“ Our magazine was a connection for people to be aware and get involved .”
A lack of accommodation in 1973 led Cyndi Jones to put her studies on hold , but times have certainly changed for those with disabilities on campus . Every year more than 500 undergraduate , graduate and professional school students with physical limitations , chronic health issues , or psychological and learning disabilities utilize resources from the Office for Students with Disabilities ( OSD ). From academic to housing accommodations , the OSD ensures the availability of transport and educational resources for those who need assistance .
Making the Media As publisher of the disability-focused Mainstream Magazine , Jones was invited to the White House ( left ) just prior to the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 .
“ UC San Diego has the resources and creativity to address issues of physical and technological access for people with disabilities in ways that are new and exciting ,” says OSD Director Joanna Boval . “ We are committed to including disability / ability into our larger conversations about diversity and inclusion , which enhances the university experience for everyone .”
Jones was then invited back to the White House signing ceremony for the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26 , 1990 . With last year marking the ADA ’ s 25th anniversary , Jones and three other individuals were featured in a commemorative exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution highlighting leaders of the disability community and honoring the collective effort to ensure equal opportunity and prohibit disability discrimination .
ALONG WITH A CAREER PUSHING for broad change in national policy , Jones also strove to help others on a much more personal level , one that would bring her back to UC San Diego more than 30 years after she had to halt her studies . In 2004 , Jones developed What ’ s Next ?, a mentoring program that brought together young people with physical disabilities and paired them with adult mentors with similar limitations . “ We wanted these kids to see how someone facing their particular challenges could succeed ,” Jones says . A summer residential component of the program brought mentors and mentees to the UC San Diego campus for a week , where hands‐on tips were shared for strategically navigating the 1,200 acre university .
Jones views this sort of personal outreach as integral to perpetuate what she ’ s spent her life fighting for . “ The activist work lays the foundation for the personal work ,” she says . “ Unless people utilize the access , it disappears . If we don ’ t get jobs , if we don ’ t go to college , it will go away .”
Be it through impact in the political arena or a personal touch to find the strength within , Jones believes that success for people with disabilities is success for people in general . The fight is never over , and according to Jones , it ’ s a fight that all should take part in . “ Everyone will be disabled if you live long enough ,” says Jones . “ When you do something for disability rights , you ’ re really doing something for yourself .”
For more information and other stories about Tritons with disabilities , visit : TRITONMAG . COM / DISABILITYAWARENESS
In addition to the OSD , the university ’ s ADA Title II Committee pushes for campuswide disability accommodation , such as installing automatic doors , and affecting other physical improvements to campus .
Open to anyone interested in disability issues , Community Advocates for Disability Rights and Education ( CADRE ) promotes full inclusion and equal opportunity for people with disabilities .
For staff and faculty with disabilities , DisABility Counseling and Consulting ( DCC ) is responsible for providing disability management and job accommodation consultation services .
The Students with Disabilities Coalition ( SDC ) is a social and support network with a mission to assert that all students with disabilities are unique and bring rich experiences to the UCSD community .
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