Rowan to celebrate Access, Inclusion & Social Justice Week Oct. 16-20

Rowan University has long taken great pride in being a place of belonging and acceptance.

Starting Monday, Oct. 16, Rowan will host five days of special programs to highlight that important part of its mission.

John Woodruff, senior director of Accessibility Services and ADA Coordinator as well as co-director for Rowan’s Center for Neurodiversity, said Rowan’s celebration of Access, Inclusion & Social Justice Week is a recognition that people, especially college age students, sometimes need support, and Rowan makes every effort to provide it.

“Inclusion and belonging is as important as ever,” Woodruff said. “Even before the pandemic, we knew there were mental health concerns, depression and anxiety among high school and college age students. It’s important, especially for new students coming to college, to feel like they belong and that their wellbeing is on everyone’s radar.”

Woodruff said the Office of Accessibility Services encourages students with a wide range of apparent and non-apparent disabilities to register with his office. Examples of apparent disabilities could be blindness or mobility issues, while non-apparent disabilities could be depression, anxiety as well as ADHD and autism spectrum.

He said about 3,800 students are registered with his office and that registration enables staff to help assure accommodations as needed. Of that, about two-thirds have non-apparent disabilities.

Woodruff noted that inclusion and acceptance is also central to a Rowan education. In fact, it’s celebrated.

“Many students (and people in general) have more than one identity, which is what we call intersectionality,” he said. “For example, a student who may be registered with Accessibility Services and may be a part of the LGBTQA+ community.”

Access, Inclusion & Social Justice Week launches at 9:30 Monday in the Chamberlain Student Center, Room 114, followed by a resource fair, an open house at the Center for Neurodiversity, and an address at 2:30 dubbed “Beating the Stigma” by speaker Griffin Pinkow.

“Griffin has a great story,” Woodruff said. “Before high school he began losing his eyesight, but he didn’t let it stop him. He started a non-profit and speaks around the country about beating the stigma. He sponsors ability camps around the country and, in fact, we’re having one in November for high school and middle school students. Rowan students who are blind will serve as counselors.”

For more information, see the schedule of events.