Some private universities claim equality, despite discrimination

BEIRUT - Dana Shekem

February 2004

A Lebanese American University student battled to change discriminatory laws last year at her university, requesting equal opportunity for an education for people with physical handicaps, learning disabilities, and mental illnesses, but to no avail.

“What I want is to broaden the meaning of the term handicap in the university’s policies to include more than just people in wheelchairs,” said the 22-year-old Business student who asked to remain anonymous, “So my opportunity at an education is equal to anyone else's.”

The student is suffering from a rare disease known as hyperinsulinemia, which leads to fatigue, dizziness and shakiness. The disease (also known as insulin resistance syndrome) is caused by obesity and may bring about diabetes.

 Doctors have all agreed that it will take no less than two years, with medication in-take and weight loss, to get over this disease.  This too seemed to create a problem for the student since she was also suffering from clinical depression, which made it difficult to follow a weight loss program.

 With regular attendance as a requisite part of each course, it became impossible for the student to juggle the symptoms of her illnesses with the inevitable consequence of her professors dropping her from class. 

She presented her case to the Dean of Student Services, Dr. Tarek Na'was, who claimed never to have heard of equal opportunity programs before, and asked her to write a petition including a detailed report from her physician and information about such programs, if any existed. This petition was to be discussed at the next executive board meeting.

The student found information regarding “equal opportunity” programs that included diseases like depression and diabetes, implemented at US universities such as Cornell, Clark and Northeastern.

These programs pertain to students with mobility impairment, learning disabilities or attention deficits, hearing problems, vision impairment, chronic or degenerative disorders, and psychological disorders. As to the student's specific condition, the accommodations provided included note takers, extra time on exams, homework/class assignments delivered and retrieved from student, and excused absences.

She supplied these papers, in addition to her own petition to Dr. Na'was and the Dean of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Hadia Harb.

The morning following the meeting saw no reply from Dr. Na'was, who was unwilling to see her. Tempers flared and finally she got to speak to him, “There was a major disagreement at the meeting, and the matter is now in the Dr. Harb's hands,” he said. 

 Dr. Harb, neither the studentís dean nor in any way responsible for such matters, was put in charge of this issue, and was asked to bring up the concern with each of the student’s teachers individually.

 “That totally defeats my purpose. I wanted a long-term change for me and for those with similar cases. I could have easily gone through the backdoor but I wouldn’t be satisfied, because deep down I know I deserve this,” stated the student. She continued to fight but it was in vain.

 Of her professors, only one was willing to disregard attendance and appraise her solely according to the work she accomplished for the course. Dr. Harb advised her to drop the semester and go back home to Amman, where she would be in a more sheltered environment. “Your intellect and eloquence are comparable to a Graduate student’s,” said the Dean. “It’s a real shame you’re being failed just for your absences.”

 The student is currently studying in a highly competitive public Jordanian university, which is one of the few accredited universities there, and is renowned in the Middle East for its Business School.

She is facing many difficulties: the teachers explaining in Arabic and then testing in English, trying to adapt to a completely different educational system, and adjusting to a new atmosphere. Plus, the university’s administration still did not answer as to whether any of her LAU credits will be transferred, which sets her back three full years.

 This case is just one example of how bureaucracy and stringent university limitations could have endless repercussions on a student’s life, when it is ignored that they were originally set with the students’ best interest in mind, and should be modified as such. Universities are not meant to act like racehorses, obstinately looking forward and ignoring everything around them. The administration should take a more holistic approach, since this is university “life” with all its adversities after all.