Disability services as well as new student orientations are shaped by the experiences of incoming undergraduates, leaving postsecondary students often feeling unsupported. However, students with disabilities at the graduate level who are confident in their awareness and accessibility of accommodations, are more likely to use them and even demonstrate greater academic achievement (Lymann et al., 2016).

TWU staff reports that orientations include an optional breakout session for students and parents about the Disability Student Services (DSS), but does not include a full scope of what accommodations and resources are available for all students which is inhibiting towards graduate students. With this petition, we are advocating for the inclusion of an orientation session solely dedicated to disability services for graduate students.

Testimony: Navigating Graduate School with Multiple Disabilities at Texas Woman’s University

Being a graduate student with multiple disabilities at Texas Woman’s University has been a journey filled with resilience and frustration. Unlike my undergraduate experience, where accessibility services felt more structured and readily available, I quickly realized that, as a graduate student, I was expected to know how to advocate for myself without being given a clear roadmap.

In undergrad, there was a stronger emphasis on ensuring we as students with disabilities are informed of our rights and accommodations. Anderson (2022) describes the “hidden curriculum,” including the unspoken rules of graduate school: balancing full-time work, family obligations, and social expectations while keeping up with rigorous coursework, a phenomenon that deeply resonates with my experience. 

This lack of guidance made my transition into graduate school even harder.

However, other students who experienced the same barriers helped me the most. We learned together, sharing information about services and accommodations we had discovered. Without them, I might not have known about many of the resources available for those who have a disability.

Despite these challenges, I am incredibly grateful to have made it this far. I am proud to receive a master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University. But I also believe that there is always room for improvement. By sharing my experience, I hope to advocate for future graduate students with disabilities so that they don’t have to struggle in the same way I did. Graduate students deserve the same accessibility, guidance, and support as undergraduates. No student should be expected to fight this hard just to get the help they need.  I’ve learned that throughout this journey I have learned how to advocate for myself.  

For graduate students with disabilities, they need services that target their specific needs. For TWU, it can start with including a specific, inclusive, and comprehensive orientation. We believe it and the research believes it too.

Here are some things that you can do to support our cause:

1. Sign this petition and share it
2. Use this as a call to action to challenge deliberate or unconscious policies at your university that reflect ableism
3. Stay aware of the areas of your identity that give you privilege, and use them to advocate for others

References

Anderson, E. (2022, July 12). Navigating the ‘hidden curriculum’ as a graduate student with disabilities. University Affairs. https://universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/navigating-the-hidden-curriculum-as-a-graduate-student-with-disabilities/

Lymann, M., Beecher, M. E., Griner, D., Brooks, M., Call, J. & Jackson, A. (2016). What keeps students with disabilities from using accommodations in postsecondary education? A qualitative review. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 29(2), 123-140.

Tamjeed, M., Tibdewal, V., Russell, M., McQuiad, M., Oh, T. & Shinohara, K. (2021). Understanding disability services toward improving graduate student support. The 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility. (3), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1145/3441852.3471231

Texas Woman’s University. (2025). Disability accommodations. TWU. https://twu.edu/orientation/disability-accommodations/#:~:text=Texas%20Woman's%20University%20is%20committed,(CFO)%2C%20Room%20106