WEBVTT 00:00:04.482 --> 00:00:06.440 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: I need to resume the recording. 00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:10.450 align:center So again, we're excited to have our panelists here and hear 00:00:10.450 --> 00:00:11.660 align:center from them. 00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:14.320 align:center And I'm going to turn it to you first Kim, 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:18.730 align:center to tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. 00:00:18.730 --> 00:00:22.660 align:center KIMBERLY THOMPSON: Well, it's hard to follow 00:00:22.660 --> 00:00:26.890 align:center that particular performance in a roomful of folks. 00:00:26.890 --> 00:00:29.380 align:center Let's just for a minute acknowledge 00:00:29.380 --> 00:00:31.350 align:center that that was shocking. 00:00:31.350 --> 00:00:35.380 align:center It's my first photo Zoom-bombing and I'm-- 00:00:35.380 --> 00:00:37.720 align:center wow. 00:00:37.720 --> 00:00:42.485 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: Thank you Kim, for helping discuss that. 00:00:42.485 --> 00:00:44.860 align:center My apologies to everybody that we had to experience that. 00:00:44.860 --> 00:00:48.670 align:center KIMBERLY THOMPSON: Not your fault. It seems-- 00:00:48.670 --> 00:00:50.710 align:center and this is germane to our conversation-- 00:00:50.710 --> 00:00:55.240 align:center it seems like we're dealing with new things every day. 00:00:58.390 --> 00:01:02.410 align:center Dealing with new things is hallmark to what we 00:01:02.410 --> 00:01:05.019 align:center do in the accommodation world. 00:01:05.019 --> 00:01:06.550 align:center My name is Kim Thompson. 00:01:06.550 --> 00:01:09.130 align:center I am the Senior Director of Disability Services 00:01:09.130 --> 00:01:12.760 align:center at Seattle University. 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:17.140 align:center My whole career has been in higher ed with a little stint 00:01:17.140 --> 00:01:20.020 align:center in mental health at first. 00:01:20.020 --> 00:01:22.120 align:center I've worked in both the community college 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:23.815 align:center and the university systems. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:29.860 align:center This work is really dear to my heart, 00:01:29.860 --> 00:01:33.730 align:center and it isn't-- and I've done both the student accommodations 00:01:33.730 --> 00:01:39.050 align:center and also the ADA or faculty accommodations. 00:01:39.050 --> 00:01:42.140 align:center And how great it would be if we could 00:01:42.140 --> 00:01:46.790 align:center do more universal designing and have fewer accommodations. 00:01:46.790 --> 00:01:50.300 align:center I think it is one of the luxuries of being 00:01:50.300 --> 00:01:56.630 align:center my age in this work is that I've seen the trajectory of what 00:01:56.630 --> 00:01:58.160 align:center it is that we do. 00:01:58.160 --> 00:02:03.470 align:center From having the ADA just having been passed-- 00:02:03.470 --> 00:02:08.539 align:center and it was kind of an add-on job for somebody in HR to do 00:02:08.539 --> 00:02:11.630 align:center accommodations and they tried to figure it out-- 00:02:11.630 --> 00:02:15.980 align:center to now having specialists in some HR departments 00:02:15.980 --> 00:02:18.630 align:center who deal with, and in fact, only that. 00:02:18.630 --> 00:02:22.370 align:center So we've come a certain way. 00:02:22.370 --> 00:02:27.110 align:center The piece we haven't really attacked is the ableism. 00:02:27.110 --> 00:02:29.090 align:center And if you look at Twitter and you 00:02:29.090 --> 00:02:32.750 align:center type in ableism or academic ableism 00:02:32.750 --> 00:02:37.130 align:center you'll find whole threads about the experience 00:02:37.130 --> 00:02:43.070 align:center our staff and faculty have with the ways-- we have designed 00:02:43.070 --> 00:02:46.240 align:center things in all good faith. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:48.520 align:center We designed things in a way that we 00:02:48.520 --> 00:02:53.860 align:center thought made sense and may make sense for expediency. 00:02:53.860 --> 00:02:58.960 align:center But they don't necessarily make sense for quality, 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:00.760 align:center and access is quality. 00:03:03.430 --> 00:03:07.210 align:center The more ways we allow people to participate 00:03:07.210 --> 00:03:14.030 align:center the more robust our learning becomes, and the more robust 00:03:14.030 --> 00:03:16.235 align:center our learning environment becomes. 00:03:19.910 --> 00:03:22.310 align:center From that perspective I approached-- 00:03:22.310 --> 00:03:25.380 align:center and I don't do faculty accommodations right now, 00:03:25.380 --> 00:03:27.800 align:center which doesn't mean I don't coach them on the side-- 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:31.056 align:center oops wait, I forgot this is being recorded. 00:03:31.056 --> 00:03:33.950 align:center [LAUGHS] 00:03:33.950 --> 00:03:37.340 align:center What I would say is ableism is endemic to all 00:03:37.340 --> 00:03:43.790 align:center that we do in higher ed, and I think that's bad for business. 00:03:43.790 --> 00:03:45.890 align:center I think there's a business case to be made 00:03:45.890 --> 00:03:49.130 align:center as well as a moral case to be made for finding 00:03:49.130 --> 00:03:52.970 align:center more avenues for participation. 00:03:52.970 --> 00:03:54.860 align:center Accommodations in the workplace are 00:03:54.860 --> 00:03:58.850 align:center slightly different than they are for students with disabilities 00:03:58.850 --> 00:03:59.900 align:center but-- 00:03:59.900 --> 00:04:03.560 align:center and they're different because the law is slightly different. 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:07.670 align:center There's more affirmative-- if you're doing accommodations 00:04:07.670 --> 00:04:09.170 align:center for faculty you have a little bit 00:04:09.170 --> 00:04:14.360 align:center more responsibility to reach out to the faculty member. 00:04:14.360 --> 00:04:21.450 align:center And over time what I've seen is that accommodations 00:04:21.450 --> 00:04:24.990 align:center in the workplace have gone from being primarily ergonomic. 00:04:24.990 --> 00:04:26.490 align:center Did you need a new chair? 00:04:26.490 --> 00:04:34.030 align:center Do you need to have your desktop higher? 00:04:34.030 --> 00:04:35.320 align:center Do you need to have-- 00:04:35.320 --> 00:04:37.570 align:center as we've done more repetitive things, 00:04:37.570 --> 00:04:40.000 align:center as we become more technical, there have been 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:44.830 align:center more things that needed to be modified 00:04:44.830 --> 00:04:49.490 align:center but that's just a very narrow slice of what people need, 00:04:49.490 --> 00:04:49.990 align:center right? 00:04:49.990 --> 00:04:53.950 align:center So as time has gone on those requests 00:04:53.950 --> 00:04:55.840 align:center and our perspective on those requests 00:04:55.840 --> 00:04:58.760 align:center have broadened a little bit in nature, 00:04:58.760 --> 00:05:00.880 align:center and I think that's a good thing. 00:05:00.880 --> 00:05:04.390 align:center And I suspect we'll talk about that a little more. 00:05:04.390 --> 00:05:06.970 align:center I forgot I only have a five minute limit here. 00:05:06.970 --> 00:05:10.700 align:center [LAUGHS] The people who know me are laughing about that. 00:05:10.700 --> 00:05:16.240 align:center So on our campus the process for accommodations 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:18.520 align:center is through HR for faculty or staff. 00:05:18.520 --> 00:05:21.580 align:center It's not through our office at all. 00:05:21.580 --> 00:05:26.110 align:center And at one point the university had outsourced that 00:05:26.110 --> 00:05:27.010 align:center to a company. 00:05:27.010 --> 00:05:33.880 align:center So you talk to HR, and HR sent you to an outside company. 00:05:33.880 --> 00:05:35.890 align:center I had an employee go through that process, 00:05:35.890 --> 00:05:40.240 align:center and it was just a lawsuit waiting to happen. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:42.530 align:center I don't recommend that. 00:05:42.530 --> 00:05:45.160 align:center I think in-house is best. 00:05:47.710 --> 00:05:51.340 align:center And my advice to folks navigating the process 00:05:51.340 --> 00:05:53.140 align:center is the same that I give to students. 