09/22/2026
The role of staff:
As the landscape of higher education is changing, so is the student body makeup. A 2026 study from Michigan State University estimated that between 135,400 and 286,254 undergraduates in the US are also autistic. Although dedicated autism support programs at colleges and universities are also increasing, these programs are optional and may not catch all of the students who need support. Without direct guidance, support offices may feel burdened, or unable to anticipate the needs of this population.
At the Kinney Center, we have seen an increasing number of requests of this type in recent years. These inquiries led us to create training modules designed to help staff across departments problem-solve through common challenges and to capitalize on the unique strengths of autistic students.
Our training series includes an overview of autism and neurodiversity, including how it presents at the college level. Read on to preview some of the useful tips for various campus departments!
For Career Centers: When providing feedback about resumes, consider the following suggestions to make your assessment more autism-friendly
Offer suggestions as choices, not directives:
“You could try changing the font size to make it easier to read.”
Provide a rationale:
“Practicing even when confident helps reduce surprises in interviews.”
For Public Safety: Autistic individuals may not respond as expected to stressful situations like bag checks or conversations with authority figures. Adjusting the phrasing of questions can be incredibly helpful. For example:
Instead of “Calm down”, try:
“Would it help if we moved to a quiet space?”
Instead of “Are we on the same page?”, try:
“What questions can I answer?”
For the Counseling Center: When treating students with ASD, consider:
Parents, family members, and specialized support services may have a greater level of involvement. When discussing collaboration and consent, you may ask:
“Would you like campus supports or family members included in our release of information form?”
Seemingly routine tasks like making and attending an appointment may cause elevated levels of anxiety. When a student visits for the first time, include helpful specifics, such as:
“When you enter the building on the ground floor our door is immediately to your left. Our receptionist Colin will be at the front desk and ask you to sign in. You can then take a seat in the waiting room and Colin will let me know to come out to you.”
Want to learn more? Our asynchronous training series, Colleges Learn about Autistic Student Support (CLASS) is now live! These modules are aimed specifically at faculty and staff in higher education and equips learners with the knowledge and tools to create a more inclusive, supportive campus experience for autistic and neurodivergent students.
Enroll today with a 10% discount by using promo code FBNDEAM26: https://continuing-ed.sju.edu/browse/kinneycenter/kinneycenterclass
