Niagara University Professor Dr. Laura Sarchet Publishes Article on the “Experiences of Disabled and Neurodivergent Faculty in Higher Education” in the Journal of Disability[...]

Dr. Laura Sarchet, assistant professor in Niagara University's College of Education, published an article in the Journal of Disability Studies in Education that explored how the experiences of disabled and neurodivergent faculty in higher education differ from those of neurotypical and nondisabled faculty.

Dr. Sarchet discussed key themes she discovered in her literature review, including the experiences of disabled faculty with inequity and stigma, and the various ways in which disabled and neurodivergent faculty respond to these barriers, including hiding, fighting, advocating, self-accommodating, and challenging norms.

"As an autistic faculty member myself, this work is deeply connected to many parts of my intertwined personal and professional identity," she said. "I have had countless students share about the support they have felt in my courses because of my disclosing of my own disability, my inclusive universal design, and my care for students' mental health."

Dr. Sarchet notes that further research can help identify ways to bridge the gap between disabled and neurodivergent faculty members' experiences and the changes that institutions of higher education could make in order to improve inclusion of these faculty members.

"I am excited to continue this research to go beyond the important work of documenting faculty members' experiences, in order to see what universities can do to support these vital members in our work as social justice leaders," she said. "Neurodiversity and disability are assets to higher education-and to all communities. I hope that higher education can be a leader in inclusion for both academia and education. No oppression is liberated until all are free-and disability's intersection with all other traditionally marginalized identity markers makes this work liberating for all of us."

Dr. Sarchet earned her Ph.D. in teaching and curriculum at the University of Rochester, her M.S.Ed. in inclusive adolescent education from Nazareth College and her B.S. in early childhood education and teaching students with disabilities from Roberts Wesleyan College.