Disabilities Portfolio
DISABILITIES MEDIA GUIDE
[Image Description: 'Disabilities Media Guide - 'Ableism 101' written in all-caps white text is centred and positioned above smaller white text which reads, 'Author: A W Shim (2023 Interim SULS Disabilities Officer)'. The white SULS logo is in the top-left, with all elements upon a turquoise background.]
What is ableism? What is disability? How do we talk about disability? The Disabilities Media Guide (‘Ableism 101’) is here to help, providing a helpful introduction to disability & anti-ableism in general — particularly for people who wish to write and talk about disability.
Language and media representation can have the potential to perpetuate stigma and ableist assumptions. The purpose of this guide is to help destigmatise disability and to facilitate dialogue & discourse which is more inclusive towards the disability sector.
Although published by SULS, this publication is an intervarsity collaboration which builds upon the work of the Melbourne University Law Students’ Society (‘MULSS’) and will be periodically updated, in response to emergent needs including those reported by the Law Student Society (‘LSS’) & Law Student Association (‘LSA’) members of the Intervarsity Disability Network.
Please contact disabilities@suls.org.au or publications@suls.org.au for more information.
• The Disabilities Media Guide (for 2023 Semester 1) can be downloaded here (PDF version).
• To cater for those with accessibility needs, a docx version — that is compatible with Assistive Technology — can be downloaded here.
MEDIA RELEASE: Disability & Higher Education in Australia Joint Position Statement and Research Report
Monday 14 November 2022
Peak student bodies call for systemic reforms in disability and higher education in Australia following chronic lack of action
TW: SASH, Ableism
[Image Description: The cover page of the report features in red and white writing, ‘Disability & Higher Education’, with ‘in Australia.’ in lighter purple writing beneath. The NUS, ALSA and AMSA logos are in the top left corner, above smaller white text which reads, ‘Joint Position Statement & Research Report, November 2022’. All elements are upon a dark-purple background.]
The National Union of Students (‘NUS’), Australian Law Students’ Association (‘ALSA’) and the Australian Medical Students’ Association (‘AMSA’) have joined forces to demand the higher education sector to take strong measures to address discrimination experienced by people with disability in Australia.
The joint position statement and research report from ALSA, AMSA, & NUS — titled ‘Disability & Higher Education in Australia’ — leverages case studies, stakeholder consultations, and interdisciplinary research to scrutinise and investigate the extent of structural ableism within Australia’s higher education sector.
Endorsed by more than thirty bodies, including SULS, this landmark report marks the first time in many years that the voice of disabled staff & students have been meaningfully heard within higher education.
The report’s findings illuminate the urgency of the need for systemic reform: discrimination facing disabled staff and students are noted to be systemic, with only 17 per cent of disabled Australians attaining a Bachelor’s degree compared with 35 per cent of non-disabled Australians.
Universities must address inaccessible campus infrastructure, lack of understanding of systemic ableism, and offer options for both online (WFH) and in-person learning in recognition of the disadvantages facing disabled staff and students.
Action is long overdue and the higher education sector must now listen, reflect and take action to ensure meaningful access to education and opportunity.
The SULS Disabilities Portfolio is headed by the SULS Disabilities Officer and supported by the SULS Disabilities Committee. The SULS Disabilities Portfolio represents all Sydney University Law School students who identify as having any kind of disability, including but not limited to physical disabilities, neurodivergency and mental health disorders.
The Portfolio performs a significant role in disability advocacy in the Law School, including conducting consultation with disabled-identifying law students and liaising with University administration to promote reforms regarding disability accessibility and inclusion in the Law School. The SULS Disabilities Officer also works within the SULS Executive to ensure our events, policies and culture are as accessible as possible to disabled-identifying people, and organises a range of initiatives and events aimed towards disabled students in the Law School. Overall, the portfolio aims to:
Be a strong voice in advocating for Disabled students at Sydney Law School
Foster a sense of connection and community amongst Disabled students at the Law School
Promote a culture of disability pride, acceptance and inclusion within the SULS, the Law School and the broader legal sector
Challenge Ableist stigma at every level of the Law and the Legal sector, particularly amongst students at Sydney Law School
Contact the Disabilities Officer
The SULS Disabilities Officer for 2024 is Sarah Huffman. You can contact her via email at disabilities@suls.org.au. She is available to discuss any disability-related issues at the Law School and within SULS, from advocacy, to any additional questions you may have, to just touching base. All correspondence will be kept confidential unless you specify otherwise.
