A Senate Bill in committee — 88(R) SB 17 — could mean the end of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as we know it at UTD. If passed in its current state, SB 17 would strike down major resources such as the Gender Center and Multicultural Center and likely dissolve the...

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion underwent a multi-department reorganization on Sept. 1 to unify advocacy for underrepresented students. In spring of 2022, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion—known as ODEI—began the process of reorganizing centers to achieve a new sense of unity. The AccessAbility Resource Center was...

Despite a “ruff” year in quarantine, service-dogs-in-training Ohana and Winnie are set to graduate from the UTD SIT (Service-dog In Training) club this week and matriculate to a professional pathway with Canine Companions. For outgoing SIT president and business administration senior Aubrey Rowan, it’s a bittersweet occasion. “Ohana’s the second...

How professors can accommodate disabled students amidst online shift With the switch to online learning, the Office of Student AccessAbility and faculty members are having to make different adjustments in order to accommodate students with disabilities. Clinical associate professor Kenneth Brewer said that in some ways, it’s actually easier to...

UTD students care for puppies to become skilled companion, facility dogs Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article misspelled a source’s name. The correct spelling is Aubrey Rowan. The Mercury regrets this error. Amidst the bustle of sneakers and sandals on pavement is the steady tread of four paws...

Tier One, one of the four tickets with presidential or vice-presidential candidates in the most contested Student Government election in UTD history, is running on a platform of improving transfer student experiences, increasing transparency and supporting the expansion of the Office of Student AccessAbility. Biomedical engineering junior Trevor Schmaeling said...

The Office of Information Technology and the Office of Student AccessAbility are partnering to provide visual- and learning-impaired students, faculty and staff with screen reading and magnifying software called Fusion Assistive Technology. Fusion is a combination of Job Access with Speech, a screen reader, and ZoomText, a screen magnifier. Melinda...

University officials made a request to relocate the Office of Student AccessAbility from the third floor of the Student Services Building. Gene Fitch, vice president of Student Affairs, said a room in the Administration Building has been proposed as the new location for OSA. The new location is expected to...

Jax Schmisseur struggles with anxiety and relies on his emotional support animal to calm him during his panic attacks. During his freshman year, he sought approval to have his cat live with him in the dorms but ran into roadblocks. The frequency of his panic attacks increased. In the end,...

As a student who uses a power wheelchair daily, I have experienced physical and academic hinderances at UTD. These obstacles are more prevalent than the average able-bodied student may realize. For students with physical or mental disabilities, UTD offers the Office of Student AccessAbility, which provides a variety of accommodations...