Students with disabilities form group

Penn Students With Disabilities, a new student organization aimed at educating students about disabled students' needs, hopes to increase awareness and understanding on campus. According to Nursing sophomore Mark Bogusz, one of the club's co-founders, the group hopes to serve as a voice to the administration about the concerns of physically challenged and learning impaired students. "The University is not adequately serving people who need special accommodations," he said. "Not only do they not have enough accessibility, when they do have accessibility, they keep it a secret." Bogusz explained that there are often not enough disabled entrance signs in prominent places, and that in some cases -- such as at the Palestra -- elevators are not easily accessible to disabled people. Along with addressing the administration, PSWD also strives to inform students about the different facilities available to them, he said. The club took its first step towards educating students by holding an information table at CUPID during this year's freshman orientation. "It's also a way to introduce ourselves to each other's disabilities," added Bogusz, who has both physical and learning impairments because of a stroke he suffered two years ago. "If you're not blind, you can't understand being blind." College senior Nicole Yuvienco, who suffered traumatic brain injury after a devastating car accident two years ago, said she hopes the group will be able to make a difference. "[The University's] program for the handicapped is better than most other schools' programs," she said. "But it has a long way to go. The whole country has a long way to go." Since Yuvienco suffers from both learning and physical disabilities, she said she cannot take a full course load -- and therefore, much of her financial aid has been cut. "I want to find out what we can do to make this better for other handicapped people," she said."I see people who are much worse off than I am and they shouldn't have to fight for [improvement]." Bogusz said that while there is more the University can do to assist disabled students, he does not think the slighting is deliberate. "I'm of the mind that most discrimination is a result of ignorance -- people are not malicious," he said. "I don't think any of us are grinding axes at the University of Pennsylvania." So far, there are only five members of PSWD. However, Bogusz said there are about 250 students with disabilities at the University. He said the group -- which has not yet gained recognition from the Student Activities Council -- will hold monthly meetings and bring guest speakers on campus to talk about disabilities. PSWD will next meet on November 15 at 7:15 p.m. in the Bishop White room of Houston Hall.