In 1973 a three-year federal grant was received from Rehabilitation Support Services Administration to establish a program to support students with disabilities at the University at Albany. Several program coordinators established Rehabilitation Support Services (RSS) and laid the foundation for the program that exists today. In 1980 Nancy Belowich-Negron became the Director of the Program and the program became known as Disability Resource Center. At that time there were 88 students registered with disabilities. Also in 1980, the University at Albany had the only full service program for disabled students in higher education in the Capital District. It was at this time that the university began to make concerted efforts to attract, recruit and retain qualified students with disabilities. This was done in a variety of ways and on a number of fronts.

Disability Resource Center was asked to participate in any number of Admissions programs including information sessions, college fairs and in reviewing applications and meeting with or addressing inquiries from applicants and their families with disabilities. Concurrent with these activities the University’s Presidents and upper level administrators were quite supportive of requests for accessibility modifications and adaptive equipment acquisition. Disability Resource Center began to work closely with the Disabled Students Organization to prioritize campus improvement projects for furthering both programmatic and architectural accessibility.

Disability Resource Center (DRC) developed relationships with many guidance counselors and community college personnel statewide that rapidly began to increase the number of applicants with disabilities. DRC also developed special recognition programs that heightened awareness both on campus and in the community about services for people with disabilities at the University. This included annual programs that were well attended like DRC Awards Luncheon, Honors Convocation for students with disabilities, Abilities Awareness Month and a Disabled Student Scholarship Fund. In May of 1998 a Gala Celebration was held to commemorate the Silver Anniversary of the establishment of Disability Resource Center and to recognize some of its distinguished alumni. Ted Kennedy, Jr. was the keynote speaker and over 200 people were in attendance for the event. It celebrated the graduation of over 700 students with disabilities since the program’s inception.

The university, since 1988, runs a statewide Pre-College Summer Transition Program for disabled high school students who are consumers of state rehabilitation services. This is the only program of its kind in New York State and is very well known by the state vocational rehabilitation personnel. It has heightened awareness about the University and its facilities throughout the state.

Disability Resource Center has become an integral part of the University. Faculty and staff refer students to the program and look to the office to furnish recommendations about reasonable accommodations. Representation from DRC or the disability community is present
on a wide variety of campus committees including but not limited to: Affirmative Action Commission, University Senate, Parking Committee, Student Life Committee, Library Access Committee, UUP and CSEA (campus unions), AIDS Council, Alcohol Prevention Task Force, Women’s Concerns Committee, and many more. The staff of DRC are also invited to participate in state and local advisory councils, boards and task forces to develop policy and educate others about disability issues. The University at Albany has always been and continues to be the flagship SUNY University Center for students with disabilities.

The population of students with disabilities at the University at Albany has risen from 88 in 1980 to 340 in 2000, to nearly 460 in 2006. (see comparative disabled enrollment table) The steady upward increase is testament to the support and the reputation the University has received with regard to services for persons with disabilities. The DRC works with all members of the University family including alumni on a wide range of disability related issues. New programs and services are always being added to complement those that are already in existence. The Disabled Student Scholarship Fund was created to help offset the high expenses often encumbered by those with disabilities. The Disability Film Series was offered to help students and staff alike who were trying to understand their learning disabilities. The Testing program was developed as a way to safeguard the circumstances in which disabled students take their tests and examinations. Each year well over 1500 tests are administered through DRC with the help of more than 25 volunteer staff test proctors. These are just a few examples of the ongoing program efforts developed by DRC to meet the changing needs of the burgeoning disabled student population.

In June of 2006 Disability Resource Center had another name change and became the Disability Resource Center (DRC) to better reflect the wholesale integration of the office into the University community. The DRC works with all members of the University family including alumni on a wide range of disability related issues.