Formation of Disability Caucus at Montclair State University

We are pleased to announce the formation of the Disability Caucus at MSU.

The Disability Caucus serves as a forum for discussion and advocacy regarding issues important to disabled community members at MSU, as well as working to support and enhance the inclusivity, accessibility, and cultural responsiveness of the university community.  The Caucus also works to support the efforts of the Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring (DREAM) Student Chapter here at MSU.

The Disability Caucus invites all faculty and staff who identify as Disabled (or Neurodivergent, or Mad, or Deaf, or otherwise ability non-conforming) as well as non-disabled allies to learn more about and join the Disability Caucus.

Dr. Alicia Broderick and Dr. Priya Lalvani, both Professors in the Teaching and Learning Department, are the president and vice president, respectively. Dr. Elaine Gerber, Associate Professor in Anthropology, is the corresponding secretary.

Their work is necessary because disability remains a devalued experienced and stigmatized identity category. Within institutions of higher education, people with disabilities are underrepresented in staff and faculty positions. Disabled students, faculty, and staff often find themselves marginalized and experience discrimination. The caucus recognizes that much of this marginalization and discrimination is the result of negative attitudes in society as well as systematic and structural inequality, rather than the result of individual impairments per se. Towards this end, our work seeks to disrupt ableist beliefs, practices, policies, and structures.