Disabled Students’ Program Faces Funding Shortfall

Funding remains scarce for the Disabled Students’ Program, according to campus officials who said the service does not have enough financial support to respond to the fluctuating needs of a growing number of students.

The program, which serves more than 700 students on campus, must continue to provide government-mandated accommodations despite a lack of funding for some of the services.

While the needs of students grow and change in nature from year to year, the program is ensured only a base amount of state funding and must find other ways to provide needed services, said Barbara Gross Davis, assistant vice provost of undergraduate education.

“The reason why (funding sometimes falls short) is because we can’t ever predict what the accommodations are going to be for students who come to Berkeley, and because it depends on ... how many and what kinds of disabilities,” she said. “We’re never able to plan ahead or predict.”

In recent years, there has been an increase in students with what program director Ed Rogers called “more complex disabilities,” such as psychological or psychiatric problems and attention deficit disorder.

“I’m not trying to single out any one being,” he said. “People have more complex disabilities requiring more sophisticated accommodations, and those can cost more.”

Since 1996, the number of students with psychiatric or psychological problems has jumped from 50 to 176. The number of students with attention deficit disorder has also increased steadily, with 120 students enrolled this year.

The program relies on its base budget from the state but also counts on campus and outside funding sources to cover the total cost of operation, said Teresa Costantinidis, assistant vice chancellor for budget.

The program’s base budget—which is allocated to the campus program through the UC Office of the President—has remained at roughly $195,000 over the last 10 years, Rogers said.

“The Office of the President provides funding allocations, but the formula is outmoded,” he said.

Even with additional campus and other funds, the amount was still insufficient and caused the program to reach its first deficit, of $182,000, in 1999. The deficit has continued to fluctuate since reaching its high point in 2002-03 at $590,000, according to Davis.

After some cost-cutting within the program reduced the deficit slightly, the campus gave $227,000 each year from 2005 to 2007 to clear away the remaining $500,000, said Senior Budget Coordinator Marcia Kai-Kee.

The deficit had initially been reduced to $500,000 within the program by cutting non-mandated services aimed at meeting personal needs.

The move drew criticism from students who say the program needs to provide the services to remain effective.

The Disabled Students’ Union, originally started in the 1970’s, was revived in 2005 because of opposition to the cuts, said Kendra Scalia, UC Berkeley alumna and former president of the organization.

After approaching Chancellor Robert Birgeneau about the cuts, students and program officials met with campus administrators to secure $25,000 annually in campus funds for three years. The deal is set to expire this year.

But Rogers said the funds, which can only be used if students apply for them through the program, are under-utilized.

Senior Shira Leeder said that many students did not know the application was available.

“They don’t know any of that. … I don’t want DSP to discontinue (it) but students don’t know about it,” she said.

Even though the deficit has been cleared and individual funds have been made available for students, general funds for the program remain low, Rogers said.

“We’re going through a lot of strategic planning, we’re not standing still,” Rogers said. “We’re trying to grow and evolve and determine things like how we deal with growth of our current staff, how we resume funding and fundraising, (which) requires a lot of skills.”

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