Inaccessibility Harms: Exploring the Impact of Inaccessible Campus Organizations on Disabled Students

There are 3.5 million Disabled college students in the United States, with 4,671 utilizing disability services at Purdue University. Nationwide, 8–14% of students in higher education are Disabled, indicating a substantial number of students whose needs should be prioritized and supported. Inaccessibility impacts the way Disabled college students are able to engage with the college experience. Inaccessible classes, restrooms, clubs, job fairs, and campuses create significant barriers thatthat extend far beyond the classroom. Disabled students face challenges in securing scholarships, finding employment, graduating on time, and achieving long-term socioeconomic stability. Recognizing these barriers, HonorServes, a community service student committee at Purdue’s John Martinson Honors College, launched an initiative in August 2024 to improve accessibility within its own events and create an accessibility model for other student organizations. The project aims to assist student organizations at Purdue in being more inclusive of Disabled students while also educating the broader student body on the importance of advocating for accessibility. By creating a culture where accessibility is the norm, HonorServes seeks to ameliorate the long-term negative effects of inaccessibility. Greater accessibility on and off college campuses is vital to ensure that all students have the opportunity to thrive.