A total of 30 UGM students with disabilities received orientation before starting their regular classes. This event aimed to foster connections between new and returning students and provided them with information about support and facilities available to aid their studies at UGM.
Professor Wening Udasmoro, UGM Vice-Rector for Education and Teaching, stated that Universitas Gadjah Mada warmly welcomes new students with disabilities.
She noted that UGM has seen a steady increase in the acceptance of new students with disabilities each year. For the new academic year of 2024, UGM has admitted 21 new students with disabilities, which is an increase compared to previous years.
“UGM continues to improve in accepting new students with disabilities. This number does not yet include those hidden and have not reported for various reasons,” she said at the UGM Wellbeing Center on Friday (Aug. 9).
Professor Udasmoro highlighted that the growing number of new students with disabilities shows that UGM is open to everyone. Universitas Gadjah Mada provides equal opportunities because everyone has the right to pursue higher education.
According to her, the most important thing for students at UGM is their happiness. The meet and greet event for new students with disabilities is crucial as it allows them to get to know each other and connect.
“We are grateful that the Disability Service Unit (ULD) this year has been approved by the Academic Senate and MWA as a service unit for the UGM academic community. Hopefully, this ensures that UGM members receive the best service so that teaching, research, and administrative processes can run smoothly,” she said.
Dr. Wuri Handayani, a lecturer in the Department of Accounting at UGM and the supervisor of the UGM Disability Service Unit, expressed similar sentiments. She expressed gratitude for establishing the Unit, which was officially recognized under Rector’s Regulation No. 19 of 2024.
“The ULD is part of UGM that provides services, support, and facilities for individuals with disabilities,” she explained.
Dr. Handayani described the services offered by the ULD UGM, including assessments to analyze the need for reasonable accommodations. These accommodations involve appropriate modifications and adjustments to ensure that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are enjoyed and implemented equally for individuals with disabilities.
“We typically provide assistance, usually during registration, selection, coursework/practical work, community service, final projects, and other activities. We also research disability-related issues,” Dr. Handayani said.
She also expressed her gratitude for the presence of the Peduli Difabel Student Activity Unit, which is a key pillar in ULD services. The principles of providing services and interacting with individuals with disabilities include equity, mutual respect, disclosure, confidentiality, and good practice.
“Therefore, we hope that our friends have strong character traits such as confidence, independence, self-advocacy, creative and critical thinking, and inclusiveness,” she added.
Agnia Dwi Permana, the head of Peduli Difabel, noted that the meet and greet event for new disabled students at UGM is an effort to socialize various services available to them, both academic and non-academic.
Permana explained that Peduli Difabel has been active for 11 years, striving to help and ensure students with disabilities receive their rights. The student unit has seven departments that actively collaborate to raise awareness of disability rights.
“Currently, besides advocacy, we are running two ongoing programs: the Sign Language Program and the Kastrat on the Street Program,” she said.
Permana mentioned the Kastrat on the Street program was a new initiative for Peduli Difabel in 2023. Through this program, the student unit evaluates the facilities available in UGM’s faculties to ensure accessibility and inclusivity, particularly video-related facilities for communicating with students with disabilities.
“We assess whether these facilities are accessible and inclusive, especially for video recording used to communicate with our disabled friends,” she explained.
The meet and greet event also connected students and UGM leadership. Many disabled students took the opportunity to voice their concerns and provide feedback for the university to address.
Author: Agung Nugroho