00:05:53.140 --> 00:05:57.730 align:center Be persistent, be precise about what it is-- 00:05:57.730 --> 00:05:59.870 align:center what barrier you are facing-- 00:05:59.870 --> 00:06:03.040 align:center and then be open to trying different solutions to find 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:04.510 align:center one that really works for you. 00:06:04.510 --> 00:06:06.595 align:center But persistence is key, of course. 00:06:11.990 --> 00:06:14.030 align:center The next question, which was how do 00:06:14.030 --> 00:06:18.063 align:center we move beyond the minimums for access is a really good one. 00:06:18.063 --> 00:06:19.730 align:center And I'll be interested to know what some 00:06:19.730 --> 00:06:23.660 align:center of the other panelists think. 00:06:23.660 --> 00:06:28.070 align:center The thing is, the better our policies 00:06:28.070 --> 00:06:31.310 align:center are for faculty and staff the better they'll be for students. 00:06:31.310 --> 00:06:36.200 align:center So moving beyond the minimum requires 00:06:36.200 --> 00:06:38.390 align:center that we ask who's at the table. 00:06:38.390 --> 00:06:41.055 align:center Are we getting the disability perspective on this? 00:06:41.055 --> 00:06:42.680 align:center And I'll give you a couple of examples. 00:06:42.680 --> 00:06:44.600 align:center We did a really great thing. 00:06:44.600 --> 00:06:46.670 align:center We took the first floor of our parking garage, 00:06:46.670 --> 00:06:50.870 align:center and we made the first half of that first floor of the parking 00:06:50.870 --> 00:06:52.290 align:center garage for electric vehicles. 00:06:52.290 --> 00:06:54.710 align:center Well, that's a wonderful thing for the community, 00:06:54.710 --> 00:06:57.910 align:center but because I wasn't at the table 00:06:57.910 --> 00:07:02.650 align:center it pushed spots that folks with mobility issues 00:07:02.650 --> 00:07:07.260 align:center were using to accommodate themselves. 00:07:07.260 --> 00:07:10.290 align:center And it forced everybody who was using one of those spots 00:07:10.290 --> 00:07:16.040 align:center to go out and declare themselves as disabled 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:21.710 align:center and get a universal placard because now it's 00:07:21.710 --> 00:07:23.712 align:center less accessible. 00:07:23.712 --> 00:07:25.670 align:center And the only spots that are really close enough 00:07:25.670 --> 00:07:28.070 align:center are the official spots. 00:07:28.070 --> 00:07:30.770 align:center What we have to do is ask who's at the table 00:07:30.770 --> 00:07:34.160 align:center and make sure that the voice for inclusion 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:36.560 align:center is at the table when we make decisions, 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:42.030 align:center because our decisions have unintended consequences. 00:07:42.030 --> 00:07:46.670 align:center And then the funding for accommodations on our campus 00:07:46.670 --> 00:07:48.090 align:center are all over the place. 00:07:48.090 --> 00:07:50.870 align:center I think the state schools-- a lot of state schools have that 00:07:50.870 --> 00:07:52.160 align:center comes from HR-- 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:54.680 align:center ours comes from the department which 00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:57.800 align:center has a chilling effect on folks who are 00:07:57.800 --> 00:07:59.370 align:center asking for the accommodation. 00:07:59.370 --> 00:08:01.850 align:center So we're in the process of advocating 00:08:01.850 --> 00:08:08.090 align:center that that move to a location to eliminate the bias. 00:08:08.090 --> 00:08:11.840 align:center If I tell my supervisor I need a standing desk, 00:08:11.840 --> 00:08:17.240 align:center and that's going to cost the department $1,000-- 00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:18.410 align:center am I going to ask? 00:08:18.410 --> 00:08:20.750 align:center Am I worried it will be reflected in my performance 00:08:20.750 --> 00:08:21.740 align:center evaluation? 00:08:21.740 --> 00:08:24.500 align:center Does it matter that I know I'm protected under the law? 00:08:24.500 --> 00:08:26.360 align:center It doesn't. 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:29.780 align:center It has the effect of stopping folks 00:08:29.780 --> 00:08:33.030 align:center from asking for what it is they really need. 00:08:33.030 --> 00:08:36.409 align:center So it is a barrier. 00:08:36.409 --> 00:08:40.570 align:center How we fund accommodations is absolutely a barrier. 00:08:40.570 --> 00:08:49.490 align:center And then-- yes, the needs of our faculty and staff have changed 00:08:49.490 --> 00:08:51.180 align:center from the pandemic-- 00:08:51.180 --> 00:08:52.807 align:center after the pandemic. 00:08:52.807 --> 00:08:54.140 align:center And it's not really over, right? 00:08:54.140 --> 00:08:55.670 align:center After the lockdown is really what 00:08:55.670 --> 00:08:59.465 align:center we should be saying, because the pandemic is alive and well. 00:09:03.090 --> 00:09:07.520 align:center I was excited by the lockdown and the things 00:09:07.520 --> 00:09:10.700 align:center that we learned to innovate and do during that time, 00:09:10.700 --> 00:09:14.420 align:center but I have noticed that higher ed is like memory foam. 00:09:14.420 --> 00:09:17.900 align:center We learned all this great stuff, but just 00:09:17.900 --> 00:09:21.170 align:center like the cars that are back on the road 00:09:21.170 --> 00:09:23.130 align:center we're expanding back to where we were. 00:09:23.130 --> 00:09:25.280 align:center And so I think the fight before us 00:09:25.280 --> 00:09:31.080 align:center is to keep reminding the administration what a bonus 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:34.080 align:center it was when we learned that we could caption everything. 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:37.270 align:center And look at how machine captioning changed. 00:09:37.270 --> 00:09:39.640 align:center Machine captioning at the beginning of the pandemic 00:09:39.640 --> 00:09:42.480 align:center was horrible. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:44.340 align:center And it's still not perfect, right? 00:09:44.340 --> 00:09:46.140 align:center It's still not a real-time capture, 00:09:46.140 --> 00:09:48.210 align:center but it is so much better. 00:09:48.210 --> 00:09:52.655 align:center When it became good for business, it became doable. 00:09:55.760 --> 00:09:58.640 align:center I think the charge for us is to make sure that we keep 00:09:58.640 --> 00:10:04.040 align:center reminding the folks who control the decisions-- 00:10:04.040 --> 00:10:07.070 align:center sometimes we're involved in that, and sometimes we aren't-- 00:10:07.070 --> 00:10:13.940 align:center to keep reminding them that what's good for our students 00:10:13.940 --> 00:10:19.180 align:center and staff with disabilities are good for all of our students. 00:10:19.180 --> 00:10:22.360 align:center And I'll stop there and pass it on to the next person. 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:23.988 align:center Thank you so much for having me. 00:10:23.988 --> 00:10:25.030 align:center STACY BRANHAM: Excellent. 00:10:25.030 --> 00:10:27.130 align:center Thank you, Kim. 00:10:27.130 --> 00:10:29.880 align:center Mark, do you want to introduce yourself? 00:10:29.880 --> 00:10:30.630 align:center MARK COPPIN: Sure. 00:10:30.630 --> 00:10:33.600 align:center I'm Mark Coppin from North Dakota State University. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:36.090 align:center I'm the director of the Center for Accessibility 00:10:36.090 --> 00:10:38.040 align:center and Disability Resources. 00:10:38.040 --> 00:10:43.290 align:center We recently changed our name from Disability Services 00:10:43.290 --> 00:10:46.510 align:center to the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources. 00:10:46.510 --> 00:10:48.420 align:center And the reason we did that is we really 00:10:48.420 --> 00:10:52.020 align:center wanted to focus on what we do, and that's 00:10:52.020 --> 00:10:55.620 align:center the accessibility piece as well as the resources 00:10:55.620 --> 00:10:56.490 align:center that we provide. 