Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities

January 15, 2010 Meeting minutes

Members present: Ryan Parrey, William Schubert, Jerry Lockwood, Drew Browning, Ed Garay, Janis Hayden, Marsha Cassidy, Joann Gras, and Peter Berg.

Members unable to attend: Janet Smith, Betsy Gates-Ehlers, Alanna O’Connor, Michelle Bulanda, Ann Barnds, Joy Hammel, Mark Goerdert, and Robin Hursey.

GA: Sean Plomann

Guests: Roxanna Stupp, Lowell Seida and John Hiltscher

1. Approval of November’s minutes

• 1^st- William Schubert
• 2^nd- Peter Berg

2. Approval of January’s agenda

• 1^st- Janis Hayden

• 2^nd- William Schubert

3. Old Business

1. Survey Report

• AHEAD suggested an email should be sent to faculty to encourage participation. The CCSPD will ask Chancellor and Provost to participate in the survey as well. A single Mass Mail, which will include a single URL, will be sent by the Chancellor to encourage participation. Deans and Department heads will be encouraged to participate and encourage participation of students. The professional colleges will also be included so all of UIC would participate in the survey.

• IRB has approved the survey. The survey should be launched the second week of February.

• Around campus kiosks may be set up for the survey.

• Several surveys are due to be launched so, it’s possible, there will be a ‘survey Monday’ which would include the AHEAD survey and the UCLA survey.

• Since the professional colleges are to be included, Joann stated that there are some problems with the language in the contract with AHEAD which will need to be rectified. A partial waiver of insurance will be needed and a second contract will be sent out.

2. Update on UCLA survey

• Only undergraduates will be asked to participate in the UCLA survey.

• Disability was not included. Questions in the survey cannot be altered, but questions can added to the survey to include disability. Questions added should be all inclusive in terms of disability.

• The main construct of this survey is for diverse learning environments.

• The Provost supports this survey.

3. Discussion of the budget

• The CCSPD’s budget is not affected this year and at this time. Furlough days have started for employees and staff at UIC.

• 10% of the DRC’s budget is being cut on top of an already 6% drop from last year’s budget.

• Contracts with the DRC’s vendors will not be affected since their contracts are for 3 years.

• The deadline to cancel the Digital Expo (if needed) is at the beginning of March. Letters signed by Carol Snow were sent out to the sponsors of the Digital Expo. We are waiting to hear back in regards to the sponsors.

• To hold the Digital Expo at the UIC Forum, it is $3000 for three rooms so, it is possible, there may not be a Digital Expo this year. The CCSPD will talk to Barbara Henry to see if the Chancellor can waive the fees for the UIC Forum rooms.

• Roxanna will send out an alternative budget which includes possibly using Student Center East as the location.

• If there is ‘pushback’ on the issue of the budget cuts, it should be known that disability is not like other areas of UIC, which is to say, there a legal mandate to continue disability services.

• If there is a statement made by the CCSPD it should be sent to the Chancellor to make her aware of the adverse effects the budget cuts will have on UIC’s disability community.

• A statement to the Chancellor should be properly worded. Janis will write a few paragraphs and Ryan will help with the wording.

• There should be a running list of issues to talk to the Chancellor about which includes fees for use of rooms at UIC for events.

4. Website report

• The website will be ‘spruced up’ before any major changes occur.

• A count on the number of hits the CCSPD website receives may be added.

• According to Mark Goerdert, we are expecting a new graphical design for UIC’s webpage from UIC’s office of Marketing and Communications. The design was expected to arrive in December; but it’s now likely to arrive in late January. The CCSPD website will likely be included with these changes. This would be with the understanding that the new design will be fully accessible. The changes, however, cannot wait beyond February.

5. ACDC Report

• Angel Diaz, Pablo Acevado of Facilities Management, and the Office of Access and Equity are in full support of the wording of the new snow removal policy.

• The proposed policy will be sent out on the internal listserv.

• Stairs will be added to the policy as well as an emergency telephone number to call for snow removal on UIC’s campus. Certain logistics need to be worked out such as who does what in removing the snow.

• Angel will talk to Pablo about the new snow removal policy. He will be coming to the next CCSPD meeting and would like a brief list of topics sent to him beforehand.

• There will possibly be an ‘extra mile’ award for those UIC employees and staff who go above and beyond in helping with these efforts. The nomination would go through the internal listserv.

4. New Business

1. Role of Disability Resource Center in the new “Centers for Diversity”

• The DRC was left out of the development of the Centers for Diversity. The DRC itself includes both cultural aspects and services when it comes to disability. The question is whether the DRC should become involved in the Centers for Diversity since there are budget cuts.

• The first town hall meeting for all of the Centers for Diversity will be held Monday, January 25^th.

• A subcommittee will convene to decide what to do in regards to the DRC and the Centers for Diversity. The subcommittee will include Ryan, Peter, and Roxanna.

2. Chicago Children’s Theatre and their Red Kite Program

• Bill suggested that there should be a screening of a documentary.

• CCSPD might sponsor the event in name, for example, with flyers but might not be able to sponsor it further because of the budget.

• The film will be put on the CCSPD website.

• Bill will send a letter in regards to the event on the internal listserv.

• Program committee will consider this event.