Interview with James Bouquin : Disability at Stanford Oral History Project
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- James Bouquin (BA Human Biology, 1982) discusses his experience as a low-income college student, his early involvement with disability services, and his work as the first director of Disabled Student Services and the Disability Resource Center (DRC) and assistant dean of student affairs at Stanford. He describes the gradual expansion of services for people with disabilities at Stanford, moving from an emphasis on curb cuts and physical accessibility in the Section 504 transition plan, to assistive technology, to increased awareness of social justice and cultural issues surrounding disability. Bouquin also speaks about his connections with disability professional organizations, policymakers charged with drafting the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Bay Area disability advocacy community. Additional topics include: childcare at Stanford, memories of mentor Ira Sandperl, the Bay Area music scene and organizing concerts on campus, and his non-profit leadership positions at Eagle Lake Children’s Camp, the Contra Costa Crisis Center, and elsewhere.
Description
| Type of resource | moving image, sound recording-nonmusical, text |
|---|---|
| Extent | 2 video files; 2 audio files; 1 text file |
| Place | Stanford (Calif.) |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
| Date created | June 23, 2021 - 2021-06-25 |
| Language | English |
| Digital origin | born digital |
Creators/Contributors
| Interviewee | Bouquin, James | |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | Bouquin, James | |
| Interviewer | Marine-Street, Natalie J. | |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
Subjects
| Subject | People with disabilities |
|---|---|
| Subject | Education, Higher |
| Subject | Stanford University Disability Resource Center |
| Genre | Interview |
Bibliographic information
| Biographical Profile | For over three decades, James Bouquin has served in leadership positions in health, behavioral health, and social justice organizations throughout the Bay Area. Since March 2021, he has served as the executive director of the Bayview Hunters Point Foundation. From 2006 to 2020, he was the CEO of Cancer Support Community San Francisco Bay Area. He was the executive director of New Connections Behavioral Health from 1996 to 2004 and the executive director of the Contra Costa Crisis Center from 1992 to 1996. He has also worked with Ronald McDonald Charities Northern California and the Arthritis Foundation, Northern California. Bouquin has served on several boards and advisory councils, including for the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, JFK University Sanford Institute of Philanthropy, Contra Costa HIV/AIDS Consortium and Homeless Continuum of Care Advisory Board, the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities and United Way of the Bay Area. He currently serves on the board of Monument Impact, providing support for immigrants and refugees in the East Bay. Bouquin earned his undergraduate degree in Human Biology from Stanford University in 1982. He returned to Stanford to assist with the university’s Section 504 transition plan and then became the first director of Disabled Student Services in 1983, renaming the office the Disabilities Resource Center in 1987. As Assistant Dean of Campus Affairs, Bouquin also worked on a wide variety of student affairs issues, including childcare facilities and campus concerts. |
|---|---|
| Summary Part 1 | Part 1 [00:00:00 – 00:31:11] Growing up in the East Bay in a low-income family · Transferring to Stanford from Santa Clara University · Utilizing the stop-out policy at Stanford to finish high school degree · Serving as a caretaker for family · Recreational programs available to people with disabilities in the early 1970s · Starting the Special Olympics swim meet program at Stanford · How he got involved with disability work · Majoring in Human Biology · Being a low-income student at Stanford · Alpha Delt fraternity · Starting medical school at UCSF · Playing in The Jim Bouquin Band around the Bay Area in the early 1980s [00:31:12 – 00:58:22] Returning to Stanford to help with the Section 504 transition plan · Expanding disability services beyond curb cuts · Working with Santiago Rodriguez, Margaret Ann Fidler, and Jim Lyons in Student Affairs · Becoming the president of the California Association of Postsecondary Educators of the Disabled (CAPED) · Involvement with Sensory Aids Foundation and assistive technology · Early days of Disabled Student Services and the DRC [00:58:23 – 1:30:01] Process of the DRC becoming more integrated into Stanford life · Working with Clayborne Carson to acquire a Kurzweil reader · Presenting the accessibility transition plan to Don Kennedy and Stanford deans · Stanford’s efforts to becoming a more pluralistic community · Increasing numbers of students with disabilities at Stanford · Hosting planning meetings for the ADA [the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990] at Tresidder Union · Reflections on social justice and the importance of true restorative and empowering actions |
| Summary Part 2 | Part 2 [00:00:00 – 00:31:32] Funding for the DRC · Budgeting process; working with Ray Bacchetti · Support from Chuck and Helen Schwab · DRC staff member Molly Sandperl · Usage of golf carts · Naming the DRC · Controversy in late 1980s about accommodating oral deaf students and post-lingually deaf students [00:31:33 – 00:59:27] Being president of CAPED and finding a successor with a disability · Connecting with others in the Bay Area involved with disability issues, including Anthony Tusler · Modeling the DRC to be a cultural and service center · Memories of mentor Ira Sandperl · Role as Assistant Dean of Campus Affairs · Keeping tabs on student government and campus concerts · Booking the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Grateful Dead · Playing music for anti-Apartheid student protestors [00:59:28 – 1:19:55] Involvement in childcare issues at Stanford, including the Children’s Center of the Stanford Community, the Arboretum Center, and the Children and Families Resource Center · Working with McDonald’s franchisees to create the Eagle Lake Children’s Camp · Serving as the executive director for the Contra Costa Crisis Center · Reflections on his time at Stanford |
| Transcript |
|
| Finding Aid | |
| Location | https://purl.stanford.edu/qx396fn7164 |
| Location | SC0932 |
| Repository | Stanford University. Libraries. Department of Special Collections and University Archives |
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction
- The materials are open for research use and may be used freely for non-commercial purposes with an attribution. For commercial permission requests, please contact the Stanford University Archives (universityarchives@stanford.edu).
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved.
Collection
Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program interviews, 1999-2022
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