University of Neurodiversity?

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Ok, i am wondering if there is a university, college, or graduate program with an academic culture that is specifically designed for students with ASD or cognitive quirks. I am not talking about a department to "cure" or research autism. Or place pat you on the head and give you a gold star for trying. I am seeking a school where being on the spectrum would be considered fairly normal, where folks would be treated with a sense of respect, and where higher education can be obtained without having to compromise self integrity. Somewhere where you don't have to stress out about whether or not to "disclose" or to seek "accommodation." A place where a significant number of the professors actually identify as being on the spectrum or with an unusual way of thinking. Does this place exist or do I need to spend the next decade working on creating such a place?

Additional thought... if a place like this does not yet exist, but you were to design such a place, what would it be like? What kind of structure or style of curriculum? Would there be letter grades, standard tests, specific majors, or pre-req's? What key feature would separate it from other non-traditional schools such as Evergreen State College, Antioch, Fairhaven, New College, Prescott, etc...

I'd love to see a grad school specifically designed for people with Asperger's.

It would have the world's best library and resources for research of all sorts. There wouldn't be courses, but seminars and lots of experts who won't ignore you if you are weird. And it must be very very rich. You can get fundings to conduct whatever research you like.

I think all universities used to be a lot like that! Eccentricity was expected and didn't matter as long as one focussed on the academic side. However the cult of "appearances are the most important thing" has taken over and now universities are places where compliance with the rituals is the main thing.

The ideal university probably wouldn't even award a degree in a 'subject'. Many of us have all-encompassing areas of interest and I believe that subject boundaries are even more artificial than national boundaries! The only degree would be "Everything", and you could make your own sub-divisions and specialities as you went along.

For a start, expecting a genuinely enquiring minds to commit to a single subject for 3 or 4 years is unreasonable. Who can know what areas of interest will get opened up over time?

I really wonder if a maths / physics dept in most cases is not a place revolving around the higher ends of the spectrum.

You realise those sorts of programmes already exist, right? I take one which lets me do more or less what I fancy, whilst coming out with a bloody good degree at the end.

Some non NT islands do exist in the university sector, some sections and departments have a very high incidence of non-NTs. I would rather not say where these islands are.

The clusters of non-NTs oftein do not openly identify themselves to the outside world, but if you know what to look for you can spot them. I do not think that the university sector is perfect for all people with ASDs, autism, AS or other forms of autism related alphabet soup. But some people on the spectrum live happy and productive lives within the university sector.

I find university is the one environment I can usually function well in. I get along with my professors, get good grades, and enjoy learning. I was especially excited this year to be involved in an undergraduate research project. I knew for sure after this year that I want to pursue a future career in research.

-Laura