Disability Master Plan: Turning an Ideal into Reality
On November 20, the University’s Board of Trustees approved the new Disability Master Plan (DMP) presented by Agnès Fichard-Carroll, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Life and the University’s Disability Coordinator. While 43 of the 45 actions planned in the previous SDH have been implemented and the success of students with disabilities has been included in the 2023–2025 Contract of Objectives, Resources, and Performance (COMP), UM remains committed to improving the inclusion of staff and students with disabilities.
This document was developed following several months of discussions and meetings between Agnès Fichard-Carroll and staff members, students with disabilities, and the administrative departments and services that support them—most notably the Campus Life Office and the Handiversité service.“This plan owes a great deal to the strength and inspiration of the individuals we met throughout its development. About thirty staff members with disabilities participated in these meetings, which is a positive sign; the fear of having one’s disability exposed is beginning to fade,” emphasizes the vice president.
Since 2020, when the last disability master plan was adopted, the legislative framework promoting greater accessibility has been expanded by a decree (November 12, 2021) and two circulars (February 6, 2023, and March 27, 2023) regarding accommodations for higher education exams and competitive exams for candidates with disabilities and the healthcare system for students and users of higher education.“It is in accordance with these regulations and the guiding principles that govern our work that we will continue to implement our measures,” announced Agnès Fichard-Carroll. “We know that supporting is not the same as taking over, much less imposing, and that balancing an individual’s situation with the expectations of a group is complicated, but this new framework will allow us to move forward together.”
Academic Success for Students with Disabilities
The focus of this disability policy is on the success of students with disabilities. Their proportion at UM increased between 2019 and 2023, rising from 2.41% to 3.44%—compared to a national average of 2.2%—representing 1,641 students.“Thanks to significantly improved support throughout their academic careers, more students with disabilities are gaining access to university programs. At UM, their percentage has doubled since 2015, which is a source of satisfaction.” 62% of them are enrolled in undergraduate programs, 29% in graduate programs, 5% in postgraduate programs, and 4% in other programs.
To support their success, the University of Marseille (UM) is offering a dozen initiatives designed to better welcome and support them.“The goal here is to provide students with disabilities with the same opportunities as other students and to engage the community in supporting them. ” Disability tutoring; international mobility; support for hospitalized students; and internship stipends… On the welcoming front, signage on campus will be improved, and an “Aliv’equip” call for proposals will be launched to enhance the comfort of rest areas reserved for people with disabilities.“We believe this measure is relevant to demonstrate UM’s commitment to both equity and service,”explains the vice president. “We are also considering implementing a cohort follow-up to track the trajectories of students with disabilities who have attended UM.”
To better support teachers—the cornerstone of this initiative—the CSIP, in partnership with Handiversité, will offer workshops on inclusive teaching practices, and technical guides on how to rephrase instructions for exams, for example, will be provided. “Often well-meaning but ill-equipped, teachers can be thrown off balance by certain situations; we must therefore continue to raise their awareness by better informing them about the most common disabilities and explaining certain recommendations,” continues Agnès Fichard-Carroll.
Career Counseling
"Public employers are required to hire 6% of employees covered by the employment quota. At UM, the number of employees covered by the employment quota (BOE) was 206 in 2019 (4.57%) and 220 in 2023 (4.84%). This percentage rises to 7.41% when looking exclusively at Biatss beneficiaries, but is only 3.1% among researchers, Professors doctoral students. As we often point out, one of the challenges universities face in reaching the regulatory 6% threshold lies in the high percentage of highly qualified individuals at the university (Ph.D., HDR; in total, over 50% of Category A staff), whereas it is well established that people with disabilities face a training deficit. “We are, however, seeing a clear improvement,” summarizes the vice president. By comparison, in 2020, the direct employment rate for individuals covered by the employment quota was 2.65% at Paris-Cité University, 3.76% at Aix-Marseille University, and 4.26% at Toulouse Paul Sabatier University. In the civil service, this figure stands at 4.36%.
“We know that there are barriers to recruiting people with disabilities through competitive exams. Contract-based recruitment is possible for Biatss staff, just as it is for lecturers. Although this latter approach remains difficult to implement, the University of Marseille was able to recruit a lecturer under this framework this year, which we are pleased about. We believe it is appropriate to continue to take advantage of all available opportunities to promote their recruitment.” All initiatives undertaken to improve career support for BOEs under the previous plan will be maintained (communication, workshops, specific accommodations, doctoral contracts for individuals with disabilities, etc.).
However, employment for people with disabilities cannot be viewed solely in terms of recruitment, since, according to figures from the Ministry of Education, 85% of people with disabilities acquire their disability during their lifetime. Career support is therefore essential. UnderArticle 93 of the Civil Service Reform Act, two opportunities for promotion through secondment will thus be offered for the first time in the hiring campaign.“To achieve the goal of better supporting the careers of staff with disabilities, we must also be able to rely on the network of prevention assistants present at all University sites. “Specific training will be provided for them,” explains Agnès Fichard-Carroll. Support measures such as teleworking for disability-related reasons or reduced teaching loads for instructors and Professors continue. Efforts will also be made to facilitate workplace assessments by the SCMPPS and the Handiversité service.
Committing to greater inclusion
The third and final pillar of this disability policy focuses on accessibility.“Our goal is not only to support students with disabilities during their studies and staff in their work, but also to enable them to participate fully in all aspects of campus life within an environment that is supportive of their needs,” explains the disability coordinator. As for the buildings, several have been made accessible during recent renovations on the Pharmacy and Triolet campuses (Village des Sciences—enter a new era), and Staps (An exemplary renovation project) and Medicine Nîmes (New facilities for the Gard site of the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine).
Furthermore, inclusion must also extend to university activities and events. Invitations now mention accessibility so that people feel comfortable asking for accommodations. Many workshops and events organized by the Campus Life Office are offered online, which can make it easier for people with disabilities to participate.“We should also note that, thanks to significant work carried out by the Joint Documentation Service (SCD), we have Platon accreditation authorizing us to produce adapted versions (Braille, international DAISY format, etc.) of all available works.” More broadly, a simple guide to digital accessibility will be developed to raise awareness.
On the social front, the university is continuing to increase financial assistance for staff recognized as workers with disabilities (RQTH) regarding theater and book vouchers, as well as for participating in cultural or sports activities.“We must also take greater account of disability-related circumstances when allocating financial aid to students,” emphasizes Agnès Fichard-Carroll. A comprehensive policy promoting inclusion that the UM aims to extend beyond its walls by continuing the institution’s procurement policy to promote the employment of people with disabilities. Finally, public lectures—which have generated significant interest—and Braille and sign language workshops, which are already in high demand, will continue to be offered regularly. “This master plan is a fundamental tool for advancing toward equity. The President and I hope it meets the expectations of people with disabilities, and we sincerely thank all our colleagues who have contributed and who work every day to promote greater inclusion.”