00:10:56.490 --> 00:11:00.090 align:center So we wanted to move from a kind of a name that reflected 00:11:00.090 --> 00:11:03.480 align:center a medical model to more of a name that 00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:05.280 align:center reflected a social model. 00:11:05.280 --> 00:11:07.590 align:center And that was actually something that we had 00:11:07.590 --> 00:11:11.110 align:center done by doing a campus survey. 00:11:11.110 --> 00:11:16.530 align:center And we had over 1,000 responses, which was amazing. 00:11:16.530 --> 00:11:22.200 align:center But we looked at that from-- 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:24.060 align:center a lot of students-- a majority of them 00:11:24.060 --> 00:11:26.730 align:center are students on the campus that responded, 00:11:26.730 --> 00:11:29.820 align:center and there was an overwhelming response 00:11:29.820 --> 00:11:33.540 align:center that we focus on accessibility. 00:11:33.540 --> 00:11:37.530 align:center But we also wanted to make sure that the group that we are most 00:11:37.530 --> 00:11:42.600 align:center importantly looking at is those students who 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:45.780 align:center were getting services through Disability Services, what 00:11:45.780 --> 00:11:46.830 align:center they felt. 00:11:46.830 --> 00:11:49.140 align:center The other thing is we wanted to make sure 00:11:49.140 --> 00:11:54.540 align:center that we encompassed a name that would reflect that we provide 00:11:54.540 --> 00:11:58.200 align:center accessibility for the whole entire campus, 00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:03.390 align:center and not necessarily focus on just students, 00:12:03.390 --> 00:12:07.860 align:center because in our minds is we want to move where we're providing 00:12:07.860 --> 00:12:10.440 align:center resources for faculty, also. 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:17.490 align:center So that was something that we were very much cognizant 00:12:17.490 --> 00:12:21.300 align:center of when we went through and did that because we know 00:12:21.300 --> 00:12:25.740 align:center that probably on our campus, faculty who 00:12:25.740 --> 00:12:29.370 align:center report having a disability and go to HR 00:12:29.370 --> 00:12:33.100 align:center is severely underrepresented, as is our students. 00:12:33.100 --> 00:12:37.770 align:center And part of it is the upper Midwest, 00:12:37.770 --> 00:12:40.150 align:center that I'll figure it out myself. 00:12:40.150 --> 00:12:41.980 align:center I don't need to ask for resources. 00:12:41.980 --> 00:12:44.430 align:center I'm not going to-- 00:12:44.430 --> 00:12:49.560 align:center I don't want to tell people that I have a disability, especially 00:12:49.560 --> 00:12:51.340 align:center some of those with hidden disability. 00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:53.280 align:center And I think that is a lot of the issue 00:12:53.280 --> 00:12:57.960 align:center that we have with faculty not coming in and asking 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:01.950 align:center for accommodations, because faculty 00:13:01.950 --> 00:13:05.370 align:center with hidden disabilities, for many, many reasons, 00:13:05.370 --> 00:13:09.510 align:center don't want to let HR, don't want to let the dean know 00:13:09.510 --> 00:13:12.570 align:center and their chairperson know that they have 00:13:12.570 --> 00:13:15.120 align:center a disability, because there's fear that it may impact 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:20.580 align:center their job, and it may impact how others within the department 00:13:20.580 --> 00:13:22.270 align:center maybe perceive them. 00:13:22.270 --> 00:13:26.310 align:center So one of the big issues that I think we see 00:13:26.310 --> 00:13:31.590 align:center is, how do we bring awareness to hidden disabilities? 00:13:31.590 --> 00:13:33.720 align:center It's very obvious. 00:13:33.720 --> 00:13:37.950 align:center I've only been in higher ed coming on four years now. 00:13:37.950 --> 00:13:43.680 align:center Prior to that, I was in K-12 for over 30-some years. 00:13:43.680 --> 00:13:47.850 align:center I'm a assistive technology professional 00:13:47.850 --> 00:13:50.250 align:center for those 35 years. 00:13:50.250 --> 00:13:54.570 align:center I focused at that point on K-12, but I did serve people-- 00:13:54.570 --> 00:13:57.450 align:center I mean, I worked with children as young as six months 00:13:57.450 --> 00:14:00.570 align:center to adults that are 97 years old. 00:14:00.570 --> 00:14:02.700 align:center So I saw all that continuum. 00:14:02.700 --> 00:14:04.770 align:center And Kim kind of touched on that. 00:14:04.770 --> 00:14:08.580 align:center A lot of the solutions that I worked with for accommodations 00:14:08.580 --> 00:14:12.420 align:center are those that are ergonomic based. 00:14:12.420 --> 00:14:15.803 align:center What can we do in order to make that working environment? 00:14:15.803 --> 00:14:17.220 align:center What are some of the tools that we 00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:21.400 align:center can load onto your computers, onto your mobile devices? 00:14:21.400 --> 00:14:22.890 align:center What are some of the accommodations 00:14:22.890 --> 00:14:25.560 align:center that we can provide that will allow you 00:14:25.560 --> 00:14:29.100 align:center to be able to access the tools? 00:14:29.100 --> 00:14:34.030 align:center But it really, when we come to faculty, 00:14:34.030 --> 00:14:38.040 align:center we really took a look at, what is that process 00:14:38.040 --> 00:14:41.490 align:center that they're going through, and what are the-- 00:14:41.490 --> 00:14:45.210 align:center when we start looking at faculty that's saying, 00:14:45.210 --> 00:14:48.270 align:center I need to work remotely, or at least there's 00:14:48.270 --> 00:14:51.660 align:center portions of my job I need to be remotely-- done remotely, 00:14:51.660 --> 00:14:52.770 align:center what are those tools? 00:14:52.770 --> 00:14:55.890 align:center And how do I evaluate my job description? 00:14:55.890 --> 00:14:57.810 align:center What are the expectations for my job 00:14:57.810 --> 00:14:59.940 align:center within the department and the tools 00:14:59.940 --> 00:15:01.320 align:center that I have in the department? 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:06.970 align:center And how do we champion those needs? 00:15:06.970 --> 00:15:11.350 align:center How do we make those working environments inclusive to all? 00:15:11.350 --> 00:15:15.690 align:center And so currently, the way accommodations 00:15:15.690 --> 00:15:19.050 align:center are handled for us is that goes through HR. 00:15:19.050 --> 00:15:25.530 align:center And a lot of times, that HR is just one of the jobs 00:15:25.530 --> 00:15:27.960 align:center that somebody is given within HR with maybe 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:33.230 align:center not a full understanding of what accommodations should be 00:15:33.230 --> 00:15:34.250 align:center and could be. 00:15:34.250 --> 00:15:40.400 align:center And also, I think HR is seen as an administrative function that 00:15:40.400 --> 00:15:43.670 align:center supports administration, and not necessarily fully 00:15:43.670 --> 00:15:47.850 align:center supports what is being requested from faculty. 00:15:47.850 --> 00:15:52.290 align:center So I think faculty are reticent to go through that process. 00:15:52.290 --> 00:15:58.880 align:center So what we've done is we've just recently revamped our policy 00:15:58.880 --> 00:16:02.690 align:center for faculty to go through when they request an accommodation. 00:16:02.690 --> 00:16:05.960 align:center In the past, those requests, those small requests-- 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:09.590 align:center let's say somebody said, I want to have a left-handed scissor. 00:16:09.590 --> 00:16:12.950 align:center And one department chair would say, go out and buy one 00:16:12.950 --> 00:16:14.060 align:center then, or whatever it is. 00:16:14.060 --> 00:16:16.040 align:center Next department chair may say, why do you 00:16:16.040 --> 00:16:17.300 align:center need a left-handed scissor? 00:16:17.300 --> 00:16:19.100 align:center You don't use a scissor that much, 00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:21.230 align:center and you can use the right one, whatever it is. 00:16:21.230 --> 00:16:23.150 align:center So it was handled unevenly. 00:16:23.150 --> 00:16:26.300 align:center And so we wanted to address a policy 00:16:26.300 --> 00:16:29.750 align:center where that was not happening. 