, but with 153 students per faculty member, it is difficult to implement.

Devendorf explained training would be required for additional academic counselors.

Currently, DSS offers electronic books, white noise machines, extended time, note takers and alternate locations for in-class examinations.

However, with six exam rooms and 1,500 exams given last semester, the faculty not only reserve other rooms in the campus center, but students also use faculty’s offices as testing rooms.

“We are doing many more finals [and] exams across the board,” Wheeler said. “It’s a gradual increase and what we are seeing more is the amount of exams. Students use to take one exam here; now they’re taking multiple.”

Restrictions are imposed on the students. Devendorf said underclassmen who are accustomed to aides in high school will no longer receive this assistance once they enter college.

“We do provide accommodations, but it’s a little bit different in how they are provided,” Devendorf said. “When students come from high school they have a 504 plan that ends once the student crosses the stage in 12th grade. Our laws are different that we follow under.”

In grades K-12, students are supported by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that provides them less specific special needs criteria and more funding for services. Like most colleges, Oswego State follows the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) where students are legalized adults and are given more responsibility.

Wheeler explained some students struggle to adjust to this difference into the college community.

“Parents will often come in and say my daughter needs to check in weekly to make sure there doing there work,” Wheeler said. “If they don’t come in here we don’t check in with them. A regular coach or aide, we don’t have that.”

At last week’s town hall meeting with President Stanley, student Sarah Armstrong brought attention to the lack of advisors and limited space in the DSS center compared to her community college.

“Within the Disability center, there are no advisors in it,” said Armstrong, a sophomore. “This is a system that is literally in every other college. A lot of us with disabilities have a different graduation plan. If I have to talk to my advisor about my issues I have to break confidentiality and that’s embarrassing.”

At several community colleges across New York State, students with disabilities are offered academic advisors.

While Devendorf said they made their concerns clear with administration, they realized that other departments are struggling with the same issues of limited space and resources.

Armstrong, who suffers with an anxiety disorder, said students who have similar disabilities are placed into rooms with many other people.

“It’s useless,” Armstrong said. “When we have extra time, we don’t have separate rooms. They are not set up.”

Oswego State student Maria-Ray Osscino said the DSS Center is “friendly” but it needs to be improved.

“If we could have advisors for a group of students… it would be less stressful because a lot of students suffer from social anxiety,” said Osscino, a sophomore. “Advisors don’t know what they’re going through.”

Meanwhile, Wheeler said she is open to improvements.

“Our students know we are here for them,” Wheeler said. “We go out of our way to help students any way we can.”