The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 39, No. 2 & Volume 40, No. 1 - 219

Invisible Disabilities and the Student Conduct Process

student with an invisible disability constitutes
a policy violation. Even in the absence of a violation, educators can initiate educational conversations with students; these preventative
opportunities are consistent with proactive
student conduct practices, and they provide
students—both with and without disabilities—an opportunity to reflect on their behavior within their communities.

EDUCATIONALLY EFFECTIVE
RESIDENTIAL CONDUCT
PRACTICES
There are many ways that educators can
develop appropriate relationships with necessary partners, administer inclusive student
conduct interventions, and create overarching student conduct paradigms that balance
educational opportunities and teachable
moments with student safety and community
well-being. Throughout this section, the assumption is made that the residence life and
housing professional is aware of a student’s
disability. While students with invisible disabilities may experience—and react differently to—the student conduct process, it is
still vital that educators administer the process
consistently. Rather than substantively changing the process, hearing officers should seek
to provide reasonable and fair accommodations—and employ the following helpful practices—to enable students with disabilities to
have a meaningful educational experience.
Educators should first assemble the necessary partners who can work collaboratively to
support students with invisible disabilities.
Thomas, Correa, and Morsink (2001) describe
the process of teaming—an effective strategy in elementary and secondary education—

which creates a supportive and informed
network for students with disabilities. At the
college and university level, an appropriate
team could consist of senior residence life and
housing personnel, conduct officials, and staff
from disability support services and the counseling center. Other professionals, like general
counsel or law enforcement, could be involved
when their expertise is needed. Collaboration
creates an environment that facilitates support,
appropriate information exchange, and campus-wide educational efforts. This partnership
may also generate ideas for fair, educationally
grounded, and student-centered sanctions that
stem from the team’s dialogue.
While the teaming approach constitutes
an informed and supportive network, it has
another benefit: institutional messaging. Open,
collaborative relationships show students with
disabilities that the institution has assembled
the right personnel to contribute to a campus
climate that is informed about invisible disabilities and is working towards creating an inclusive community. Live-in staff can be trained on
the needs of students with invisible disabilities
and how to partner with them in their communal living experience, and teaming gives staff
the impetus to integrate disability education
into their community development curriculum

While students with invisible
disabilities may experience—and react
differently to—the student conduct
process, it is still vital that educators
administer the process consistently.
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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 39, No. 2 & Volume 40, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 39, No. 2 & Volume 40, No. 1