Grand Valley State University’s Disability Support Resources program received $696,684 for the 2011-12 school year to provide students with disabilities easy transport around campus. GVSU’s Budget Office said DSR received about an $18,000 increase from the last school year, which the office said is probably due to salary increases for employees and the fringe benefit budget.

“It’s important that these services are here for academic work and outside activities,” said Kathleen VanderVeen, director of Disability Support Resources.

VanderVeen said the service is free for the students who need to be transported, and about 10 to 15 students use the facility each week.

The van primarily takes students from their dormitories to their classes and vice versa, but it can also take some students to places off campus and events on campus if arrangements are made.

VanderVeen said about 6 to 10 students take turns driving the van and about 20 to 30 students who work in the Disability Support Resources office are cross-trained to drive the vehicle.

GVSU’s disabilities program started in 1993 after the federal government passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. One part of the act set guidelines for how buildings must be built in order to accommodate people with disabilities, VanderVeen said.

The bill was later amended in 2008 discussing employment, public services, public accommodations, and telecommunications for people with disabilities, according to the program’s website.

“With accommodations, that levels the playing field so they can succeed and be successful on campus,” VanderVeen said.

Since some halls are older and do not provide elevators, the director added that GVSU has moved classes into other buildings for students that cannot access certain classrooms.

Not only does the program help students who use wheelchairs, but also students with visual and hearing impairments and students with traumatic brain injury, Asperger’s Syndrome and autism. DSR offers tutoring for students who need extra help with their 100- or 200-level classes and also scans textbooks and provides students readers and scribes.

The transport service runs Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Allendale Campus. The service is not available at the Pew Campus, the support office said, because demand is much less downtown than it is in Allendale. Students who need assistance on the Pew Campus are asked to call security for an escort.

The disabilities program is located at the Student Services building in Room 200. Its hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on Disability Support Resources call (616) 331-2490 or visit gvsu.edu/dsr.

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