Celebrating Disability Awareness Month 2023

Each October, we honor Disability Awareness Month, which has a deep-rooted connection to UC Berkeley as a birthplace of the disability rights movement.

Our campus is proud to continue a tradition of educating and employing disabled people. The centering of disability on our campus is due in large part to our historical role as the home of the disability rights movement, dedicated disabled student activism, as well as allyship from non-disabled faculty and staff. 

Celebrating campus milestones for DAC and DCC!

Campanile tower behind tree shadows

We are excited to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the Disability Access & Compliance Office (DAC) and the first anniversary of the Disability Cultural Community (DCC) Center. Since its formal opening on October 25, 2022, the DCC has served as a vibrant hub for students, faculty, staff, and community members. This dynamic center has hosted a multitude of events and workshops, with past event flyers available for viewing. In the wellness space, Disability Management Services continues to offer many resources for faculty and staff, and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has evolved its support for students with disabilities. Additionally, it has consistently expanded its offerings, collaborating with partners like Alternative Media, Career Engagement, Disability Access and Compliance, and Classroom Accessibility. The DCC welcomes collaborations with students and campus partners, providing spaces for group meetings, workshops, panels, and various events. Stay updated by following @ucbdisabilityculture on Instagram, and don't miss the celebratory anniversary party on October 25, 2023. Join us as we continue building and supporting the campus disability community!

Student Clubs and Organizations

California Hall

Disability Orgs and Advocacy Groups

There are several Organizations and Advocacy Groups at UC Berkeley for the disabled community. Get involved today!

Dwinelle Annex Becoming New Home for DSP

Dwinelle Annex Renovation Conceptual rendering of refurbished building exterior.Dwinelle Annex Becom

We are delighted to share that construction will begin this year to transform the Dwinelle Annex into a new home for the Disabled Students Program (DSP). Originally designed by architect John Galen Howard in the 1920s, the building will undergo extensive renovations and accessibility upgrades. When completed, for the first time in its 60-year history, DSP will have office space and common meeting areas that are specifically designed to meet the needs of its community.

Resources

  • Disability Access & Compliance (DAC) connects the UC Berkeley community with the resources, training, evaluative tools, and services that support equal access to students, staff, faculty, and visitors with disabilities to participate in university-sponsored non-course-related programs or activities. 

  • Disability Cultural Community (DCC) Center seeks to create and provide a safe and social space for the Cal disability community to build authentic connections and support one another. 
  • Faculty/Staff Disability Management provides consultative services to faculty and staff with respect to disability issues impacting work.
  • The campus has established a Coordinating Committee for the Removal of Architectural Barriers (CCRAB) to collaborate with Capital Strategies in reviewing construction projects to ensure their accessibility as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the California Building Code. CCRAB also funds studies and projects that improve the accessibility of campus properties and oversees the implementation of the ADA Transition Plan.
  • The Loop shuttles assist persons with mobility disabilities and visual impairments in navigating the campus. Earlier this year, benches were installed throughout campus as places to wait for Loop shuttles. The bright and unique design of the new benches helps them stand out from other sitting areas.
  • Staff Alliance for Disability Access (SADA) The Staff Alliance for Disability Access (SADA) is a collaborative and supportive campus staff organization that addresses the needs of UC Berkeley staff members with disabilities.