00:16:29.750 --> 00:16:32.600 align:center We also wanted to mirror that same process 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:34.550 align:center that we went through with our-- we go through 00:16:34.550 --> 00:16:35.450 align:center with our students. 00:16:35.450 --> 00:16:38.780 align:center And that is really honoring that interactive process 00:16:38.780 --> 00:16:40.850 align:center and going through that interactive process, 00:16:40.850 --> 00:16:45.110 align:center and that the documentation supports 00:16:45.110 --> 00:16:48.410 align:center that interactive process, and not the documentation 00:16:48.410 --> 00:16:50.810 align:center is the first thing that you look at, 00:16:50.810 --> 00:16:53.930 align:center the documentation of, this is your disability 00:16:53.930 --> 00:16:57.020 align:center And also, our process was pretty-- 00:16:57.020 --> 00:16:58.610 align:center ask a lot of questions that were not 00:16:58.610 --> 00:17:01.820 align:center necessarily pertinent to what the faculty member was asking. 00:17:01.820 --> 00:17:04.790 align:center And we felt that that wasn't probably 00:17:04.790 --> 00:17:07.040 align:center the best way to go about that. 00:17:07.040 --> 00:17:13.650 align:center They shouldn't have to supply their complete medical history. 00:17:13.650 --> 00:17:18.980 align:center The other thing is this accommodation was reviewed 00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:22.250 align:center and documentation was reviewed on a yearly basis. 00:17:22.250 --> 00:17:28.470 align:center And some of the requests did not need to happen. 00:17:28.470 --> 00:17:30.320 align:center I mean, if you needed accommodations 00:17:30.320 --> 00:17:32.390 align:center because you're blind, that's not going 00:17:32.390 --> 00:17:34.170 align:center to change in the next year. 00:17:34.170 --> 00:17:38.300 align:center Why should we have to go through that process for that, 00:17:38.300 --> 00:17:41.130 align:center unless something has significantly changed? 00:17:41.130 --> 00:17:43.160 align:center So that is the way we're taking-- 00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:45.440 align:center and that's actually what we did. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:48.830 align:center It was a process going through that, to change that policy. 00:17:48.830 --> 00:17:50.420 align:center And now it's going through legal. 00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:52.370 align:center And as soon as they're done with it, 00:17:52.370 --> 00:17:54.635 align:center it will be a policy where we go through that, 00:17:54.635 --> 00:17:57.950 align:center that that interactive process is one of the main components. 00:17:57.950 --> 00:18:02.330 align:center And then also, the process of what happens if you disagree 00:18:02.330 --> 00:18:04.340 align:center or if somebody within a department 00:18:04.340 --> 00:18:06.140 align:center disagrees with that accommodation, what 00:18:06.140 --> 00:18:07.680 align:center is that process that we go through? 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:10.430 align:center So it's very well spelled out. 00:18:10.430 --> 00:18:13.910 align:center So hopefully, that will help relieve 00:18:13.910 --> 00:18:16.490 align:center at least that process that people will go through, 00:18:16.490 --> 00:18:18.540 align:center and they feel it's a good process to go through. 00:18:18.540 --> 00:18:21.980 align:center The other thing we're looking at is, what are 00:18:21.980 --> 00:18:23.870 align:center the environments on our campus? 00:18:23.870 --> 00:18:27.230 align:center And how are they designed to meet 00:18:27.230 --> 00:18:29.300 align:center the needs of all different types of learners 00:18:29.300 --> 00:18:31.610 align:center and all different types of faculty 00:18:31.610 --> 00:18:37.110 align:center to be able to teach the way they need to be able to teach, 00:18:37.110 --> 00:18:38.570 align:center whether it's remotely? 00:18:38.570 --> 00:18:40.520 align:center What does that environment look like? 00:18:40.520 --> 00:18:42.860 align:center Are you meeting the needs of all students in that class? 00:18:42.860 --> 00:18:44.660 align:center Are you meeting the needs of that faculty 00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:47.750 align:center in that class, too, as well as meeting rooms. 00:18:47.750 --> 00:18:51.320 align:center There's a group in our campus that's looking at meeting rooms 00:18:51.320 --> 00:18:54.230 align:center and saying, what do we need to put into a meeting room? 00:18:54.230 --> 00:18:57.080 align:center What is the technology and what is the setup in those meeting 00:18:57.080 --> 00:19:00.530 align:center rooms that will allow everybody to participate 00:19:00.530 --> 00:19:01.940 align:center in those meetings? 00:19:01.940 --> 00:19:05.420 align:center So no matter what their needs are, what can we put in there? 00:19:05.420 --> 00:19:07.370 align:center If people need to be remote, if they 00:19:07.370 --> 00:19:11.810 align:center need to have captioning, if they need to have different screens, 00:19:11.810 --> 00:19:14.330 align:center if they need to have different ergonomics in that room, 00:19:14.330 --> 00:19:17.720 align:center are those rooms for those conferences-- 00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:19.040 align:center or those conference rooms-- 00:19:19.040 --> 00:19:19.850 align:center set up? 00:19:19.850 --> 00:19:22.198 align:center And can we develop a model that we 00:19:22.198 --> 00:19:23.990 align:center can roll out to all of our conference rooms 00:19:23.990 --> 00:19:26.240 align:center across the university? 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:30.380 align:center The funding issue-- [CHUCKLES] we talk about that all the time 00:19:30.380 --> 00:19:34.010 align:center because typically, those accommodations 00:19:34.010 --> 00:19:36.680 align:center are handled by department. 00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:38.300 align:center Students' accommodations are handled 00:19:38.300 --> 00:19:40.670 align:center through Disability Services or the Center 00:19:40.670 --> 00:19:42.680 align:center for Accessibility and Disability Resources. 00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:44.390 align:center We feel it would be nice if we had 00:19:44.390 --> 00:19:47.300 align:center one pool that the university sets aside 00:19:47.300 --> 00:19:49.452 align:center for all accommodations, whether you're faculty, 00:19:49.452 --> 00:19:51.410 align:center whether you're a student, whether you're staff. 00:19:51.410 --> 00:19:53.327 align:center And a lot of times, we don't talk about staff. 00:19:53.327 --> 00:19:56.000 align:center But staff needs those accommodations, also. 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:59.270 align:center Everybody across the university and across our community 00:19:59.270 --> 00:20:01.940 align:center needs to be able to have access to request 00:20:01.940 --> 00:20:06.080 align:center those different accommodations and feel comfortable 00:20:06.080 --> 00:20:07.260 align:center doing that. 00:20:07.260 --> 00:20:08.960 align:center So I want to raise those numbers. 00:20:11.557 --> 00:20:12.640 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: Excellent. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:14.620 align:center Thank you, Mark. 00:20:14.620 --> 00:20:17.290 align:center Particularly as we think about institutional responses, 00:20:17.290 --> 00:20:18.873 align:center I think it's really important to think 00:20:18.873 --> 00:20:21.220 align:center about how the offices on our campus that 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:22.750 align:center are dealing with disability services 00:20:22.750 --> 00:20:24.100 align:center are thinking about faculty. 00:20:24.100 --> 00:20:27.130 align:center Again, a lot of times, I think our conversations about people 00:20:27.130 --> 00:20:28.840 align:center with disabilities on university campuses 00:20:28.840 --> 00:20:30.763 align:center are really focused on students. 00:20:30.763 --> 00:20:32.680 align:center But of course, we can't have this conversation 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:35.290 align:center without also talking to people with disabilities 00:20:35.290 --> 00:20:37.223 align:center and hearing about their experiences. 00:20:37.223 --> 00:20:39.265 align:center So, Rob, I'm going to let you introduce yourself. 