Thread by @Nicole_Lee_Sch

Your reminder that the accommodations process can be harmful to ANYONE! Ive been navigating accommodations in higher ed for years and I have never gotten what I need or heard of someone getting everything they need. 1/10

In order for me to get accomms, I need to 1. Get a dr to fill out paperwork recommending accoms 2. Report all my conditions AND medications to HR 3. Submit to an appt with a university-appointed physician (NOT one of my choosing) 4. Negotiate whatever accoms they offer me 2/10

There are so many ways this can go wrong. First of all, are doctors trained to write accom paperwork? No. Not part of med training curriculum. Do they know what to ask for? Also no. Can you get a long enough appt with them to actually discuss what you need? Also no. 3/10

Second of all, why does some random person in HR get a copy of my personal medical records, diagnoses, and medications? Why should they (someone with NO medical training) get access to these? 4/10

Why does that HR person get to determine whats medically necessary? Why does the uni do with a list of my meds? What happens if I need accoms for a condition thats regularly stigmatized? How do I know my med records are protected from other campus depts? 5/10

Finally, why do I have to undergo an inspection by a uni-appointed provider? The implication is that I am faking a disability and they are hired by the institution to "weed out" the fakers. This implies bad faith negotiation from the start. 6/10

Finally I have to negotiate with HR. Even after ALL that work, ALL that fighting against a system that doesnt understand my needs, I still have to negotiate. I am guaranteed nothing. 7/10

I am 31. I have had to do this every year since I was 19 JUST to be able to go to work. I am not healthy.
I am not supported. At my current institution, I refuse to go through this bullshit and just accommodate myself. 8/10

Im lucky that Ive cobbled together enough resources to accommodate myself. Im lucky that I have the money to do this. Im lucky that colleagues and students informally accommodate me. Others are not so lucky. 9/10

And if I, a pretty vocal person, who is quite aggressive when it comes to defending my access needs, has given up on the process then you can imagine how students feel. 10/10 #AcademicTwitter #DisabilityTwitter #AcademicChatter