Introduction
Inclusive excellence is both the practice and commitment to identify, amplify, and champion the pluralistic excellence of all members of the UCLA community in all that we do. The Office of Inclusive Excellence’s (IE) mission is to weave excellence into our culture and institutional fabric through intentional connections, respectful engagement, deep learning, and challenging yet constructive dialogue. This includes supporting our disability community.
In the United States, 1 in 4 people report having a disability. On college campuses nationwide, 21% of undergraduates and 11% of graduate students reported having a disability. People with disabilities often navigate multiple identities, some of which may be visible or invisible. Disability is not relegated to just accommodations; its impact spans across different spaces and places in a university.
Disability awareness, which we understand as appreciating all forms of disability and the disadvantages and barriers people with disabilities face, is just the beginning. As members of the UCLA community, we all have a responsibility to understand what disabilities are and how people who experience them need support to ensure an equitable student and employee experience.
IE’s Supporting Our Disability Community Toolkit is here to help. In this Toolkit, we offer a guide to campus services, resources, clubs and committees, academic programs, accessibility, ableism, disability justice, disability rights, and more, to help educate and inform the campus community about how to cultivate an inclusive culture at UCLA. Creating a culture of inclusion is a collective effort. Please use the resources in this IE Toolkit to help ensure that disabled students, faculty, and staff are provided an inclusive UCLA experience.
We value your ideas and input! Please e-mail suggestions and recommendations to rbe@excellence.ucla.edu.
Source: World Health Organization, & The World Bank. (2011). World report on disability 2011. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241564182
