Past Names of Accessibility and Disability Services

Past Names of Accessibility and Disability Services

Since what was then Towson State University first created an office to provide services for disabled students in 1976, this office has undergone several name changes. Today, it is known as Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS). 

The guide below is designed to aid researchers in understanding the various titles and acronyms by which ADS has been previously known.

Past Names

Name Acronym Dates
Services for Disabled Students  N/A Fall 1976 to Fall 1979 
Assistance and Information for Disabled Students  AIDS Spring 1980 to May 1982  
Office of Special Needs  OSN June 1982 to Spring 1990  
Handicapped Students’ Services  HSS Fall 1990 to March 1993  
Office for Students with Disabilities  ODS April 1993 to Spring 1998  
Disability Support Services  DSS Fall 1998 to August 2019  
Accessibility and Disability Services  ADS September 2019 to Present 

 

written by Bethany Firebaugh, Unearthing Towson's History student research, Summer 2023. editted by SCUA staff, Fall 2023.