Minutes from President’s Council on Disabilities

Meeting date: March 15, 2012

The meeting was called to order at 1:05 p.m.

I.  Update on Outreach Efforts

A.  DSS Newsletter

Sara Henry presented the new DSS newsletter.  The newsletter was sent to all employees on campus (a copy attached).  Sara and Karen informed the committee of the new volunteer notetaker scholarship program.  Ann noted that the newsletter was addressed primarily to faculty concerns, confusion and complaints.  Sara also mentioned that DSS had been working hard to update their website.

Farahad mentioned that note taking seems to be part of learning experience and how does DSS address this.  Sara and Ann explained the process that DSS goes through to encourage the students who are making the request.

Lu made the point that she thought faculty would be surprised at how many students with disabilities. Ann asked the committee how many they all thought we had – 8%? 1,500? – DSS has 960 students on file and 400+/- students being actively served by them.

B.  EO Refresher Training

Karen filled the committee in on EO Update that her office is providing to faculty.  EO is hoping to educate 100% of all UMaine employees every three years.

A discussion ensued as our online training for adjunct faculty and Karen went into detail about the training which will be relatively short but hopefully will cover the major areas.

II.  Subcommittee Reports

A.  Facilities

Ann reported on Neville Hall renovation that the estimate has been approved and will hopefully be on the summer roster.

Karen and Ann met w/Dan Sturrup concerning the duplication of Knox Hall renovation in Oxford Hall with a similar configuration.  Auxiliary Services’ plan is to redesign the dorms from one bathroom per floor to a more cluster approach with maybe three rooms – one bath.  Ann reported that all the accessible rooms for first year students are booked at this time.

Ann also reported that Karen Horton’s class has accessed all the classrooms with auditory issues and Ann and Sara will visit with them to get the results of their assessment.

Karen reported that the bathroom in the rear of Bennett Hall will be made into two accessible, gender-neutral restrooms.  The next focus will likely be a ramp in the larger classroom so that both sides of the room are accessible.

Andy Matthews shared some information about the trend in the US on campus in student housing.

B.  IT

John Gregory reported on the learning modules on accessibility – e.g., readable pdf’s and how to caption a video on YouTube.  Second topic – need to create a website on accessibility for IT.

The UMaine Portal Project –mandated portal to be accessible to all campus – Farmington took the lead and the schedule was set and UMaine was first big campus and USM last.  Portal team meets weekly – go live June/July timeframe.  Portal = is kind of a private web with access only to those “within” the system.  504 compliant.

The IT “strategic plan” addressed a number of accessibility issues.

C.  Communications

Sara reported that the revised website went live and that they will be adding two pages – one to direct employees to EO and one to direct those to DSS.  Karen brought up the idea that we need to address contacts for the general public with accessibility needs.

Karen brought up the idea addressing the campus accessibility concerns and addressing them through hiring students or grad students to do an “existing conditions” survey.

Meeting was adjourned at 2:15 p.m.

President’s Council on Disabilities Minutes 3-15-2012 (Word)

President’s Council on Disabilities Minutes 3-15-2012 (PDF)

President’s Council on Disabilities Minutes 1-25-2012 (Word)