By Melissa Turosik
Youngstown State University’s disability services has moved several times in several years, but has found a new home in Kilcawley Center.
It is now located in the former Student Activities Office on the second floor of Kilcawley Center.
Gina McGranahan, assistant director of disability services, said students like the new location a lot.
“They find it convenient,” McGranahan said. “Since it’s the beginning of the semester we haven’t started testing or anything yet, but we’re hoping [with] it being here that the usage numbers go up.”
McGranahan said there is a process for students to receive accommodations based on their disabilities.
She said an interview is conducted with the student with a discussion of what the student’s struggles in class are, then appropriate accommodations are made and students receive a letter of accommodations from her.
“What we do most of the time is testing; we have a quiet space for students to take their exams, we give them extra time and things of that nature,” McGranahan said.
McGranahan said disability services offers volunteer note taker programs for students who cannot physically take notes for themselves, books in audio format for students with print disabilities and copies of PowerPoints and overheads for students.
Jenna Latcheran, a graduate assistant intern at disability services, said this semester 112 classes needed filled with note takers for students who were unable to take notes.
McGranahan said students with disabilities receive early registration as well.
She said last semester there were 501 students registered with disability service and the graduation rates for students with disabilities has increased. In spring 2017, 32 students with disabilities graduated, and in fall 2017, 22 students with disabilities graduated.
Latcheran said she loves helping students and watching their progress grow throughout the semester. She said the help that is provided has been successful for them in the classroom.
“There are a lot of students who I would academic coach or help with last semester and they would come back this semester,” Latcheran said.
Danielle Bondy, a YSU student, said disability services has been beneficial for her throughout college.
“They were always very understanding and helpful as long as I called and talked to them and let know what was going on like being a minute or two late for a test,” Bondy said.
Bondy said her experiences have always been positive with disability services.
“It was a hard start when I first started with the disability services, because I had to get tests done for them so that they knew what they could give me as far as services,” Bondy said.
McGranahan said she hopes that since disability services is in Kilcawley Center now, students will begin to come in.
“The big thing I like to stress is that it’s confidential, it doesn’t go on your records and nobody has to know. Every class pretty much has somebody in there with a disability but you just don’t know about it,” McGranahan said.