Four things to know about Whitewater and students with disabilities

The Chronicle reported on University of Wisconsin – Whitewater as part of a pair of stories on the Hecht Family Memorial College Scholarship Fund.

Here are four things to know about Whitewater:

• Special role. Back in 1973, University of Wisconsin – Whitewater was designated the key school to work with disabled students. Other schools work with disabled students too, but Whitewater has a special role.
• 9 percent. Whitewater’s Center for Students with Disabilities is currently serving about 1,150 students, about 9 percent of the overall student population.
• Case management. “I think that we are especially equipped in this office to provide case management,” said Karen Fisher, a disability services coordinator with Whitewater’s Center for Students with Disabilities. “Disability is part of our culture here at Whitewater. A lot of support is available here.”
• Depression, anxiety. “I think something that’s common for people when they hear the word disability, they think physical disability,” said Debbie Reuter, interim director of the center. But disabilities can be invisible, she said, including learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety and autism. The Center for Students with Disabilities serves students with these kinds of disabilities and more.