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Neurodiversity is a frequently used term, especially on college campuses, but many are unaware as to how their actions could positively impact a neurodiverse student, faculty or staff member. During Access & Inclusion Week, several events provided opportunities to share experiences, resources, and opportunities related to our neurodiverse community at É«ÀÇÉçÇø. Award ceremonies, focus groups, and workshops rounded out the week – and many groups plan to host learning opportunities throughout the year.

The Neurodiversity Task Force, which is a part of The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), hosted focus groups with faculty, staff and students on the topic of neurodiversity. These discussions facilitated conversations regarding É«ÀÇÉçÇø’s current resources for neurodiverse faculty, staff and students. Participants were also encouraged to highlight areas of need, to help develop innovative recommendations for campus-wide improvement that will mold future plans for the multidimensional Center for Neurodiversity at É«ÀÇÉçÇø. To learn more about the Task Force and their efforts to increase awareness, check out their recent story, .

A resource-driven presentation was given by the Wellness Center's Licensed Professional Counselor and autism liaison Lisa Twardzik, titled “Supporting College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders.” She provided members of the É«ÀÇÉçÇø community with an understanding of what an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is and how to best support students with ASDs or, more formally, neurodiverse students.

Currently, one in 59 children is diagnosed with an ASD and the highest rate of diagnosis in America is found in New Jersey. Additionally, somewhere between 10-14% of college students have an ASD. At É«ÀÇÉçÇø, we have seen an increase in the number of students receiving accommodations from the Academic Success Center over the past few years. In 2017, only 86 students were registered with the Academic Success Center; as of October 2019, this number has increased to 125 students. This may seem like a small number compared to É«ÀÇÉçÇø’s student population, but it demonstrates the general increase in neurodiverse students receiving post-secondary education.

The largest difference between K-12 education and post-secondary education is the amount of independence and choices that are available to students when they are studying, and living, independently at a post-secondary institution.

In the classroom, neurodiverse students may struggle with asking for help, maintaining the motivation to study, and the overall academic transition. Another classroom area in which neurodiverse students may have difficulty is group work. There are also many challenges a neurodiverse student may face in the larger campus environment. These can include roommate conflicts, making friends, and setting and understanding boundaries.

To aid neurodiverse students in facing the challenges of college academics and campus life the presentation made suggestions for useful accommodations as well as specific actions staff and faculty may take. Some of the most common, and helpful, accommodations include priority seating, note takers and time extensions.

Here are additional tips to aid in the success of neurodiverse students, both inside and outside the classroom:

• Create an environment which is comfortable
• Use concrete explanations and avoid the use of sarcasm or idioms
• Directly communicate and make sure all instructions and expectations are clearly defined
• Give as advanced notice as possible of schedule changes
• Use de-escalation strategies if a student is particuluiary anxious. Strategies include validating their feelings and allowing them to vent.

If you are interested in learning more about neurodiversity resources available on campus, please visit: /disabilityresources/index.html