00:20:42.907 --> 00:20:45.365 align:center ROB PARKE: I did have a couple of-- let me share my screen. 00:20:54.030 --> 00:20:58.170 align:center So I'm Rob Parke, he/him. 00:20:58.170 --> 00:20:58.740 align:center I'm white. 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:01.227 align:center I have brown hair with blue glasses and a blue shirt. 00:21:01.227 --> 00:21:03.060 align:center And although you can't see it on the camera, 00:21:03.060 --> 00:21:05.830 align:center I have a wheelchair. 00:21:05.830 --> 00:21:08.220 align:center So I want to talk a little bit just 00:21:08.220 --> 00:21:10.470 align:center about my experience with accommodations. 00:21:10.470 --> 00:21:12.777 align:center So briefly, this is me. 00:21:12.777 --> 00:21:14.610 align:center There's a picture of my wife and I on there. 00:21:14.610 --> 00:21:17.550 align:center I officiated a wedding the first time 00:21:17.550 --> 00:21:19.573 align:center by the power of the internet a week ago, 00:21:19.573 --> 00:21:20.490 align:center which was kind of fun. 00:21:20.490 --> 00:21:21.657 align:center So it's a picture from that. 00:21:21.657 --> 00:21:24.180 align:center And I play in a band, so that's a picture of me doing 00:21:24.180 --> 00:21:25.300 align:center that on the slide as well. 00:21:25.300 --> 00:21:28.290 align:center So I teach introductory programming 00:21:28.290 --> 00:21:31.530 align:center to students who are not engineers, typically. 00:21:31.530 --> 00:21:34.320 align:center I've done a lot of work with DEI and accessibility 00:21:34.320 --> 00:21:36.660 align:center on campus and outside of campus. 00:21:36.660 --> 00:21:40.385 align:center And for the purposes of talking about my accommodations, 00:21:40.385 --> 00:21:42.510 align:center it's relevant to say that I use a manual wheelchair 00:21:42.510 --> 00:21:44.970 align:center for mobility and that I do have an hour 00:21:44.970 --> 00:21:48.150 align:center commute to and from campus. 00:21:48.150 --> 00:21:54.520 align:center And so just to highlight what my experience has been-- 00:21:54.520 --> 00:21:56.470 align:center sorry, putting my timer on here. 00:21:56.470 --> 00:22:03.190 align:center So prior to the before times, as I would say, pre-COVID, 00:22:03.190 --> 00:22:06.190 align:center it was very unclear what the institutional process 00:22:06.190 --> 00:22:10.750 align:center was at my institution for faculty accommodations. 00:22:10.750 --> 00:22:15.140 align:center I tried to find out what was going on, 00:22:15.140 --> 00:22:18.950 align:center and maybe eight years ago or so. 00:22:18.950 --> 00:22:19.960 align:center And it was unclear. 00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:21.170 align:center People didn't know. 00:22:21.170 --> 00:22:25.360 align:center And it was challenging because we have an excellent student 00:22:25.360 --> 00:22:25.990 align:center program. 00:22:25.990 --> 00:22:29.230 align:center The Student-- now it's the Office of Accessibility-- 00:22:29.230 --> 00:22:30.670 align:center is really great for students. 00:22:30.670 --> 00:22:32.440 align:center But for faculty, it was unclear. 00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:36.010 align:center It was, maybe you go to HR, maybe you-- 00:22:36.010 --> 00:22:38.320 align:center it was uncertain. 00:22:38.320 --> 00:22:42.730 align:center And I didn't really want accommodations. 00:22:42.730 --> 00:22:46.570 align:center I felt like I could get through most of what I do. 00:22:46.570 --> 00:22:49.510 align:center There's many of us, but also people with disabilities, 00:22:49.510 --> 00:22:51.040 align:center too, might have a self-reliance. 00:22:51.040 --> 00:22:53.080 align:center I don't really want help. 00:22:53.080 --> 00:22:54.850 align:center I also was concerned about how it would be 00:22:54.850 --> 00:22:57.670 align:center viewed by HR or the department. 00:22:57.670 --> 00:22:59.240 align:center I have a very visible disability, 00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:00.782 align:center so it's not like I'm hiding anything. 00:23:00.782 --> 00:23:03.490 align:center But yeah. 00:23:03.490 --> 00:23:06.610 align:center I probably pushed myself more than I needed to 00:23:06.610 --> 00:23:08.530 align:center because I would say, well, if there's 00:23:08.530 --> 00:23:12.490 align:center a room with-- a building with stairs, I can't get in there. 00:23:12.490 --> 00:23:17.470 align:center But commuting two hours every day, four days a week, 00:23:17.470 --> 00:23:20.500 align:center is that hard on me physically? 00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:21.340 align:center Yes. 00:23:21.340 --> 00:23:22.130 align:center Can I do it? 00:23:22.130 --> 00:23:25.040 align:center I mean, I guess I can. 00:23:25.040 --> 00:23:27.040 align:center And that was probably how I approached it a lot. 00:23:27.040 --> 00:23:30.130 align:center So I didn't really ask for anything in particular. 00:23:30.130 --> 00:23:34.550 align:center But I had a department chair who was very open, at least. 00:23:34.550 --> 00:23:37.720 align:center So some things I could get just by asking, again, 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:41.020 align:center because the institution wasn't really clear what was going on. 00:23:41.020 --> 00:23:43.400 align:center I got a document camera. 00:23:43.400 --> 00:23:45.127 align:center So if I needed to write something, 00:23:45.127 --> 00:23:46.960 align:center students could see it because I can't really 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:48.610 align:center write on the board. 00:23:48.610 --> 00:23:52.510 align:center I was able to get a slightly more expensive laptop, work 00:23:52.510 --> 00:23:54.635 align:center laptop, because I need it to be lighter because I 00:23:54.635 --> 00:23:55.760 align:center had to carry it all around. 00:23:55.760 --> 00:23:58.360 align:center And so it needed to be both powerful for what 00:23:58.360 --> 00:24:01.300 align:center I do, but also lightweight. 00:24:01.300 --> 00:24:07.810 align:center And then I basically had reached a point where, physically, 00:24:07.810 --> 00:24:10.390 align:center I just couldn't deal with the commute every day. 00:24:10.390 --> 00:24:16.550 align:center It was causing some difficult effects on my body. 00:24:16.550 --> 00:24:19.000 align:center And so I was actually ready to essentially leave 00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:23.180 align:center because I couldn't do this for four days a week. 00:24:23.180 --> 00:24:25.720 align:center And in a conversation with the administration, 00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:27.845 align:center they're like, well, we could just put your schedule 00:24:27.845 --> 00:24:28.810 align:center on two days a week. 00:24:28.810 --> 00:24:30.490 align:center And I had never-- 00:24:30.490 --> 00:24:32.470 align:center I had no idea that was an option, 00:24:32.470 --> 00:24:34.720 align:center that that was even something-- 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:37.590 align:center because I had never asked for an accommodation as a faculty 00:24:37.590 --> 00:24:38.090 align:center member. 00:24:38.090 --> 00:24:39.760 align:center As a student, I had. 00:24:39.760 --> 00:24:41.740 align:center But I was like, really? 00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:44.210 align:center You could just do that? 00:24:44.210 --> 00:24:45.790 align:center And so they did. 00:24:45.790 --> 00:24:48.850 align:center So for a couple of years, I taught two days a week. 00:24:48.850 --> 00:24:51.520 align:center It made very long days. 00:24:51.520 --> 00:24:53.570 align:center But I didn't have to commute in as much. 00:24:53.570 --> 00:24:54.700 align:center And so that kind of-- 00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:57.730 align:center I could do all my office hours online, 00:24:57.730 --> 00:24:59.980 align:center and the other days would be grading, things like that. 00:24:59.980 --> 00:25:01.605 align:center But I could just be on campus two days. 00:25:01.605 --> 00:25:03.280 align:center So I did that for a couple of years. 00:25:03.280 --> 00:25:06.820 align:center Again, kind of shocked that I had no idea that that existed, 00:25:06.820 --> 00:25:09.850 align:center that was something I could have asked for at any point, 00:25:09.850 --> 00:25:13.730 align:center and maybe sooner, without getting so burnt out with that. 00:25:13.730 --> 00:25:15.820 align:center So that was where I was. 00:25:15.820 --> 00:25:20.320 align:center And then came, of course, COVID. 