Disability Culture and Community

• A student group revolving around disability activism on campus.

• Meets on Tuesdays from 5:00PM to 6:00PM in the Student Union and via Zoom (Spring 22).

• Email UMassAmherst@CampusAccessNetwork.com for the Zoom link or more information.

• Alliance Against Ableism website.

• An RSO that discusses methods of dismantling ableism.

• Meets on Fridays from 3:00PM to 4:00PM via Zoom (Spring 22).

• Email alliance@umass.edu for the Zoom link or more information.

• Talk about your experiences with support from co-facilitators in this weekly discussion group hosted by CCPH and Disability Services. You are welcome to honor your needs and come after the start time and/or leave before group ends! Please refrain from using products with fragrances.

• *Spectrum refers to people who experience any elements of autism spectrum disorders, including (dis)abilities related to perception, sensory processing, language, executive function, and motor skills. Group members do not need a medical diagnosis to attend.

• Meets Thursdays from 4:30PM to 6:00PM in Whitmore 115B (Spring 22).

• Email Denny Bobot at sbobot@sacl.umass.edu for more information.

• An RSO which fosters a positive disability culture on campus.

• Meets on Fridays from 7:00PM to 9:00PM in Student Union Room 339 and via Zoom (Spring 22).

• Email UMassDCC@gmail.com for the Zoom link or more information.

• A student group working to establish a Disability Cultural Center on campus.

• Meets Mondays from 2:00PM - 3:00PM PM via Zoom (Spring 22).

• Email Griffin Leistinger at gleistinger@umass.edu for the zoom link or for more information.

• Office of Faculty Development home page.

• They have resources related to:

• Work-life balance [Link 1]

• Faculty groups [Link 2] (you can start your own related to disability by contacting facultydiversity@umass.edu!)

• Employee resource groups [Link 3] (including the UMass Allies for Illness and Disability Access (UMAIDA) Network)

• Opportunities for community involvement [Link 4]

• Human Resources connects employees to resources, including:

• The Employee Counseling and Consultation Office [Link 5]

• The Mass4You Employee Assistance Program [Link 6]

• Cojourn @UMass [Link 7]

• The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity [Link 8]

• The full list of unions that currently cover University employees is on the Labor Relations website [Link 9].

• According to Workplace Learning & Development, the following unions cover the following employees:

• American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME Local 1776): Covers non-exempt skilled trades, custodial, grounds, housing, food services and security employees.

  • • • Their website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 10].

• University Staff Association (USA/MTA): Covers non-exempt clerical, technical and administrative employees.

  • • • Their website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 11].

• Professional Staff Union/Massachusetts Teachers Association, (PSU/MTA): Covers mainly exempt administrative staff, and some non-exempt administrative staff.

  • • • Their website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 12].

• Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP): Covers all faculty and librarians.

  • • • Their website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 13].

• United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2322: Graduate Employee Organization (GEO), Resident Assistants and Peer Mentors (RA) and Postdoctoral Researchers Organizing (PRO): For teaching assistants, graduate interns, resident assistants, peer mentors, and postdoctoral researchers.

  • • • GEO: Their website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 14].

      • RA: Their website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 15].

      • PRO: Their website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 16].

      • UAW: Their website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 17].

• International Brotherhood of Police Officers (IBPO) Local A&B: For UMPD employees.

  • • • The national website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 18]. Their local office can be contacted with the information below:

        • • • Address: 1299 Page Boulevard, Springfield, MA 01104.

            • Phone: (413) 732-3753

            • Toll-free: (866) 412-7784

            • Fax: (413) 736-5557

• New England Police Benevolent Association: For UMPD employees.

  • • • The national website is here, which includes contact information and relevant documents [Link 19]. Their local office can be contacted with the information below:

        • • • Address: 100 Grove Street – #113, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605.

            • Office Phone: (978)-453-2500

            • Fax: (508)-798-0294

• For those who work under a union as a contractor, you can search for unions in Massachusetts on this page [Link 20].

Stavros provides services helping individuals stay independent [Link 21]. These include:

• Assistance with applying for SSI/SSDI

• Counseling on medical rights

• Finding accessible affordable housing

• A mobility aid loan program

• Connecting individuals with Personal Care Attendants, and

• Guidance on choices regarding assisted living.

American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT) is a Disabled politically organization [Link 22]. They have:

• A Boston chapter [Link 23], and

• An overall Massachusetts chapter [Link 24].

The Arc connects people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to their communities and advocacy [Link 25]. The Massachusetts chapter of ARC has:

• An extensive resources page [Link 26].

• Multiple repeating webinar series [Link 27], and

• Resources for policy advocacy [Link 28].

Disability Studies Quarterly (DSQ) is "the first journal in the field of disability studies." [Link 29] They have:

• Quarterly publishing of research [Link 30], and

• A blog [Link 31].

The Campus Access Network (CAN) connects campuses fighting for disability justice [Link 32]!

The Disabled Academic Collective (DAC) are "a group of undergraduates, graduate students, faculty members, and independent scholars who identify as disabled and are fighting for accessible higher education for all students [Link 33]." They have resources including:

• A Discord server which is described as "a safe space for disabled individuals [Link 34]."

• A Twitter [Link 35],

• Resources on Universal Design Learning, pedagogy, and classroom activities [Link 36], and

• A blog [Link 37].

1. https://www.umass.edu/faculty-development/programs-resources/work-life

2. https://www.umass.edu/provost/resources/all-resources/faculty-diversity/faculty-groups

3. https://www.umass.edu/diversity/employee-resource-groups

4. https://www.umass.edu/diversity/get-involved

5. https://www.umass.edu/humres/ecco

6. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/mass4you-employee-assistance-program-eap

7. https://www.umass.edu/wld/cojourn-umass-0

8. https://www.facultydiversity.org/fsp-bootcamp

9. https://www.umass.edu/humres/bargaining-unit-employees

10. https://www.umass.edu/local1776/

11. https://universitystaffassociation.org/

12. https://www.umass.edu/psumta/

13. https://umassmsp.org/

14. https://www.geouaw.org/

15. https://uaw2322.org/ra/

16. https://prouaw2322.org/

17. https://uaw2322.org/

18. http://www.ibpo.org/

19. https://nepba.org/

20. https://laborunionresource.org/union-halls/union-halls-massachusetts/

21. https://www.stavros.org/

22. https://adapt.org/

23. https://adapt.org/adapt-groups/?wpf3888_1=Massachusetts%20-%20Boston#ContactForm

24. https://adapt.org/adapt-groups/?wpf3888_1=Massachusetts#ContactForm

25. https://thearcofmass.org/

26. https://thearcofmass.org/resources/

27. https://thearcofmass.org/webinars/

28. https://thearcofmass.org/advocacy/

29. https://dsq-sds.org/about

30. https://dsq-sds.org/issue/view/259

31. https://dsqblog.com/

32. https://sites.google.com/view/campusaccessnetwork

33. https://disabledacademicco.wixsite.com/mysite

34. https://disabledacademicco.wixsite.com/mysite/join-us

35. https://twitter.com/DisabledAcadem

36. https://disabledacademicco.wixsite.com/mysite/resources

37. https://disabledacademicco.wixsite.com/mysite/blog