Pregnant NYU Silver student denied remote learning accommodations
After reaching out to professors and several university departments, a Silver graduate student with health concerns reported being repeatedly denied learning accommodations.
The NYU Silver School of Social Work is located at 1 Washington Square N. One student was denied desk accommodations in a Silver classroom. (Staff Photo by Samson Tu)
March 25, 2022
When Jennifer Bryant, a graduate student in the Silver School of Social Work, arrived on Feb. 17 at her first in-person class of the spring semester, she was expecting one accommodation — a bigger desk. Instead, Bryant — on bed rest due to pregnancy complications — was forced to use a makeshift work area made by combining two chairs.
Bryant and other students with health conditions said they have struggled to obtain reasonable support from faculty and university offices, instead facing communication difficulties and rejected accommodation requests. Although NYU defends its decisions, students say they are being placed at an academic disadvantage compared to their peers.
In November 2021, Bryant sent a request to take her spring 2022 classes online to NYU’s Title IX department, which is responsible for preventing gender-based discrimination in education programs. A week before the start of the semester, she was informed that her request had been denied by the dean. She then requested a wheelchair and a bigger desk.
“It’s sad because we’re supposed to be getting the training to go out into the world to fight against these oppressive systems, to push back against injustice, and it’s just like, ‘You want us to do all of this but you don’t want us to do it to you?’” Bryant said. “This is unjust.”
Bryant sent an email to an associate dean at Silver on Feb. 17 to confirm that a larger desk would be available in her classroom. The dean forwarded her email to the Title IX department, but a coordinator was reportedly unable to process the request. The coordinator wrote in an email that the classroom had been moved, leading to an internal miscommunication.
Bryant said Silver denied her initial request to take courses online since the accommodation would hinder the school’s ability to administer effective clinical classes. Representatives from the Office of Equal Opportunity and Silver agreed that the refusal to provide remote accommodations was “within the university’s guidelines for academic accessibility requests,” according to an email from the dean to Bryant.
“I’m really hopping through hoops just to get this degree,” Bryant said. “I’m at the point where they could just slip my damn degree under a door. I don’t even need to attend graduation. That’s where I’m at.”
Previous accommodations denied
Bryant had previously reached out to the Title IX department, requesting in November 2021 to take the remainder of her fall 2021 classes online. After a week-long delay during which Bryant missed several classes, she was told that only two of her courses would be available virtually, while the third would be recorded and sent to her.
However, when Bryant received the recording of her first class from her professor, it was only an audio file. When she emailed her professor asking if it were a technical issue, her professor said that they would not share their slides.
“It broke me,” Bryant said. “I wasn’t able to sleep all night, having all these anxiety attacks about just failing this class. I didn’t know how I was supposed to make it.”
Bryant also learned that the professor had distributed handouts during class that they did not send to her. She was able to complete the course, compensating for missed instruction with online videos.
“It’s just about showing my voice, showing that no matter what, you’re going to come against these obstacles and you just have to continue to push,” Bryant said. “That’s exactly what I’ve been doing, I’ve been pushing. But I’m just tired. I don’t feel like I should have to fight.”
Bryant is not the only student facing issues with accommodations. She said that when she posted about her situation to a private Facebook group for Silver students working toward master’s degrees in social work, she received more than a hundred comments, many of which recounted similar experiences.
NYU responds to student concerns
NYU spokesperson Shonna Keogan said that individual departments, faculty and administrators are not responsible for class accommodations for students. She added that each case is reviewed by multiple teams.
“Ultimately, we all share the same goal: to make the NYU experience as accessible as possible to all students,” Keogan wrote in a statement to WSN. “Our staff work hard to achieve this by having qualified personnel assess each case with efficiency and compassion, while concurrently ensuring the quality of the education we endeavor to provide remains intact.”
Bryant believes that she did not receive the accommodations needed to have the same quality of education as her peers. She said students should continue to advocate for themselves and hopes that NYU administration will better support community members who need accommodations.
“This is something that’s been happening in Silver for a very long time, and nobody apparently wanted to speak out,” Bryant said. “If somebody did speak out, they were intimidated.”
Correction, March 27: A previous version of this article incorrectly reported the status of Bryant’s accommodation request. Bryant’s request for a wheelchair and bigger desk were not explicitly denied, but were merely never fulfilled. WSN regrets the error.
The headline has been updated to better reflect the article.
Contact Bryn Borzillo and Joyce Li at [email protected].
Dr. Alma J. Carten • Mar 29, 2022 at 5:20 pm
Wow! The comments from students are appreciated and concerning since they reflect so much unhappiness about the School and the faculty.
I continue to value the School and honor our profession and have faith in the next generation to whom the torch is being passed.
