Press Releases Fall 2005

CONTACT: Cathy Summa, Director, Marketing & Communications
(831) 479-6158
casumma [at] cabrillo.edu

November 22, 2005

Cabrillo Disabled Students Program Gets Major Boost

$323,518 Bequest Will Establish an Endowment

APTOS—(September 20, 2005)—The Cabrillo College Foundation recently received a major gift in the amount of $323,518 from the estate of Elice E. Neubauer to establish the Disabled Student Services Endowment in Memory of William and Elice Neubauer.
            The interests of the disabled were very close to Elice Neubauer’s heart. Her husband William Neubauer had polio for most of his life and walked with leg braces and crutches. However, disabilities did not interfere with William Neubauer’s enjoyment of a full and productive life. William, who predeceased his wife, was a reporter for the Santa Cruz Sentinel and was a career news writer. Elice Neubauer died in January of 2004 at 103 years of age leaving a sizeable contribution to education.
            Cabrillo College has one of the most successful Disabled Students Program and Services (DSPS) in the state of California. The program serves about 1200 students per semester representing just under 10% of Cabrillo’s total student population.
            According to Cabrillo’s DSPS Director Joe Napolitano state funding is limited and the needs of disabled students are so great that donations like the Neubauer’s can make a huge impact on student success.
            “Private donations have been very rare and we have never received a gift of this magnitude,” said Napolitano. “This tremendous donation will help our program to further assist our disabled students to realize their academic goals and career dreams. They will receive even more help in overcoming the obstacles and barriers which might otherwise make those dreams unattainable,” he said.  
            The Cabrillo College Disabled Students Program and Services offers a variety of services enabling students with disabilities to function independently in the educational environment. The following services are provided to students enrolled through the Disabled Student Services Office: counseling and advising, tutorials, academic support, referrals and coordination, classroom aides, readers, interpreters, note takers, special classes, special equipment, on-campus transportation, special parking, priority registration, test proctoring, liaison with local, state and federal agencies, specialized adaptive equipment, and high tech center with computer adaptations.