Council on Disability Awareness

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Welcome to Council on Disability Awareness

Meeting Notes - July 26, 2012

Present: Carly Armour, Co-Chair, Teresa Kout, Co-Chair, Kathy Ford, Public Relations Coordinator, Brian Manternach, Jan Gorman, Chris Peterson, Scott Gill, Tiffini Stevenson Earl, Mark Harris, Tammy Adkison, Mike Hoenig  

Guest: Adam Sullivan, Iowa City Press Citizen

 

A. Highlights of Disability and CDA-related Issues:

1. Education and awareness of disabilities on UI Campus including less apparent such as vision, hearing, and mental health

Member Feedback:

1. Ensuring websites and applications are accessible to visually-challenged users prior to release (i.e., ELMS – a time reporting system)
2. Greater commitment to accessibility at sports venues and university-based fine arts performances (audio description, captions, line of sight)
3. Increase awareness for mental health challenges and needs of UI employees & students
4. Continue on-going efforts towards ensuring new and old buildings and routes are accessible and easy to navigate
5. Increasing awareness & implementing policies for communication-related disabilities  --  i.e.  “One size (interpreter) does not fit all”

2. Strategic planning including mission and vision of CDA with long-term plans that relates to UI Strategic Plan

Member Feedback:

1. Create strategic plan highlighting the vision of CDA and issues to address over a period of time (i.e. three to five years)
2. How does CDA plan to move forward addressing the many challenges in light of leaders/resources?  i.e. future leadership turnover
3. Acknowledge the contribution of diversity that this set of individuals represent
4. Addressing challenges in relation to the resources available (human, physical, and financial)

 

B. Update of current projects (Brian retains lists of projects, concerns, proposals)

• Redesigned T. Anne Cleary walkway without step
• Redesigned restrooms in Calvin Hall and several other buildings on campus
• Development of map to show accessibility including grade of walk ways (JAWS compatible?)
• Contact for concerns is Faculty and Staff Disability Services (Jan Gorman)
• Possibility to post projects and progress on CDA website (Brian will investigate)
• Mike Hoenig reported on Mental Health grant, positive progress

 

C. Universal Design Brochure – Photo shoot for USB curb cuts (Kudos to Brian Manternach for leading this)

Project continuing, photo to connect to each principle


D. CDA Model for Identifying & Acknowledging Accessibility

• Presented by Brian Manternach and Mike Hoenig
• Brian created an outline detailing the CDA Model Strategy, Parameters, Procedures, Publicity, and Action Items.
• A model that identifies and acknowledges efforts and accomplishments of greater accessibility.
• Action Item: Please see the review details below and submit comments/suggestions to Mike Hoenig and Brian Manternach no later than Aug. 10th. They would like to finalize and obtain approval to move forward with implementing the model during the next CDA meeting.

E. ADA Coordinator, FSDS Director, & SDS Director are working on Disability Website

F. Disability Awareness Month

• CDA will also host a Mental Health Awareness Campaign encouraging the campus to wear a shirt with the quote ““Give Depression a Voice --Talk About It” on each Friday during the month of October. Those who want a shirt can contact carly-armour@uiowa.edu.
  
  
• Regents Disability Summit, Oct. 10th 9a - 3:30pm at UNI
  • More info: http://www.uni.edu/resources/2012-iowa-regent-institutions-disability-awareness-summit
    
    
• University of Iowa Disability Celebration
  • TBA - sometime in October
  • Ideas for speakers - send to Tiffini Stevenson-Earl
    
    

The next meeting will be Thursday, September 20 at noon. Reminders will be sent. Location:  2520B, UCC

 

CDA
Iowa Hawkeye Access Pride

Strategy

•  Increase disability awareness
• Promote/encourage future efforts of greater accessibility 

Parameters

• No accomplishment is too small or large to be acknowledged. Examples include a random act of kindness, inclusion of individuals with disabilities in a decision making process, reconfiguration of furniture to allow greater use of physical space for individuals with mobility challenges, investment of financial resources devoted to improving accessibility. Faculty, Staff, Student involvement to be sought out and encouraged.
• All proposed acknowledgements shall be reviewed by SDS & FSDS for approval. Efforts related to individual accommodation efforts are generally discouraged because of confidentiality concerns.
• Boundaries consist of the UI Campus and its surrounding communities

 Procedures

• Step one is to send a personalized thank you on behalf of CDA to the individual or group of individuals most responsible and directly related to the effort or accomplishment. Signed by CDA Executive Committee members.
• Step two is the publicity of the event itself which will include a brief description of the accomplishment. Photos are encouraged. If photos are staged, include a sentence acknowledging the photo “demonstrates” or is “demonstrating” the accomplishment which took place. A sign off message encouraging others to notify CDA by email when they become aware of or experience future accomplishments will be included. 

Publicity

• To be developed as the program evolves. Possibilities include the CDA website & Listserv, Iowa Now, Various Dept. intranet communications, etc.
• Research the availability of UI marketing courses for assistance with branding & marketing the program

 

Letter of Recognition Example:

  Council on Disability Awareness

IOWA HAWKEYE ACCESS PRIDE

 

To: Name  
Organization
Department

On behalf of the UI Council on Disability Awareness and as part of our “Iowa Hawkeye Access Pride” campaign, we would like to acknowledge and thank you for your recent contributions in creating a friendlier environment for individuals with disabilities here at the University of Iowa. The recent accomplishments of (brief description of the accomplishment that is being recognized), has been recognized by others in the UI community as a shining example of disability awareness and efforts for improving our Campus climate to become one that stands out as being welcoming, supportive, and inclusive to individuals with disabilities.

Photo Depicting the Accomplishment

 

In deep appreciation and thanks,

Council on Disability Awareness
http://www.uiowa.edu/~cda/