Dean Jessop: Hiring People With Disabilities

In a perfect world, a person who is qualified for a role would be able to obtain employment regardless of their disability status. In reality, over two-thirds of people with disabilities are unemployed (cite book). It is impossible to quantify how many of those people unsuccessfully seek employment or how many do not or have stopped seeking opportunities because of the difficulty in finding employment with a disability. What should be considered from a humanitarian standpoint, is the impact that a sense of purpose has on a person. People want to know that they are contributing in some way. For people with disabilities, particularly those with obvious disabilities that coincide with stereotypes about a person’s capabilities, finding this sense of purpose can be a daunting task. For these reasons and more, Dean Jessop has goals for the College of Education to be a leader in diversity. The conflicting motives for and against hiring Dr. Wheeler are where Dean Jessop must be sure to carefully consider a variety of angles.

As a part of Dean Jessop’s diversity plan, hiring a faculty member from an underrepresented group is an important consideration (cite book). In 2009, individuals with disabilities had an unemployment rate of 69%. As an underrepresented group, hiring someone with a disability would support the dean’s diversity plan.

Edwards. Hiring Dr. Edwards could potentially causing a rift with President Yoshikawa and the Head of the Faculty Association if their concerns are not addressed. Hiring Dr. Edwards may also give off the impression that the decision was made based on increasing diversity rather than his qualifications. A final thought to consider is the reaction of other employees to any accommodations that are made in order to employ Dr. Edwards. These accommodations could be a cause of resentment, discomfort or even equal entitlement from the other