By Lex Feuchter

In the midst of the interview, DelVal’s new Director of Student Accessibility Services Kelly Deasy, was called by another staff member to help resolve a testing issue. There was a miscommunication between two students taking the same test. One student claimed the professor allowed them to use a calculator while the other said they were able to use notes. 

Deasy, familiar with student accommodations from her previous job at an art school in Philadelphia, quickly solved the problem, directing the staff member to send an urgent email to the professor and find the proper guidelines of the test.  

As the new hire advocating for students’ needs, Deasy’s days are never typical, as her job addresses the barriers to learning and the changing culture in education.  

“I try to keep myself aware there’s unexpected things that happen, although I keep a schedule and students can make a meeting with us, I do a lot of planning and some goal setting with students as the new director and am also planning what I want to accomplish in the first 6 months of working at DelVal,” said Deasy. 

Outside of  working with unexpected challenges, Deasy regularly meets with students to determine reasonable accommodations according to course standards. 

“I meet with students anytime during the semester. I do a lot of monitoring with students once they’re registered with our office, I might check in with them regularly.” 

Deasy recommended if a student with a disability is looking for an accommodation, it doesn’t hurt to make an initial request.  Also, there are other support services in Segal Hall outside of accommodations, such as tutoring and finding learning study strategies for a student to ensure they are prepared for upcoming assignments and tests. 

Deasy explained the biggest misconceptions with student accommodations is the perception that students with disabilities are given an unfair disadvantage. She clarified her services are provided for an evenly balanced playing field for all students to foster access.  

“Some students have physical pain or are dealing with other concerns and it takes extra effort to accomplish daily goals. I hope the office is welcoming and provides an opportunity for students to talk freely about their needs. This position helps a student be successful in college and beyond. There are students who wouldn’t get to that finishing line without the Office of Accessibility Services.” 

Some students are at major disadvantages in their daily lives due to inaccessibility in the environment.  Deasy said college is a huge adjustment for students, and the adjustment is often multiplied for students with disabilities. Some students don’t have familial support or outside resources and must navigate the college transition on their own.  

Deasy expressed the importance of students advocating for themselves. She enjoys helping students out, even if she’s making small changes to help improve their college lives. Deasy understands how difficult it is navigating the world, with or without a disability. She strives to help students in need of support to ensure they are given the tools to succeed in school. 

“I see how difficult it is to navigate the world without the extra barrier for some students. My motivation is to implement small changes by helping students. Everyone learns differently, which is said all the time, but it’s true.” 

“Disability drives innovation, and we have a lot of work to do in our society to make our environments more accessibly designed and recognize that everyone has different characteristics.  When we design for disability in mind, everyone can benefit.”  

Heather Harrington, the assistant director of experience 360, commented on Deasy’s recent employment.  

“She fits into the culture of the building well. She’s very friendly, which I think is an important quality to have with someone in the accessibility field,” said Harrington. 

Harrington explained when there was a moment in time when there was no head of the department, leaving it to other employees to take up that role.  

“There was only time for the absolute necessities, and not those one-on-one meetings with students. We were still meeting with students, but maybe once every other week instead of every week. The more people we have, the more time we can allocate to students.” 

“I try to keep myself aware there’s unexpected things that happen, although I keep a schedule and students can make a meeting with us, I do a lot of planning and some goal setting with students as the new director and am also planning what I want to accomplish in the first 6 months of working at DelVal. – Kelly Deasy

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