Square One: Getting Started, Getting Better
A two day virtual instructional series for higher education professionals interested in launching a campus program or initiative to support autistic and other neurodivergent students.
Sessions will be held June 11th from 12 pm to 5 pm ET and June 12th 12 pm to 2 pm ET.
Autism support programs take many forms, from small initiatives located in a disability services office to a fully-staffed stand-alone program serving many students across campus. All of these programs have one thing in common: they began with an idea and a plan to implement that idea. This two day live instructional series is designed for campus-based professionals who are interested in launching a new program, or taking an existing program or initiative to a new level.
Dates and Times
- June 11th: 12 pm to 5 pm ET
- June 12th: 12 pm to 2 pm ET
Agenda
Day One
- Presenters will assist participants in determining campus needs, setting goals, gaining buy-in, budgeting and financing options, and exploring different staffing models.
- After a short break, presenters will share insights on transitional programming,the role of parents, mentoring and coaching supports, and effective campus training.
Day Two
- Ensuring the success of the program, including information on gathering data to evaluate success, improving existing supports, and working towards continuous improvement.
- Day two will conclude with a Q&A session for participants.
Follow-up
- Participants will attend two one-hour follow-up sessions with the instructors and fellow participants for additional support and informative discussion. The schedule for these sessions, which will take place in July and August, will be shared at the conclusion of Square One.
Registration Cost
- CAN Members: $450 (additional participants from same school: $350)
- Non-CAN Members: $650 (additional participants from same school: $550)
Square One participants will receive a 20% discount following Square One if they purchase an institutional membership with the College Autism Network (a $60 or $40 value, depending on membership type), and a 15% discount to attend the College Autism Summit in October (an $80 value if registering at the full price).
Registration will open on March 1. Space is limited.
About the Instructors
Dr. Lorraine Wolf
Dr. Lorraine Wolf is the retired Director of Disability Services and as Boston University’s 504 Coordinator. She received her undergraduate degree from Hampshire College, with concentrations in Genetics and Bioethics. She received a master’s degree in General Psychology from New York University and a doctorate in Basic and Applied Neurocognition from the City University of New York. Dr. Wolf was a postdoctoral fellow in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Cornell University Medical College. Prior to coming to Boston, she held faculty appointments in Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Columbia University School of Medicine. Dr. Wolf has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels and is a national and international presenter on disability topics in higher education. She co-edited the text Adult Attention Deficit Disorder: Brain Mechanisms and Life Outcomes (2001, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences) and was senior co-editor of Adult Learning Disorders: Contemporary Issues (2008, Psychology Press, Taylor and Francis). She co-authored Students with Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for College Personnel (2009; 2017, Japanese translation; second US edition in preparation). She co-developed “Strategic Education for the Autism Spectrum,” a widely adopted support model for students on the autism spectrum in higher education. Her research interests include attention and self-regulation in neurodevelopmental disorders and service delivery for college students with autism, attention deficit disorders and psychiatric disabilities. She enjoys scuba diving, adventure travel and her dogs.
Amy Rutherford
Amy Rutherford currently serves as the director of College Autism Spectrum. For almost two decades she served as the director of the Mosaic Program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Founded in 2008, Mosaic is an Autism support program that serves approximately 60 autistic students annually. Amy co-authored The BASICS College Curriculum, a four-book series based on curriculum for autistic college students as they transition into and out of college. She is a consultant with many universities and businesses where she specializes in creating Autism programming and neurodiversity hiring initiatives. She has participated in a variety of program evaluations, is proficient in project management and loves supporting study abroad possibilities for students. Her research focuses on autism and neurodiversity in higher education and mental health services, Universal Design for Learning and leadership. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor servicing the Chattanooga area through private practice. At her core she loves creating inclusive environments, equitable experiences and serving others.
