Special education students left out of Cal State East Bay's commencement
HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) -- A group of Bay Area special education students are left out from a milestone moment of college - graduation.
On Friday, Cal State East Bay held their first of several commencements for the weekend.
Kristin Vogel-Campbell is on the board of directors for the university's Center for Disability Justice Research.
"Everyone should feel like they belong, that they are included," Vogel-Campbell said.
In 2023, a new program was created called Think By the Bay, that gave students with intellectual and developmental disabilities access to campus and courses.
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This year, the first cohort of three students is finishing the program.
They are not graduating with degrees, which the university says makes them ineligible for commencement.
Vogel-Campbell asked if they could participate anyway.
She referred to guidance from the California Center for Inclusive College and a memorandum that was generated last week that students in IPSE, Inclusionary, Post-Secondary programs, that they have every right to participate in university commencement activities.
"Like I saw the other day where the university gave a service dog like a commendation for participating in like a science lesson. So it doesn't make sense to me that we're not including students who have gone through a two-year program who have worked really hard who have persevered," Vogel-Campbell said.
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In a statement to ABC7 News, the university said:
"We are incredibly proud of and inspired by our Think By The Bay students' accomplishments and wholly support the program offered through University Extensions. However, these three students do not meet the requirements to be eligible to participate in commencement-a formal degree conferring ceremony for students who have completed specific academic requirements and are receiving a credential, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree.
Cal State East Bay begins preparing for commencement ceremonies as soon as the final graduates from the previous year cross the stage. Three weeks ago, we became aware of Think by The Bay's request and have worked tirelessly with their advisors to offer options to celebrate these students in a timely and meaningful way, despite them not meeting eligibility requirements for commencement ceremonies."
"One of the compromises the university had was for the students to have a photo op with the university president instead of participating in graduation, and for me that's just kind of inauthentic inclusivity," Vogel-Campbell said.
The students are on the commencement program. Referring to them as "trailblazers," they said they have "taught us invaluable lessons about the power of inclusivity in higher education."
DeAnna Pursai is the cofounder of the College of Adaptive Arts. We covered a previous story about their push to provide an equitable space for adults with special needs.
"When we started the college, one of the first things those adults said is - will I be able to get a diploma and have a graduation ceremony just like my brother and cousin? And so I think it's a great teachable moment for us collectively as a society to remember that there's not just one size fits all for lifelong learning," Pursai said.
Their graduation is next weekend at West Valley College in Saratoga.
"If they would like to come and participate in our ceremony, they are absolutely welcome to come and participate. We can help with gowns or if they get gowns there and additionally, we'll have to continue the conversation maybe the next cohort that they can be included in their college ceremony as well," Pursai said.
Pursai said their valedictorian has down syndrome. Senator Dave Cortese will be a keynote speaker.
A petition was launched earlier this week, calling for the CSUEB to include the Think by the Bay students. On Friday evening, it had over 700 signatures.
