An increased commitment to creating an inclusive, accessible environment and enabling disabled students to reach their full potential is at the heart of Te Kokeka Whakamua – the University of Otago's Disability Action Plan 2024-27 launched this week.
Vice-Chancellor Hon Grant Robertson says today's launch is a significant milestone.
"As one of the first universities to establish a formal disability support service in the early 1990s, Otago has long been a sector leader in New Zealand," he says.
"Our Disability Information and Support Service has built a strong reputation for excellence, advocacy and leadership, and is widely regarded as the finest service of its kind in this country."
Mr Roberston says the launch of the action plan builds upon that legacy and provides a commitment to taking a whole-of-University approach towards contributing to its goals.
"The plan's ikoa, Te Kokeka Whakamua, means to move forward with purpose. We want to make sure Otago is a place where all students feel a sense of belonging, are respected, valued, and able to reach their full potential. All staff have a role to play in making sure that happens."
Director of Student Services Claire Gallop says Te Kokeka Whakamua contains five broad goals with targeted actions under each. Specific goals outlined in the plan are:
- Otago's teaching and campus environment is inclusive and accessible
- Creating a barrier-free learning environment for information, communication and physical access
- Enhancing Otago's holistic, student-centred approach to supporting disabled students
- Responding to changing needs through innovation and leadership
- Improving support for disabled staff
"The plan's goals and actions are ambitious but achievable, and have the potential to make an enormous difference for our disabled tauira," Ms Gallop says.
Some of the actions required to achieve the plan's goals are already underway. This includes introducing disability confidence training for staff and incorporating diverse needs into space planning.
Other actions include a review of learning support policies to ensure universal design principles are followed and any barriers to disabled students' learning and success are removed, Ms Gallop says.
Disability Information and Support Manager Melissa Lethaby says about one in 10 Otago students have declared a disability which impacts on their ability to study.
"That number has been steadily tracking upwards over time, so the need to further strengthen and expand our proactive approach to disability support has never been greater," Ms Lethaby says.
"Capturing the voices and aspirations of our disabled student community has been central to developing this action plan, and that commitment will continue through its implementation."
One of the alumni involved in developing the plan, Sean Prenter, says he is pleased to see the whole-of-University approach reflected in Te Kokeka Whakamua. He hopes it will be a way to help better unite disabled students and non-disabled students at Otago.
"Together we will challenge bias. As a collective, we will break down barriers. As a community, we will realise inclusion," he says.
In 2019, during his first year at Otago, Mr Prenter had an accident which resulted in a traumatic brain injury, creating physical and mental challenges towards his study.
Despite challenges as he learnt to navigate university life as a newly disabled student, and with the support of Otago's Disability Information and Support team, he went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Applied Science in 2023.
He was also inspired to become a disability advocate himself, co-founding the Otago Disabled Students Association in 2022 and proudly serving as co-president of the National Disabled Students' Association since February 2023.
"Ultimately, the support I received helped me to fulfil my academic potential and, more than that, I was empowered to become a champion for other disabled students," Mr Prenter says.
"My hope is that Te Kokeka Whakamua will help to further extend the support chains on offer at the University of Otago and ensure no student feels like they stand alone."
Another alumni involved in developing the action plan, Tara Shepherd, says she is proud of the Otago Disability Information and Support team and others who worked tirelessly to bring it to fruition.
Miss Shepherd graduated in December with Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Politics and Environmental Management. She brought over a decade of disability advocacy experience to development of the action plan and served as National Disabled Students' Association co-president alongside Mr Prenter for two terms in 2023 and 2024.
"Te Kokeka Whakamua is a step that's needed to make the student experience more inclusive – and that begins with University leadership championing it strongly and unapologetically.
"Access to education is directly correlated to success, so embracing this plan and its goals is key to current and future student success at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka," she says.
