Spring 2010 UCLA

NEW HORIZONS

UCLA Office for Students with Disabilities

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1. A Word from the Director: Kathy's Korner by Kathy Molini
2. Annual Evaluation of Services
3. Attention Returning Students with Priority Enrollment
4. Congratulations to Our Graduates
5. Speaking of Graduation...
6. "What is Procrastinationand how do I beat it?" -- Dr. Kearney Visser
7. "Tips for talking to Professors and TAs" -- Dr. Halle Aten
8. Campus Construction Spring 2010
9. Have You Moved?
10. Alternative Formats Available
11. OSD Welcomes submitted material.

A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR

Kathy's Korner

The close of academic year 2009-10 is just around the corner. I hope it has been a successful one for all of you. I imagine many of you are beginning to make your plans for the summer. Some of you will most likely travel and others may seek employment. If you travel, please consider writing a brief article about your adventures for our Fall 2010 newsletter. We'd love to hear about your experiences. If you are planning to work and have questions regarding the disclosure of your disability, we would like to point out that the article entitled Disclosing Your Disability in the Employment Process, by Cynthia Thomas at UCLA's Career Center is on our web site.

In December, 2009, Ms. Jessie Downey joined the OSD. Jessie is a Learning Disabilities Specialist and also works with students who have other disabilities. She sits on the Disabled Students Housing Appeals Board as well. Born and raised here in Los Angeles, she left to get her bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, but then returned to get her Masters in Higher Education Administration at USC. It was there that she realized how much she enjoys working with students with learning disabilities, psychological disabilities and ADD/ADHD. Stop in and say hello!

Have a great summer!

Kathy

Annual Student Evaluation of Services

We encourage all of you to take a few minutes to complete an evaluation of services for 2009-10. You will receive your copy in the mail in May. Please contact us at (310) 825-1501 if you don't.

Attention Returning Students with Priority Enrollment:

Priority Enrollment (PE) for Fall 2010 classes takes place June 21, 22 and 23 - after you have finished your finals for Spring 2010. The OSD will be sending reminders to those OSD students who qualify (undergraduates, permanent disabilities, care takers or classroom assistants, mobility issues, etc) for PE in early June. If you do not hear from us by June 10, please contact Ed at either emcclosk@saonet.ucla.edu or (310) 267-2004 to ensure we have your correct email address and that you are on the PE list.

Congratulations to Our Graduates

The OSD currently has 769 registered students that are seniors or graduate students. The following students gave permission to be recognized:

Christine Charles
Angelica Galang

We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Speaking of Graduation...

If you will need accommodations to participate in your commencement or graduation ceremony, please contact the OSD as soon as possible. We can work with you and the Coordinator of your events to ensure full participation.

If your guests will need accommodations, please check out the disability services section of www.commencement.ucla.edu

What is Procrastination and how do I beat it?

-- Kearney Visser, Ph.D.

Procrastination is a complex psychological behavior that affects the entire population to varying levels of severity and causes considerable stress and anxiety. Overcoming procrastination can help you feel strong, competent, and capable by giving you peace of mind, a feeling of strength and purpose, and a healthy feeling of being in charge of your life. Here is the idea behind the inner working of procrastination. First, there is an activating event which is whatever you are putting off. Second, your hidden feelings about the task or your belief system govern your motivation. Finally, there is the consequence, which is what you actually do. Four simple reasons that students engage in procrastination are: the task seems too difficult and therefore they avoid it, the task appears too time-consuming and the students believe they do not have enough time in their schedules to complete it, students lack the knowledge or skills to complete the task and wait to learn the skills for fear of making a mistake, and plain and simply fear of failure (or sometimes even fear of success!). Listed below are some simple and effective strategies that will help you learn to beat procrastination (or at least be aware when you are procrastinating).

1. Make tasks seem small and easy in your mind.
2. Do only a small part of the task each time.
3. 5-minute plan: Work on something for just five minutes and then switch to something else if you like. Chances are that you will be involved enough in the first activity to continue.
4. Advertise your plans to accomplish something and let peer pressure help you.
5. Modify your environment at home.
6. Plan tomorrow and establish priorities.
7. Know that it is impossible to eradicate all mistakes. No one is perfect.
8. Realize that you are delaying something unnecessarily.
9. Discover the real reasons behind your delay. List them.
10. Dispute those real reasons behind the procrastination and meet them head on.
11. Begin the task!
12. Know that there will be setbacks and backsliding. Accept setbacks and begin again.

Dr. Kearney Visser has been a post doctoral volunteer here at the OSD since Fall Quarter.

Tips for Talking with Professors and TAs

-- Halle M. Aten, Ph.D.

How do I make a good impression?

