Neurodiversity Alliance
Neurodiversity is the idea that people with neurological and/or psychological conditions deserve respect, should not be pathologized and are entitled to live full and satisfying lives.
Many members of the Wolf Pack – faculty, staff and students – share neurodiverse identities, but neurodiversity affects far more than the neurodiverse population; it impacts the entire University. The Neurodiversity Alliance’s mission is to raise awareness, promote access and ensure equity for the neurodiverse population at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Our newly formed alliance has three primary activities:
- We advocate Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an approach to learning that recognizes variation in human cognition and neurological conditions as natural, to afford every student an equal opportunity to succeed.
- We identify unintentional institutional barriers that disadvantage neurodiverse people, and we develop alternative practices that do not discriminate.
- We coordinate faculty and student efforts to form an alliance that pools resources to meet the different needs of every neurodiverse person at the University.
Join us! Sign up for Neurodiversity Alliance emails
Volunteer with us for Northern Nevada Pride!
Reach out to us at neurodiversity@unr.edu.
Neurodiversity Alliance founding members:
David Branby, Creative Director, University Marketing & Communications, dbranby@unr.edu
Jim Cherney, Associate Professor, Department of Communication, jlcherney@unr.edu
Mary Anne Christensen, Assistant Director, Disability Resource Center, maryac@unr.edu
Karl Fendelander, Editor in Chief, Nevada Today, kfendelander@unr.edu
Jeffrey Hutsler, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, jhutsler@unr.edu
Andrea Juillerat-Olvera, University Lead Interpreter, Disability Resource Center, ajuillerat@unr.edu
Zhizhong Li, Assistant Professor & Assistant Dean of Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Orvis School of Nursing, zzl@unr.edu
Mental health resources
Downing Clinic (775-682-5515)
- The Downing Counseling Clinic is a training center for graduate counseling students. The clinic is a part of the Counseling and Educational Psychology Program at the University of Nevada, Reno. All sessions are conducted by graduate students. Supervision is an important training tool for our program. Counselor-interns are supervised by the faculty and staff of the Counseling and Educational Psychology Program.
Psychological Services Center (775-784-6668)
- The Psychological Services Center is an outpatient mental health clinic within the University of Nevada, Reno psychology department. The clinic provides training for doctoral students in the University's clinical psychology program, as well as a low-cost treatment option for adults living in Northern Nevada.
Mountain EAP is local with a full-service office in mid-town Reno. When you call you reach a real person who can schedule an in-person appointment for you in their local Reno office. Services are available to employees and their eligible dependents. Eligible individuals may receive up to three free sessions per year (you may continue on insurance benefits if you wish).
Counseling Services (775-784-4648)
- The mission of Counseling Services is to provide psychological services to University of Nevada, Reno students to support and facilitate their personal and academic success and development. Counseling Services also develops and offers prevention and consultation services to assist the university community in maintaining a safe and supportive educational environment.
- The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a "rolling" 12-month period for specified family and medical reasons.
- Equal Opportunity and Title IX – “Our goal is to ensure that you have the right to an education and to work and advance in employment on the basis of merit, ability, and potential without fear of discrimination. In short our vision is to see, Every Member of The Pack Treated With Dignity and Respect.”
Neurodiversity news & perspectives
Healthy Minds Study: understanding mental health on campus
The Healthy Minds Study survey was recently sent out to students and, for the first time, faculty and staff at the University – check your inbox!
Let's kick off the new Neurodiversity Alliance!
Associate Professor Jim Cherney invites us to consider a more inclusive definition of neurodiversity and you to join the Alliance for a kickoff reception April 18
Worth celebrating: moving beyond neurodiversity awareness
It’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week. It’s also OK if you’re not sure how to feel about that.