On Sept. 14, the office of the provost and student affairs co-sponsored a professional development opportunity promoting accessibility in our campus community. Two consultants from the College Autism Network, Dr. Lee Burdette Williams and Dr. Bradley Cox, facilitated a joint session entitled: Serving Students With Autism — Strategies for Inclusion, Engagement and Success.

Three takeaways from the presentation

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a hard-wired, brain-based difference, not a disease or disorder to be “cured,” but differences to be understood and supported.
• The common characteristics of ASD are not moral failings.
• Students with ASD want to learn and succeed, and have overcome tremendous odds to be in college in the first place.

For additional information on the presentation and neurodiversity, review the attached PowerPoint presentation.