The portfolio also is undertaking ongoing consultation with disabled students at the Law School. If you have any matters regarding disability you would like to discuss, please contact the Disabilities Officer to set up a consultation session or use the SULS Disabilities Consultation Form below.
Event Recordings
Disabilities x Careers: 2022 Disability in the Legal Sector Careers Panel
[Image Description: In bold white text, 'Disabilites x Careers, Disabilities in the Legal Sector Panel', above a horizontal pink divider line. Below, in thin white font, 'Online Event, Wednesday 21 September'. The white SULS logo is in the top-left corner. All elements are upon a swirled dark green and pink background.]
Disabled students face many unique issues when applying for jobs and working in the legal sector - from navigating the ongoing trend towards remote work, to ensuring they can access accessibility accommodations in the workplace, to facing the stigma against disability endemic to the legal sector. SULS’ Disabilities in the Legal Sector Panel took place online on Wednesday 21 September 2022, and offered both disabled-identifying and non-disabled identifying students the opportunity to hear from leaders in the legal sector about the experiences and challenges faced by disabled legal professionals.
We had the pleasure of hearing from two wonderful panellists :
Paul Harpur
Dr Paul Harpur is an associate professor at the TC Beirne School of Law, with an academic research focus on international and comparative disability law. He has previously practiced law as a solicitor, has served as an Australian Research Council Future Fellow, and is a former Fulbright Scholar. Dr Harpur also represented Australia twice at the Paralympic Games in Goalball and Athletics, as well as competing in the Commonwealth Games. He has expertise in areas such as anti-discrimination, human rights, labour laws and work health and safety laws - and has conducted significant research focusing on disability in the workplace. In 2021, he was awarded 2022 Blind Australian of the Year.
Kate Long
Kate Long is an Associate at Johnson Winter & Slattery, where she specialises in corporate law. Prior to moving to Adelaide in 2020, Kate worked at a top tier commercial firm in New Zealand. In 2022, Kate won the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 award for Wellness Advocacy and was recognised as a finalist in both the Mergers & Acquisitions and Energy & Resources categories. Kate is autistic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Kate joined the Disabled Australia Lawyers Association leadership team in August 2022.
Useful Contacts & Resources
Caseworker Services
Sydney Law students dealing with specific academic issues such as applications to Disability Services or academic appeals are encouraged to make contact with an SRC or SUPRA caseworker who is trained to assist students with these matters. Caseworker services are free, and can be accessed via the SRC for undergraduate students and SUPRA for postgraduate students.
SRC Caseworker Contact: https://srcusyd.net.au/src-help/
SUPRA Caseworker Contact: https://supra.net.au/cpt_helps/postgraduate-advocacy-service/
SULS Accessibility Policy
SULS has recently updated its Bylaws to include a new Accessibility Policy aimed towards addressing accessibility considerations at SULS events as well as cultural awareness of disability inclusivity within our organisation. The policy can be found in Part 15 of the SULS Bylaws (pages 28-30).
SULS Student Support Services Handbook
The 2022 SULS Student Support Services Handbook includes useful information on internal and external support services for students at the Law School, including some advice specific to disability.
Disability Services
Disabled Sydney Law School students may apply to the University of Sydney’s Inclusion and Disability Services. Students must provide documentation and discuss their individual case with the University’s trained Disability Services Officers in order to determine eligibility. Eligible students can access various adjustments on an individual needs basis, such as exam and assessment adjustments and access to assistive technology.
Contact Disability Services:
Email: disability.services@sydney.edu.au
Phone: +61 2 8627 8422
Website: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/health-wellbeing/inclusion-and-disability.html
Law School Faculty Disability Liaison Officers (FDLOs)
Each Faculty and School has at least one Faculty Disability Liaison Officer (FDLO) who can provide quick advice and support specific to the learning environment of the relevant University Faculty or School. The Law School’s FDLOs are Dr Scarlet Wilcock and Dr Christopher Rudge.
Law School FDLO Contacts:
Dr Scarlet Wilcock
New Law Building (F10), Camperdown Campus
Ph: +61 2 9351 8524
Email: scarlet.wilcock@sydney.edu.au
Dr Christopher Rudge
New Law Building (F10), Camperdown Campus
Ph: +61 2 9351 0439
Email: christopher.rudge@sydney.edu.au