• Be prepared with specific questions. This shows preparation and respect for the professor's time.
• Demonstrate an interest in the subject of the class.
• Use respectful and academic language. Giving respect and speaking eloquently will earn you the respect of your professor.
• Don't focus only on your grade! This makes it seem like the only thing you care about is your grade, not the information you are learning. For example, never say, "I want to know what I need to do to get an A in this class." Instead say, "I'm very interested in this subject, and I'd like to know what you think is the best way to learn this information."
• Clarify the professor's/TA's expectations for your work.
  • Ask questions about specific assignments.
  • Ask for feedback on assignments you have already completed.

When is it a good time to talk to professors/TAs?

• Talk to your professors/TAs before or after class, if they are in the classroom and seem like they are not very busy.
• MAKE USE OF OFFICE HOURS. Professors and TAs set office hours specifically so that they can answer their students' questions.
• If you have a simple, easy to answer question, email or call the professor or TA. But remember: professors and TAs are VERY busy, and get a lot of email. Don't expect that they can answer you right away!

What if I don't know what I want to ask them?

• When you are studying, write a list of questions you have about the material on a separate sheet of paper. Bring this with you when you talk to the professor/TA.
• Write questions in the margins of your class notes. Bring these with you when you talk to the professor/TA.
• Spend 10-15 minutes before office hours preparing what you would like to ask the professor/TA. Be clear about the goals that you have for going to office hours and stick to them!

What if I get freaked out and have a hard time getting to office hours?

• Identify exactly what you are FEELING. Are you scared, anxious, worried, embarrassed, ashamed, guilty, confused, etc.?
• Identify the THOUGHTS that come with this feeling. Possible examples:
  • "I'm never going to pass this class."
  • "I'm such a loser."
  • "I'll always be a failure."
  • "My professor must think I'm such an idiot."
  • "I can't learn how to do well, what's the point?"
• Identify the BEHAVIORS that the thoughts make you do. Possible examples:
  • Sleep
  • Avoid talking to my professor
  • Stop studying
  • Avoid my schoolwork by surfing the Internet, watching TV, talking to friends, going out, eating, etc.
• Tell yourself NEW THOUGHTS (positive counter-statements) to refute the thoughts that make you engage in negative behaviors.
  • "This class is hard, but I can pass it."
  • "I'm having a hard time in this class; that doesn't make me a loser."
  • "Even if I fail one exam, that doesn't mean I'M a failure. I can figure out what I did wrong and improve for the next one."
  • "I have no idea what my professor thinks of me, and if I go to office hours, he/she will see that I'm a conscientious student."
  • "I can learn. I've learned before."

Dr. Halle Aten has been a Learning Disabilities Specialist at the OSD since 2007.

Campus Construction Spring 2010

The Northwest Housing In-Fill Project continues. The area of impact is primarily Sproul Hall, De Neve Plaza and De Neve Drive. There is no vehicle access to the Sproul/Sunset turnaround during this three year project. Additionally, De Neve Drive is one way (North and Northeast) from C.E. Young Drive (near De Neve Plaza and Sproul). The sidewalk along the south side of Sproul and Covel is closed as is the on-street parking in this section of C.E. Young Drive. More information on this and other projects at the Residence Halls can be found at www.housing.ucla.edu/construction.

The renovation of Pauley Pavilion has just started. Fencing is in place around Pauley for the next three years. Some of the sidewalk of Bruin Walk has been taken away and the pedestrian exit/entrance to Lot 7 near on Bruin Walk has been reconfigured.

The sidewalk on C.E. Young Drive near the Replacement Life Sciences Building is open though works continues on the interior of the building.

Construction of the Court of Sciences Student Center continues. There is fencing around the area of what once was known as the Bomb Shelter. The area is accessible with wide sidewalks on all four sides; however, there are times that flag persons may need to temporarily halt pedestrian traffic for construction vehicles to enter or exit the site near the south west corner.

Check out the Capital Programs frequently-updated web site for construction impacts: www.capital.ucla.edu click on "Construction Impacts" under Projects.

If you have any questions about specific construction projects or access to any building or area on campus, please call the OSD at (310) 825-1501 for detailed information.

Returning Students...
HAVE YOU MOVED?

Please remember to let the OSD know each time you change your address in order to continue to receive important mailings regarding priority enrollment, proctoring, van transportation, etc.

Changing your address with the Registrar's Office DOES NOT change your address with OSD. You can call the office, e-mail us, or come in and fill out a "change of address" slip.

New Horizons is available in Braille, on tape cassette and on the OSD web site. Contact the OSD to request a copy in an alternative format.

The OSD welcomes material submitted for publication which may be of interest to its readers such as brief articles, essays, or poetry. We reserve the right to edit the material as needed. Contact the OSD for deadline information.

(310) 825-1501
A-255 Murphy Hall, Box 951426,
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1426