Faculty Interest Groups

 

CUNY Unlimited: Inclusion in the Classroom and Beyond (Community of Practice)

Description: The CUNY Unlimited FIG uses a disability studies framework to explore, engage in, and tackle issues of inclusion, accessibility, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), intersectionality, and activism / advocacy. In Fall, 2024 we will host guest speakers from the field, visit important community sites, view important disability films, and discuss recent disability research. We will share practical tips and experiences from faculty, staff, and mentors who work with disabled students, and crucially - insights and advice from disabled students and alumni themselves.

History: Over the past nine years, much of our practical work has centered on students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are part of KCC’s Melissa Riggio or CUNY Unlimited Higher Education Inclusion Programs. These are pathbreaking programs that open doors to college for students who have been historically marginalized and excluded from higher education. However, we also engage with disability broadly, and the diversity of students and faculty who identify as disabled at KCC.

Learning Goals: 1) Understand the range of programs - both within CUNY and in the broader community - that support the inclusion and growth of students with developmental disabilities. 2) Think critically about recent research on the psychological benefits of teaching about anti-ableist activism, including U.S. disability rights movement history, and draw out implications for pedagogical practice. 3) Apply theories of inclusion and examples of inclusive practices to their work in CUNY classrooms, the broader college environment and within the community including the workplace.  

Join us! Whether you are already involved in the journey of inclusion and disability, or looking for support with your or pedagogical practice, or merely curious to know more about disability, this group is for you! You will join a growing community of friendly and enthusiastic  faculty, staff, and students interested in exploring, discussing, and furthering inclusive educational practice at KCC and beyond. The FIG is open to faculty, students, staff and alumni.

For more information or to join, please contact Susan at Susan.Carpenter@kbcc.cuny.edu or Jeremy at jeremy.sawyer@kbcc.cuny.edu

Download CUNY Unlimited: Inclusion in the Classroom and Beyond (Community of Practice) Poster (PDF)

Dr. Sue Carpenter and Dr. Jeremy Sawyer

About the facilitators Dr. Sue Carpenter and Dr. Jeremy Sawyer:

 ~Sue Carpenter, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences, Education Program at Kingsborough Community College. An arts educator/ disability consultant, Sue was the founder in 2015 of the Kingsborough Inclusion Faculty Interest Group and the founder in 2021 of the Inclusion in Higher Education UK , (IHE, UK)  advocacy group.

~Jeremy Sawyer, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Behavioral Sciences Department at Kingsborough Community College. He teaches courses on disabilities, and developmental and educational psychology. Jeremy researches how learning about the disability rights movement and engaging in political activism can lower implicit and explicit biases against disabled people.

 

 

  1. Tuesday October 1st, 10am – 11am (Zoom): CUNY Unlimited Programs Unite! KCC, Hostos, BMCC, Queens and Beyond. CUNY Unlimited / Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program (MRHEP) for Students with Intellectual Disabilities: Goals, Expectations, and Assessment.

In our first meeting, we will introduce faculty from KCC and other CUNY campuses that have the CUNY Unlimited program to the CUNY Unlimited / MRHEP program which supports the inclusion of students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities into higher education at KCC. We will meet staff and students, learn the best ways to communicate with the program, and come to understand the goals and expectations for these students. We will offer tips for working with and assessing CUNY Unlimited students when they are included in our classes. After the meeting, we will have a Drop-In question-and-answer session for faculty who are teaching CUNY Unlimited students at any CUNY campus around the city.

  1. Monday October 28th, 3:30pm (In Person/Hybrid visit to CIDNY (day and time TBA; tentative): Presentation by the Director of Centre for Independence New York City (CIDNY) on Inclusion in Higher Education, Employment, and the Community.

In this meeting, we will hear from Dr. Sharon Mclennon Weir about the work of CIDNY and how and what they are advocating for in NYC, in particular how their work impacts pre-tertiary and higher education. Faculty will also discuss possibilities for collaboration with CIDNY on various community-engaged research projects.

  1. Thursday November 7th, 1pm (Hybrid Zoom & KCTL Room):Research on the Psychological Impact of Disability Activism (Presentation by Professor Jeremy Sawyer), and The Heart of Learning, Inclusion in Higher Education (Ingrid Geier and Sue Carpenter).

We will learn about and discuss recent scholarship on the beneficial effects of engaging with disability rights movement history. Professor Sawyer will present research that he and colleagues have conducted showing that engaging with anti-ableist activism and developing a critical activist orientation can reduce implicit and explicit biases against disabled people. The discussion will draw out implications for critical pedagogy that features lessons on disability rights history in courses that address disability and inclusion. After the meeting, we will have a Drop-In question-and-answer session for faculty who are teaching CUNY Unlimited students at any CUNY campus around the city.

  1. Friday November 22nd, 10:30am – 11:30am (Zoom):The Blue Inclusive Program, Salzburg University: Lessons to be learned (Presentation by Dr. Ingrid Geier, Fulbright Scholar, KCC Spring 2024).

We will learn firsthand how the Blue Program at Salzburg University has been developed over the last 5 years. We will discuss its strengths, challenges, and similarities to KCC’s Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program. Dr. Geier will outline the research article that she and Dr. Carpenter have been writing on the benefits of inclusive higher education. We will explore further collaboration opportunities for us during Dr. Geier’s upcoming residence at KCC in Spring 2025.

  1. Monday Dec. 2nd, 10am – 11am (Zoom): Personal Journeys: The Road to Inclusion and Disability Advocacy.

Our personal stories related to disability are central to who we are and the work we do. Taking inspiration from the Southampton University Center for Research in Inclusion, we will kick off the year by sharing our own life paths that have led to our interest in inclusion and disability rights. We want to connect our own narratives to broader struggles like the disability rights movement, its ongoing legacy, and our vision for an inclusive higher education and future society. After the meeting, we will have a Drop-In question-and-answer session for faculty who are teaching CUNY Unlimited students at any CUNY campus around the city.