00:25:20.320 --> 00:25:22.330 align:center And this is my first time teaching online, 00:25:22.330 --> 00:25:26.140 align:center as we all were kind of thrust in there as faculty. 00:25:26.140 --> 00:25:29.972 align:center For a while, it was-- 00:25:29.972 --> 00:25:31.180 align:center I mean, it was very terrible. 00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:32.230 align:center I'm a high-risk group. 00:25:32.230 --> 00:25:34.630 align:center So I never left the house for a very long time 00:25:34.630 --> 00:25:36.862 align:center and was fortunate that I still had a job 00:25:36.862 --> 00:25:37.820 align:center and could teach online. 00:25:37.820 --> 00:25:39.640 align:center So I'm not complaining about that. 00:25:39.640 --> 00:25:43.510 align:center But it was a difficult time for all of us, obviously. 00:25:43.510 --> 00:25:45.160 align:center And then we're all in this together. 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:46.180 align:center And then we weren't. 00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:49.090 align:center So everyone was together. 00:25:49.090 --> 00:25:49.840 align:center We could pitch in. 00:25:49.840 --> 00:25:50.798 align:center We could all be online. 00:25:50.798 --> 00:25:55.210 align:center And then very quickly, it was like, 00:25:55.210 --> 00:25:58.540 align:center everything's back to normal, whatever normal is, 00:25:58.540 --> 00:25:59.650 align:center when it clearly wasn't. 00:25:59.650 --> 00:26:01.192 align:center And still being in a high-risk group, 00:26:01.192 --> 00:26:05.710 align:center I continued to be online and felt that-- 00:26:05.710 --> 00:26:08.110 align:center I described to my wife we were like two cars, 00:26:08.110 --> 00:26:10.990 align:center that those with disabilities were all 00:26:10.990 --> 00:26:11.990 align:center going at the same speed. 00:26:11.990 --> 00:26:13.240 align:center Not everyone's going together. 00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:16.035 align:center But then the other car starts to accelerate away, back again off 00:26:16.035 --> 00:26:17.080 align:center of the freeway. 00:26:17.080 --> 00:26:21.790 align:center And so feeling kind of left behind, obviously. 00:26:21.790 --> 00:26:24.460 align:center So I continue to apply for short-term health 00:26:24.460 --> 00:26:26.050 align:center accommodations. 00:26:26.050 --> 00:26:29.300 align:center And Brianna knows this because I got some-- 00:26:29.300 --> 00:26:30.550 align:center I chatted with her about this. 00:26:30.550 --> 00:26:34.300 align:center But the first time I asked for a during-COVID accommodation 00:26:34.300 --> 00:26:38.080 align:center to teach online, so, I don't know, say 2021, 00:26:38.080 --> 00:26:39.940 align:center the university had come back in person. 00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:40.810 align:center That was required. 00:26:40.810 --> 00:26:43.480 align:center I still felt comfortable being online. 00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:46.490 align:center I asked for accommodations, first time ever. 00:26:46.490 --> 00:26:51.730 align:center And I got this form that was deeply upsetting and offensive. 00:26:51.730 --> 00:26:54.820 align:center And I don't say that lightly, because I'm pretty agreeable. 00:26:54.820 --> 00:26:58.155 align:center But basically, it was almost like-- one of the other guests. 00:26:58.155 --> 00:26:59.530 align:center I think maybe it was Mark or Kim. 00:26:59.530 --> 00:27:01.060 align:center I apologize if I don't remember who. 00:27:01.060 --> 00:27:04.990 align:center It was a full, detailed, do you have these activities 00:27:04.990 --> 00:27:05.800 align:center of daily living? 00:27:05.800 --> 00:27:07.870 align:center Do you have problems with toileting? 00:27:07.870 --> 00:27:10.780 align:center Do you have problems with lifting heavy objects? 00:27:10.780 --> 00:27:14.860 align:center All kinds of things which had no, no bearing whatsoever 00:27:14.860 --> 00:27:19.060 align:center on why I didn't want to get a respiratory condition. 00:27:19.060 --> 00:27:23.860 align:center And I guess I'd gotten a little sassy during COVID 00:27:23.860 --> 00:27:24.910 align:center and a little grumpy. 00:27:24.910 --> 00:27:28.030 align:center And I just said, I am not filling this out. 00:27:28.030 --> 00:27:32.680 align:center And eventually, they were able to accept just a letter 00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:36.040 align:center from a doctor that said Rob shouldn't be teaching out of-- 00:27:36.040 --> 00:27:39.490 align:center And I think that there was a chaotic time. 00:27:39.490 --> 00:27:42.730 align:center I'm not trying to dump on the institution 00:27:42.730 --> 00:27:44.950 align:center at all, which I'm very generally pleased with. 00:27:44.950 --> 00:27:48.218 align:center But that was a sense that things just weren't-- 00:27:48.218 --> 00:27:48.760 align:center I don't know. 00:27:48.760 --> 00:27:49.540 align:center I don't know. 00:27:49.540 --> 00:27:51.052 align:center I assume people had asked before. 00:27:51.052 --> 00:27:53.260 align:center And they said this is the form that they always used. 00:27:53.260 --> 00:27:55.843 align:center And I was kind of shocked that that's the one that they always 00:27:55.843 --> 00:27:59.860 align:center used because it just wasn't appropriate at all. 00:27:59.860 --> 00:28:04.060 align:center So then now, in the now times, whatever we are-- 00:28:04.060 --> 00:28:06.098 align:center as Kim pointed out, we're in this-- 00:28:06.098 --> 00:28:06.640 align:center I don't know. 00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:08.560 align:center We're certainly not done with everything, 00:28:08.560 --> 00:28:11.390 align:center but things have shifted a bit. 00:28:11.390 --> 00:28:16.930 align:center So I had some other health changes, and not COVID related, 00:28:16.930 --> 00:28:18.660 align:center but it became-- 00:28:18.660 --> 00:28:20.620 align:center basically, for my quality of life, 00:28:20.620 --> 00:28:22.130 align:center I filed an informal accommodation 00:28:22.130 --> 00:28:27.200 align:center to teach online permanently because it just-- 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:29.090 align:center I could do my job much better by not 00:28:29.090 --> 00:28:30.698 align:center being in such discomfort and pain 00:28:30.698 --> 00:28:31.990 align:center of having to commute to campus. 00:28:31.990 --> 00:28:33.630 align:center So that's what I noticed being online. 00:28:33.630 --> 00:28:35.090 align:center So I don't think it's-- 00:28:35.090 --> 00:28:37.760 align:center yeah, we could obviously talk for a long time about 00:28:37.760 --> 00:28:39.320 align:center whether it's better or not. 00:28:39.320 --> 00:28:41.090 align:center For me overall, my health is better. 00:28:41.090 --> 00:28:43.280 align:center I realize there's pluses and minuses. 00:28:43.280 --> 00:28:45.500 align:center But I'm much happier with this. 00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:47.490 align:center It's a better health outcome. 00:28:47.490 --> 00:28:48.890 align:center So I do have a formal process. 00:28:48.890 --> 00:28:52.477 align:center Just like Mark said, I have a lifelong disability, 00:28:52.477 --> 00:28:54.560 align:center but I have to go through this process once a year. 00:28:54.560 --> 00:28:59.840 align:center [CHUCKLES] So it's just policy, I guess. 00:28:59.840 --> 00:29:02.700 align:center And they're very polite people that I get to talk to. 00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:05.510 align:center But it's sort of funny. 00:29:05.510 --> 00:29:07.318 align:center It's not really going to change. 00:29:07.318 --> 00:29:09.360 align:center I wish it did, but I think it's going to improve. 00:29:09.360 --> 00:29:11.930 align:center So I am teaching online now. 00:29:11.930 --> 00:29:13.730 align:center And this kind of leads me to my last point, 00:29:13.730 --> 00:29:15.930 align:center and then I will stop, which Brianna had asked about, 00:29:15.930 --> 00:29:21.680 align:center which is this idea of what I've noticed from my colleagues is 00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:23.300 align:center about ableism. 00:29:23.300 --> 00:29:25.250 align:center And I've experienced it, obviously, 00:29:25.250 --> 00:29:28.550 align:center living as I've lived in my life. 00:29:28.550 --> 00:29:33.290 align:center But it tends to be comments about-- 00:29:33.290 --> 00:29:34.850 align:center maybe some dismissive comments. 