January 2021 Meeting

Meeting Date
  • Access info
  • Introductions
  • Services for Students w Disabilities New Staff Introductions: 2 new coordinators
    • Rachel Hargis
    • Jordan Funk
  • 2020 review and 2021 planning - continued from December Best/Worst Reflection Activity
    • Where we made progress in 2020
      • Heightened awareness and consciousness of ableism, access needs, and disability, broadly and at U-M specifically
      • Incorporating accessible practices into everyday work and expanding access
        • Very promising development. Some comments about how this should be able to continue
      • Specific areas of work
        • Ways to mark disabilities in MiChart so that accommodation needs are represented for patients so that staff can be accommodating more seamlessly
        • There is an “Accessibility Needs” or “Accommodations Needs” field in MiChart now
        • This uses accommodation language to center what accommodations folks need to participate in healthcare
    • Where we saw need for progress in 2020
      • Lack of knowledge about how policies and practices would impact people with disabilities
      • Longstanding access issues highlighted or exacerbated
      • Compounding crises straining individuals at specific intersections (disability, caregiving responsibilities, socio-economic status, race)
    • Planning for 2021
      • Where can we build on the progress and momentum from 2020?
      • Where can we address areas of concern from 2020?
        • Entry points for new staff/faculty and students - making them aware of disability supports
        • Potential media partnership with student writers at Michigan Daily
        • Possible community building activities: reading group
        • Could be useful to invite leadership from groups where we have repeat issues to the CfDC to discuss - HR, LTP
        • Leverage newly forming advisory group
        • Fill the CfDC student administrative assistant position to support these activities
        • We need to influence decision making around accommodations in terms of work changes, and as we approach a future where most people are vaccinated
        • More work on this to come in February--it can be difficult to collaborate online, but goal setting is important
  • Announcements and matters arising
    • Michigan Daily writers and sources invited for Feb meeting.
  • Adjourn