Demand for Neurodivergent inclusive higher education institutions (HEIs) is exceeding the capacities of HEIs. Accommodations often reflect the best of what is widely available yet fail to optimally promote inclusion. The byproduct of accommodations is the unintended but, incessant, costly, and time-consuming burden to students who need them, (Lestremau Allen et al., 2025). Neurodivergent or autism support programs in HEIs may offer additional aid to Neurodivergent students, but again, barriers such as stigma, admissions requirements, and additional fees may prevent potential candidates from seeking their support (Cox et al., 2020; NEXT for Autism, 2021). Therefore, instead of requiring students to be served through a specialized program or to request individualized changes via accommodations, a systems-level, community-informed approach, driven by Universal Design would align more with the conceptualization of neurodiversity and the social model of disability. Systems-level approaches enhance inclusivity via proactive removal of barriers and thoughtful consideration of design and supports that not only benefit Neurodivergent students, but also employees. These efforts must be collaborative, and should be community-informed, with shared decision-making and accountability reflected across representative members who will access and change the system. This session will include a review of the literature regarding systems-level approaches to promote inclusivity in higher education and offer a case study that outlines how this approach has been implemented within a New York public HEI. Presenters will discuss the process undertaken, preliminary outcomes, and offer considerations for higher education students and professionals to advocate for and engage in to promote systems-level change within their institutions.

Additional Presenters: Noor Syed, Aley O’Mara, & Nidal Daou