00:29:34.850 --> 00:29:36.683 align:center But what I've noticed with my colleagues who 00:29:36.683 --> 00:29:39.290 align:center also have health accommodations to teach online, 00:29:39.290 --> 00:29:40.970 align:center but they have invisible disabilities, 00:29:40.970 --> 00:29:43.580 align:center is that I think because I've worked 00:29:43.580 --> 00:29:46.712 align:center at the institution for 10 years, I use a wheelchair, 00:29:46.712 --> 00:29:48.170 align:center I've always used a wheelchair, it's 00:29:48.170 --> 00:29:52.400 align:center pretty obvious that no one says, why are you teaching online? 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:54.520 align:center But if I say I have an accommodation, 00:29:54.520 --> 00:29:56.780 align:center no one's going to pry into specifically why. 00:29:56.780 --> 00:30:01.130 align:center But it just fits in their mind, that I guess it makes sense. 00:30:01.130 --> 00:30:04.450 align:center But my colleagues who are abled, able 00:30:04.450 --> 00:30:06.820 align:center bodied, walk around, but have other reasons 00:30:06.820 --> 00:30:08.320 align:center they need to continue to be online, 00:30:08.320 --> 00:30:10.540 align:center I have heard comments from people 00:30:10.540 --> 00:30:14.500 align:center that I care a lot about in my area who have said things 00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:17.280 align:center about this person or other people who 00:30:17.280 --> 00:30:19.400 align:center have this invisible disability. 00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:24.550 align:center And it's like, I don't know why that resentment comes out. 00:30:24.550 --> 00:30:25.930 align:center Oh, it's not fair. 00:30:25.930 --> 00:30:28.990 align:center This person has an accommodation. 00:30:28.990 --> 00:30:31.660 align:center They're just living this great life 00:30:31.660 --> 00:30:32.890 align:center apart from being on campus. 00:30:32.890 --> 00:30:34.220 align:center And it's so much better. 00:30:34.220 --> 00:30:38.690 align:center And so I've noticed that I, at least in my face, 00:30:38.690 --> 00:30:39.940 align:center I don't experience it as much. 00:30:39.940 --> 00:30:42.520 align:center But I do experience it vicariously. 00:30:42.520 --> 00:30:48.820 align:center And I see it happening to people who it's not obvious, I guess, 00:30:48.820 --> 00:30:49.630 align:center to others. 00:30:49.630 --> 00:30:50.530 align:center And it shouldn't be. 00:30:50.530 --> 00:30:52.905 align:center There should be no reason you should ask them, obviously. 00:30:52.905 --> 00:30:56.470 align:center But that's how I noticed it happening 00:30:56.470 --> 00:30:59.320 align:center is that it's probably worse, I would guess, for people 00:30:59.320 --> 00:31:00.370 align:center that it's not obvious. 00:31:00.370 --> 00:31:02.440 align:center So thanks, all, and I look forward 00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:05.480 align:center to continuing to chat more. 00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:07.207 align:center Let me stop this. 00:31:07.207 --> 00:31:08.290 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: Excellent. 00:31:08.290 --> 00:31:08.915 align:center Thank you, Rob. 00:31:08.915 --> 00:31:10.720 align:center Thanks for sharing about your experiences 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:14.715 align:center and how that's evolved over time. 00:31:14.715 --> 00:31:16.090 align:center And Stacy, I think Stacy is going 00:31:16.090 --> 00:31:18.040 align:center to tell us a little bit of a different story 00:31:18.040 --> 00:31:21.080 align:center about her experiences. 00:31:21.080 --> 00:31:22.550 align:center STACY BRANHAM: Thank you so much. 00:31:22.550 --> 00:31:25.720 align:center My name is Stacy Branham, she/they. 00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:33.250 align:center I am a white woman with curly shortish hair. 00:31:33.250 --> 00:31:35.030 align:center And I'm also very tall. 00:31:35.030 --> 00:31:36.530 align:center So if you ever meet me in person, 00:31:36.530 --> 00:31:39.850 align:center you will be surprised that I'm 6 feet tall. 00:31:39.850 --> 00:31:41.650 align:center So my identity-- well, I should say 00:31:41.650 --> 00:31:44.860 align:center I am an associate professor at the University of California, 00:31:44.860 --> 00:31:46.630 align:center Irvine, in informatics. 00:31:46.630 --> 00:31:53.710 align:center And my identity as a person with a disability has been evolving 00:31:53.710 --> 00:31:56.690 align:center and really emerged later in life. 00:31:56.690 --> 00:31:57.770 align:center So it's been a journey. 00:31:57.770 --> 00:32:00.590 align:center And I think it's important to tell you a bit of my story 00:32:00.590 --> 00:32:04.250 align:center so you can understand how I orient to the discussion today. 00:32:04.250 --> 00:32:07.270 align:center So I have a background in computer science. 00:32:07.270 --> 00:32:12.880 align:center I started my bachelor's degree in 2004 at Virginia Tech. 00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:16.510 align:center And I got my bachelor's degree in computer science. 00:32:16.510 --> 00:32:19.990 align:center And then I liked it so much, I got my PhD in computer science. 00:32:19.990 --> 00:32:23.590 align:center That was 10 years of learning how to build technologies. 00:32:23.590 --> 00:32:25.870 align:center And then I did a postdoc-- 00:32:25.870 --> 00:32:28.630 align:center because I'm a sucker for punishment-- in information 00:32:28.630 --> 00:32:32.080 align:center systems at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 00:32:32.080 --> 00:32:34.840 align:center with Shaun King, who you may be familiar 00:32:34.840 --> 00:32:38.710 align:center with in this community, who does really compelling 00:32:38.710 --> 00:32:41.820 align:center work on technology and accessibility. 00:32:41.820 --> 00:32:48.030 align:center So that was the first time I ever heard the word disability 00:32:48.030 --> 00:32:52.033 align:center in combination with technology. 00:32:52.033 --> 00:32:53.200 align:center So I want to say that again. 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:57.910 align:center I studied for 10 years at a top university in computer science. 00:32:57.910 --> 00:33:00.500 align:center I had licenses to build technology. 00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:02.170 align:center And I was actually trained specifically 00:33:02.170 --> 00:33:04.510 align:center in how to make technology work for people-- 00:33:04.510 --> 00:33:06.280 align:center human-computer interaction. 00:33:06.280 --> 00:33:10.010 align:center But I never heard about accessibility or disability. 00:33:10.010 --> 00:33:12.580 align:center So this means two things to me. 00:33:12.580 --> 00:33:15.400 align:center First, there was no acknowledgment 00:33:15.400 --> 00:33:18.820 align:center throughout my formal education that technology design 00:33:18.820 --> 00:33:21.510 align:center needs to be accessible. 00:33:21.510 --> 00:33:23.850 align:center Second, there was no acknowledgment 00:33:23.850 --> 00:33:27.810 align:center that people with disabilities were in the classroom with me-- 00:33:27.810 --> 00:33:32.130 align:center my peers, my educators. 00:33:32.130 --> 00:33:33.370 align:center So that's a problem. 00:33:33.370 --> 00:33:35.442 align:center I think it's a huge problem. 00:33:35.442 --> 00:33:36.900 align:center And, oh, by the way, and that there 00:33:36.900 --> 00:33:40.320 align:center are people with disabilities who were barred from entering 00:33:40.320 --> 00:33:43.230 align:center those contexts because the technologies 00:33:43.230 --> 00:33:47.470 align:center we use to make technology are not accessible. 00:33:47.470 --> 00:33:53.820 align:center So during my postdoc, I started understanding what disability 00:33:53.820 --> 00:33:57.000 align:center is, and realizing, oh, my goodness, I 00:33:57.000 --> 00:34:00.000 align:center have a disability, a nonapparent disability, 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:03.000 align:center an invisible disability, as some people would say. 00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:06.120 align:center So I have complex post-traumatic stress disorder. 00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:11.219 align:center I grew up in a very hostile, abusive household. 