Stay the course, social work is nobel and much needed profession in our world today!
Samantha Marin • Mar 27, 2022 at 12:40 pm
As a fellow NYU Silver second year student, I also entered this program with the expectation that, as Jennie said so eloquently, “‘We’re supposed to be getting the training to go out into the world to fight against these oppressive systems, to push back against injustice’”. I have seen the vast majority of my fellow classmates, especially Jennie, employing these values. However I have only seen these values modeled by a small handful of faculty and staff. In response to the comment posted by Dr. Carten, I believe the “quality of students” at Silver is impeccable given that, somehow, when void of adequate modeling of social work values we have been able to uphold these values on our own.
Dr. Alma J, Carten • Mar 26, 2022 at 2:08 pm
As a former professor at Silver, I find this article especially distressing since it raises questions for me about the quality of students that are being accepted for admission to a professional program that is based on the importance of human relationships, and requires insights into broader societal concerns.
No, Ms. Bryant my colleagues do not slip degrees under the door. Social work education is robust and intellectually demanding. It is the responsibility of the faculty to determine how the curriculum is designed, taught and delivered.
And not to minimize the legitimacy of this student’s request for a bigger desk, if she is successful in her studies, hopefully she may well gain a broader perspective on issues of distributive justice, a major concern of the profession, And if she has occasion to interface with clients who may be moms and have little if any access to primary maternal health care. Or for that matter, access to pediatric health care when they bring their babies into the world. I trust that she will be as willing to advocate in their behalf.
Katy • Mar 27, 2022 at 11:25 am
It sounds like you’re basically she should struggle and gain a broader perspective instead of receiving appropriate accomodations. These professors had to adapt to an online format in the past, they can do it now, especially considering we are still in a pandemic. Most of the professors I know in Silver were more than willing support students with online accomodations, and I think they’re ability to adapt speaks to their quality as an educator.
By the way, Ms. Bryant’s “slip my degree under the door” comment was in reference to lacking motivation to attend graduation, not her willingness to work for her degree.
Jayson Vivas • Mar 27, 2022 at 12:29 pm
As a current student at Silver, I find your comment especially distressing since it raises questions for me about the quality of professors that are being accepted for teaching to a professional program that is based on the importance of human relationships, and requires insights into broader societal concerns.
No one is asking for free degrees, this article is about the denial of accommodations. I know you meant not to minimize this request, but that is exactly what occurred in your comment. I hope you feel there are spaces where you can discuss your concerns about the curriculum, this is not one of them.
I appreciate your trust that Ms. Bryant will be successful in her career; her pursuit of justice in this matter is just what the profession needs!
Chloe R. • Mar 27, 2022 at 1:16 pm
Echoing the replies here! Jayson’s comment puts it beautifully.
I also currently have an online course that was originally in-person, but adapted to an online format because the professor has a temporary disability. It is possible to establish and learn about human relationships in a virtual setting. We need professors who are able to adapt and respond to the needs of students, in many ways modeling for students how we will later respond to the needs of our clients.
Ang • Mar 27, 2022 at 8:31 pm
First and foremost I would point out that you are a former professor not a current one. Why is this important? During the last 3 years NYU has gone through a social justice movement BLM and a pandemic. The pandemic itself exposed the inequities that exist in NYU. At the height of the BLM movement NYU expressed solidarity and did a lot of performative work without really establishing a solid anti racist and inclusive foundation. During my 3 years here I have witnessed NYU staff consistently disregarded any concerns brought up by Black women, people of color and students with special needs. Your comment is a perfect example of how NYU has failed it’s students. This school has a history of disregarding students concerns and continues to employ professors that do not work through an anti oppressive/inclusive lens. In this way further oppressing their own students. To take accountability away from NYU and place the blame on the “quality” of the students is to perpetuate oppression. The reality is that legally this student has every right to demand accessibility and accommodations for her extenuating circumstance. Your comment is based on the assumption that this student is unqualified to become a social worker. On the contrary this student is clearly ready to advocate not only for herself but for her community. Unfortunately, NYU has burned out many future Social Workers because they’ve had to advocate against the very own institution that is suppose to be teaching them.
Keyla • Mar 28, 2022 at 3:28 pm
See I don’t go to NYU, nor do I plan to, so I can really pop off and say what I wanna say. You questioning the “quality” of students being accepted is disgusting. Now I’M questioning your quality in teaching since your so inconsiderate of this students situation. This student isn’t asking the school for the sun and the stars, their asking for a simple compromise due to their situation. It is very obvious that this student is well on their way to earn this degree, this simple accommodation would not be “slipping a degree under the door.” As a former professor at the silver school of social work, it’s shocking how insensitive and oblivious you’re being, which again makes me question your qualities as a former professor.