An Interview with Crystal Hill
Office Location: Bottom of Sheffield Hall; opposite side of C-Store
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; grad students available until 7:00 p.m.
Contact: [email protected] or 203.932.7332
What can you say about the history of this office?
Originally, disability accommodations were a component of Health Services, which provided a fraction of the services that Campus Access Services (CAS) now provides. With the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Office of Students with Disabilities began, which later became Disability Services and Resources, and now Campus Access Services when the office expanded in size and scope.
Who comprises the staff?
Linda Copney-Okeke is the director of CAS and Crystal Hill is the assistant director of the office. Three graduate assistants serve as Learning Assistants, while the front desk is composed of one full-time secretary and two additional graduate students who support students by procuring or creating electronic textbooks. The office employs one undergraduate student as the DREAM Orientation chair. Currently, there are an additional ten student DREAM team members. Lastly, the office has a large number of volunteers who assist the office with services such as note taking and orientation.
What services do you offer to students?
Campus Access Services serves students in a variety of ways. One of the main roles that the office plays is coordinating reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities, which also includes physical accommodations to allow students access to the campus, modified housing, note takers and other auxiliary aids (i.e. sign language interpreters and e-textbooks) for classes and exam proctoring, among many others. The Graduate Learning Assistants also providing tutoring on several subjects as well as assistance with developing study skills. The office also organizes a DREAM (Defeating Roadblocks in Educations through Awareness & Mentoring) Orientation, which brings incoming freshmen registered with CAS to campus a couple of days before the beginning of the fall semester to teach them about the differences between high school and college relating to their disability and the academic setting, as well as facilitates students meeting each other and the office staff. Lastly, CAS recently established a chapter of Delta Alpha Pi, an honor society for students with disabilities.
Is there anything else you would like students to know?
First of all, it’s important to remember that Campus Access Services does not only assist with academic issues and accommodations, but any issue that students with disabilities may have at the university. We also serve veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or other military-related injuries, and they should feel welcome to come to the office in addition to the Veteran Student Center in Maxcy Hall. Students with disabilities are not obligated to utilize services unless they want to, but we do encourage them to register with us so their accommodations are ready when they choose to utilize them. Lastly, all UNH students who want to get involved are encouraged to volunteer in the office as a note taker, exam proctor, or any of the other opportunities that we may offer.
