Session Title: Disability and Intersectionality: Reimagining Accessibility in Physical Facilities

Management & Events.

Presenters: Leah Evans, Sawyer Federinko, Oluwadamilola Ajayi, Tijesunimi Adeniji

Session Abstract

Studies have shown that disability has always been prevalent in higher education.

However, there are still areas in which disability status is often overlooked. To fully discuss this,

this workshop tries to reimagine the responsibilities of physical facilities and event services in

institutions and functional areas. The workshop uses critical and poststructural theories of

intersectionality and crip theory to challenge and re-imagine the accessibility of physical

facilities. Crip theory is recognized for its fluidity, while intersectionality focuses on the

intersections of other identities and how they connect to shape each individual’s experiences of

oppression. The goal of this workshop is for professionals in student affairs to improve their

understanding of student development for disabled students to create more accessible

environments in physical facilities and event services. It also aims to assist student affairs

professionals in understanding the inherent ableism in society and, therefore, on higher education

campuses.

Learning Outcomes

● Participants will gain exposure to the fluidity and changing nature of disabilities and

access needs.

● Participants will understand and deconstruct expectations of facilities management and

expectations of physical spaces on campus.

● Participants will understand how disabled students' intersectional and fluid identities on

campus shape how they show up in spaces on campus.

Description of Relevant Critical Theoretical Framework/Student Development

Theories/Constructs

Poststructural theories deconstruct the systems and institutions of oppression found

within society and work to reimagine or completely dismantle them (Abes, 2019). Crip theory is

one of those poststructural theories. It focuses on reimagining accessibility, redefining disability

and its fluidity, and the impact of ableism on all people in society. It resists compulsory

able-bodiedness and able-mindedness, the dominant discourses constantly pushing people toward

normalcy that few can achieve and determines who is disabled and therefore less worthy” (Abes,

2019, p. 66). Crip theory describes the reality that the institutions and systems in society revolve

around compulsory able-bodiedness and able-mindedness. This means people who subscribe to

these systems perpetuate the idea that those who “deviate” from this expectation must navigate

these physical and non-physical systems on their own. Being a part of the poststructural

framework of student development theory, crip theory poses the question of why these systems

cannot be reimagined or even wholly dismantled. In the context of student affairs in higher

education, professionals need to use this framework to understand and assist the students they

work with, which must be incorporated into all aspects of higher education. Many people tend to

focus on physical disabilities, but it is imperative to recognize that non-apparent disabilities are

just as pertinent.

One way in which higher education professionals may address ableism is through

understanding and implementing crip time and crip failure. Both of these ideas emphasize the

reimagining of what success looks like. “Crip failure transforms failure within ableist norms into

a meaningful way to introduce nonnormative ways of knowledge production” (Abes, 2019, p.

68). Within the classroom settings of higher education, the idea of what success looks like in our
society subscribes to ableism. This “success” is reflected in the systems of grades, the research

process, who is considered a knower, and what is considered knowledge. Crip time is more than

an extension of time for disabled people; rather, it is a challenge to normative and normalizing

expectations regarding pace and schedule (Abes, 2019). In the context of classroom

accommodations, crip time may seem like extensions for assignments. While this is an example

of what crip time can do for students, it is also important to recognize that it goes beyond the

concept of accommodations. Rather, crip time should be a reimagining of general time,

deadlines, and expectations of productivity, knowledge, and work. Crip failure and crip time

work to meet the needs of disabled students rather than expecting disabled students to complete

an ableist expectation.

Along with crip theory, it is important to recognize the impact of understanding

the critical theory of Intersectionality and its application to crip theory. It is important to note the

differences between a critical theory and a posstructural theory. While the paradigms critical

theories come from accept, in some way, the structures of society and ask people to navigate

them through changing their own behaviors and expectations, poststructural theories

acknowledge the structures of society, but then question them and ask people to reimagine or

completely dismantle them. Although intersectionality is helpful in framing an approach to

understanding students, it does still focus on the critiquing of the systems they face rather than

posing the question of how to dismantle them. “Intersectionality links identity to interlocking

systems of oppression and foregrounds the impact of social systems and power on how

individuals experience the world, interact with other people, and are treated in society”

(Wijeyesinghe, 2019, p. 26). Intersectionality is another aspect of student development theory

that must be incorporated into every discussion surrounding theoretical frameworks as they apply
to student affairs in higher education. People hold multiple identities, and the intersectionality of

those identities is complex based on the different systems in society that either benefit or oppress

them. Intersectionality makes room for differences, complicated realities, and rarely-heard

voices(Acker-Verney et al., 2016). We often need to recognize how identity plays a role in our

lives in the United States. Our living environments, educational opportunities, and healthcare

needs are all shaped by the many facets of our identities. These features influence the types of

information and data we need and how we process it. Whether some of our identities are visible

or invisible, institutions tend to identify with one thing and build power, influence, and access

based on that one thing.

Outline of the Session

● Introduction (5 mins): Workshop objectives

Facilitators will introduce themselves, welcome the audience and briefly introduce the topic.

Then, they will introduce the workshop structure, the learning outcomes and the objectives and

distribute the handout to the audience for dialogue practice. More importantly, they will explain

the reasons behind choosing the topic and the importance of the topic in student development

and higher education.

● Part I (5 mins): What are Crip and Intersectionality Theories and the impact of

physical facilities

Facilitators will explore the frameworks and the definition of intersectionality, crip theory, and

an overview of the responsibilities of Physical Facilities Management & Event Services

regarding accessibility for apparent and non-apparent disabled students. Facilitators will also

discuss the different ways in which these theories intersect with physical facilities and event
services. This will create a shared understanding and lay the foundation for a deeper analysis of

the audience.

● Part II (5 mins): Interactive session

Facilitators will take the participants through an interactive scenario where they will plan an

event accessible to fluid and intersectional disabilities and identities. (ii) Facilitators will guide

the audience through exploring how intersecting identities can impact the accessibility of

physically disabled students and how they show up in spaces. (iii) In the workshop, facilitators

will explore examples of how facilities management and physical space on campus can be

deconstructed from a lived perspective.

● Part III (3 mins): Suggestions for Functional areas

In this session, facilitators will discuss how Crip Theory and Intersectionality can be applied to

the post-structural (and critical) student development concept and how it applies to their

functional areas. They will also lead a discussion on rethinking the responsibilities of Physical

Facilities Management and Event Services to suit meeting students where they are.

● Part IV (2 mins): Questions and answers

Facilitators will take questions from the audience, provide answers to their questions and

encourage them to share their thoughts on the workshop.

 References

Abes, E. S. (2019). Crip theory: Dismantling ableism in student development theory. In S. R.

Jones, D.-L. Stewart, & E. S. Abes (Eds.), Rethinking college student development theory

using critical frameworks (pp. 64–70). Stylus.

Acker-Verney, J., Johnson, P., & Manning, S. (2016). Centre for international policy studies.

Intersectionality and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Global Development.

https://www.cips-cepi.ca/2016/04/28/intersectionality-and-the-rights-of-persons-with-disa

bilities-in-global-development/Julianne Acker-Verney, Pamela Johnson, and Susan

Manning

Wijeyesinghe, C. L. (2019). Intersectionality and student development: Centering power in the

process. In S. R. Jones, D.-L. Stewart, & E. S. Abes (Eds.), Rethinking college student

development theory using critical frameworks (pp. 26-32). Stylus.