2018-2019 Annual Report: https://studentdisability.wayne.edu/about/sds_annual_report_2018-2019_final_8-2019.pdf

2017-2018 Annual Report: https://studentdisability.wayne.edu/about/sds_annual_report_2017-2018.pdf

2022-2023

The 2022-2023 academic year has been one of our office's busiest years yet! We found that 10.5% of all students enrolled at Wayne State University during the Winter 2023 semester received support services from Student Disability Services. In comparison to the 4-5% of students registered at SDS in the 2021-2022 academic year, this new statistic supports an upward trend of growth and registration.

Moreover, SDS is pleased with continued efforts to increase awareness of students with disabilities through our collaboration with faculty, administrators, and staff to ensure equal access and inclusion of students with disabilities. Our liaison workshop for staff and faculty each semester has fostered strong working relationships with colleagues across campus and helps enhance student support.

SDS team members are proud of the relationships they have built with students, helping them feel connected to the university community and increasing their sense of belonging. Student Disability Services has recently been awarded the TRIO SSS-D Grant and hired two new disability specialists to support students who meet the criteria (for more information, please contact our office). Student Disability Services will continue to work to support students with disabilities by ensuring academic access and inclusion in all aspects of the university experience.     

Additionally, students will continue to receive testing support as needed when testing in SDS, guidelines for scheduling exams are posted on the SDS website and handouts with testing information are available in the SDS office. Communications will go out to notify students of testing processes and procedures. Faculty will continue to be supported in appropriately providing testing accommodations for students testing in the on-site or remote setting by way of directing them to online assistance, talking them through steps, and referrals to the Office of Teaching and Learning. In exciting news, to ensure quality support services, we administered a survey at the end of the Winter 2023 semester. Results showed that 86% of students had either a positive or very positive experience during their first-time testing at SDS.

At a glance SDS activity:

*2,293 total active students registered at SDS during the Winter 2023 semester (data collected from April 2023) shows an increase in number from the following semesters:

• Winter 2022: 7.1% increase from April 2022
• Winter 2021: 29.47% increase from April 2021
• Winter 2020: 37.47% increase from April 2020

Total number of exams administered:

• Fall 2022: 1470 exams administered which shows a 63% increase from Fall 2021
• Winter 2023: 1411 exams administered which shows a 56% increase from Winter 2022

2016-2017 

The 2016-17 academic year was an exciting year for SDS. We saw a 15 percent increase in the number of intakes compared to the previous year. At the end of the 2015-16 school year. SDS had 1,152 registered students, while we closed the 2016-17 academic year with a student count of 1,312 students.

Our electronic management system, Accommodate, has made the registration process easier for students. In 2016-17, the number of returning students requesting accommodation letters represented a 19 percent increase compared to the previous year. Overall, 874 students including students in our professional programs requested accommodations to support their student success. Our test administration program continues to be a significant support service offered to students. At the beginning of the fall 2016 semester, we welcomed two technicians to enhance our testing program and support students. Our testing coordinator and technicians administered 2,739 exams during the 2016-17 school year.

2015-16 

The 2015-16 academic year was an exciting one for SDS. We started the Fall 2015 semester using our new online student management system, Accommodate. This system has removed barriers for students wishing to register for support services, allowing them to request services online. Students are scheduled for appointments without delay. By streamlining the registration process, SDS saw a 40 percent increase in the number of intakes during the 2015-16 school year from the previous year. Accommodate has also allowed students to easily request testing services in SDS. We saw a 6 percent increase in the number of exams administered this year compared to the previous year.

At a glance SDS activity:

Fall of 2015 SDS issued accommodations to 460 students.

• Fall of 2015 SDS administered 1,225 exams to students
• Winter 2016 SDS issued accommodations to 393 students
• Winter 2016 SDS administered 1,327 exams to students
• Spring/summer 2016 SDS issued accommodations to 143 students
• Spring/summer 2016 SDS administered 276 exams to students
• SDS supported 11 deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the 2015-16 academic year
• On April 14, 2016. SDS held its annual scholarship and awards ceremony and awarded five students scholarships for their scholarship and persistence. These awards totaled $5,200 and supported the WSU educational experience for SDS registered students.
• From an informal questionnaire given to SDS students at the end of winter 2016, approximately 100 students responded with the following:
  • 57 percent of these students visited SDS at least every two weeks
  • SDS is regarded as a friendly, welcoming place
  • SDS was the most-noted group that students would miss if they left WSU

2014-15 

The 2014-15 academic year was a busy one, with growth in the number of students registering for services and using SDS supports. We ended the academic year with three disability specialists on staff as well as an accommodation support specialist who provided support for our deaf and hard-of-hearing students. During the spring and summer, we prepared for the use of an online student management system. Overall, by the end of winter 2015, 4.4 percent of the WSU undergraduate student population had disclosed a documented disability and registered with Student Disability Services.

A glance at SDS activity:

• Fall of 2014 SDS issued accommodations to 430 students
• Fall of 2014 SDS administered 1,269 exams
• Winter 2015 SDS issued accommodations to 381 students
• Winter 2015 SDS administered 1,385 exams to students