00:34:11.219 --> 00:34:15.889 align:center And I experience depression. 00:34:15.889 --> 00:34:17.750 align:center I experience anxiety. 00:34:17.750 --> 00:34:21.389 align:center I'm medicated, though, and it's helping a lot. 00:34:21.389 --> 00:34:23.600 align:center And I have trichotillomania. 00:34:23.600 --> 00:34:25.940 align:center So I pull out my hair. 00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:27.590 align:center Have a very large bald spot up here 00:34:27.590 --> 00:34:32.480 align:center that I try to hide to make sure my disability remains 00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:33.710 align:center invisible or nonapparent. 00:34:33.710 --> 00:34:37.090 align:center But I struggle sometimes. 00:34:37.090 --> 00:34:40.540 align:center So I'm on a journey of exploring what it means-- 00:34:40.540 --> 00:34:42.070 align:center what this means to me, what it means 00:34:42.070 --> 00:34:44.210 align:center to identify as having a disability, 00:34:44.210 --> 00:34:46.540 align:center especially because I realize there's such 00:34:46.540 --> 00:34:48.040 align:center a wide array of disabilities. 00:34:48.040 --> 00:34:50.420 align:center And people experience it so differently. 00:34:50.420 --> 00:34:55.623 align:center And when I was going through my schooling as a student, 00:34:55.623 --> 00:34:57.040 align:center of course, it never occurred to me 00:34:57.040 --> 00:35:00.460 align:center to reach out to the disability service center on campus. 00:35:00.460 --> 00:35:06.040 align:center And I still don't honestly know what sorts of accommodations 00:35:06.040 --> 00:35:09.490 align:center they might be able to provide to me. 00:35:09.490 --> 00:35:11.990 align:center So I can tell you a little bit about the things I struggle 00:35:11.990 --> 00:35:12.490 align:center with. 00:35:12.490 --> 00:35:15.760 align:center Maybe that would be helpful. 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:18.610 align:center I struggle with getting the right medication dosing 00:35:18.610 --> 00:35:21.490 align:center sometimes and handling and balancing 00:35:21.490 --> 00:35:23.560 align:center depression and anxiety. 00:35:23.560 --> 00:35:26.470 align:center I struggle with sticking to deadlines because I 00:35:26.470 --> 00:35:30.910 align:center have intense fear of failure and worry about getting things 00:35:30.910 --> 00:35:32.170 align:center just right. 00:35:32.170 --> 00:35:33.430 align:center I tend to attract-- 00:35:33.430 --> 00:35:34.450 align:center this is a big one-- 00:35:34.450 --> 00:35:37.570 align:center abusive and manipulative people in my personal 00:35:37.570 --> 00:35:39.890 align:center and professional life. 00:35:39.890 --> 00:35:43.420 align:center And that can cause all sorts of problems. 00:35:43.420 --> 00:35:45.563 align:center I've had to pay thousands and thousands of dollars 00:35:45.563 --> 00:35:47.230 align:center and spend hundreds and hundreds of hours 00:35:47.230 --> 00:35:49.540 align:center in therapy, although I do have great privilege 00:35:49.540 --> 00:35:51.340 align:center that I have a job that can help me 00:35:51.340 --> 00:35:53.455 align:center pay for those things with medical benefits. 00:35:56.910 --> 00:35:59.870 align:center And I think there are other things. 00:35:59.870 --> 00:36:03.980 align:center But those stand out to me as issues that have really 00:36:03.980 --> 00:36:06.530 align:center changed my professional development 00:36:06.530 --> 00:36:11.460 align:center and the degree to which I can succeed in academia, 00:36:11.460 --> 00:36:14.540 align:center particularly in academia. 00:36:14.540 --> 00:36:17.540 align:center So I'm still learning, what kind of accommodations 00:36:17.540 --> 00:36:18.810 align:center are there for people like me? 00:36:18.810 --> 00:36:18.890 align:center How 00:36:18.890 --> 00:36:19.940 align:center Can I be supported? 00:36:19.940 --> 00:36:23.160 align:center And I'm on that journey. 00:36:23.160 --> 00:36:25.760 align:center So I'll just really quickly end with a couple of things 00:36:25.760 --> 00:36:28.460 align:center that I do in my day job that reflect this. 00:36:28.460 --> 00:36:31.470 align:center And maybe it'll open up opportunities for conversation. 00:36:31.470 --> 00:36:34.800 align:center So first, as an academic, I do research, teaching, 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:35.300 align:center and service. 00:36:35.300 --> 00:36:36.410 align:center It's my whole life. 00:36:36.410 --> 00:36:39.530 align:center My Google Drive is organized by those three folders. 00:36:39.530 --> 00:36:43.730 align:center So for research, I design accessible technologies 00:36:43.730 --> 00:36:45.710 align:center with and for people with disabilities. 00:36:45.710 --> 00:36:47.720 align:center I mostly work with blind and low-vision folks, 00:36:47.720 --> 00:36:50.570 align:center but a range of disabilities. 00:36:50.570 --> 00:36:54.590 align:center Teaching-- I teach students about accessibility. 00:36:54.590 --> 00:36:58.220 align:center And I teach accessibly so that the next generation 00:36:58.220 --> 00:37:01.160 align:center of technologists build accessible technologies 00:37:01.160 --> 00:37:03.050 align:center and include people with disabilities who 00:37:03.050 --> 00:37:05.228 align:center are building the technologies. 00:37:05.228 --> 00:37:06.770 align:center And that's one of my favorite things. 00:37:06.770 --> 00:37:09.590 align:center I work with access computing and Brianna 00:37:09.590 --> 00:37:11.510 align:center with respect to those goals. 00:37:11.510 --> 00:37:13.280 align:center And then finally, service. 00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:16.760 align:center I try to work to create a culture of awareness, 00:37:16.760 --> 00:37:20.000 align:center inclusion, and celebration of disability on my campus. 00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:23.000 align:center So I found some wonderful allies from across campus, 00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:24.120 align:center and we are doing the work. 00:37:24.120 --> 00:37:28.130 align:center So we just created an accessibility pledge 00:37:28.130 --> 00:37:30.050 align:center for campus. 00:37:30.050 --> 00:37:31.700 align:center The strategic plan of our university 00:37:31.700 --> 00:37:34.100 align:center now includes the words disability and accessibility 00:37:34.100 --> 00:37:36.680 align:center for what I presume is the first time. 00:37:36.680 --> 00:37:41.600 align:center And I am the chair of a task force 00:37:41.600 --> 00:37:43.610 align:center that's kicking off on Thursday this week 00:37:43.610 --> 00:37:47.960 align:center to scope out a disability cultural center for campus. 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:49.340 align:center And I'm just going to plug this. 00:37:49.340 --> 00:37:52.760 align:center If anybody has experience working with a similar entity, 00:37:52.760 --> 00:37:55.010 align:center I would love to talk to you because I 00:37:55.010 --> 00:37:58.070 align:center want to make the most compelling case possible that we need 00:37:58.070 --> 00:38:00.410 align:center something like this, in addition to the accommodation 00:38:00.410 --> 00:38:04.290 align:center piece on campus, something that celebrates disability. 00:38:04.290 --> 00:38:06.590 align:center So anyway, I'm delighted to talk with you all today. 00:38:06.590 --> 00:38:09.200 align:center And I'm just going to put something in the chat. 00:38:09.200 --> 00:38:11.330 align:center It's a link to a Linktree. 00:38:11.330 --> 00:38:13.430 align:center And I have some resources in there 00:38:13.430 --> 00:38:18.080 align:center that I've alluded to in this discussion, which 00:38:18.080 --> 00:38:21.440 align:center I hope might be useful to you as you try to think about how 00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:24.480 align:center to continue this work together. 00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:26.197 align:center That's it for me. 00:38:26.197 --> 00:38:27.280 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: Excellent. 00:38:27.280 --> 00:38:28.690 align:center Thank you, Stacy. 00:38:28.690 --> 00:38:30.610 align:center I really appreciate what Stacy has 00:38:30.610 --> 00:38:33.430 align:center to say, too, in terms of thinking about disability 00:38:33.430 --> 00:38:35.020 align:center fitting into these larger efforts 00:38:35.020 --> 00:38:37.780 align:center on our campus to think about equity, inclusion, 00:38:37.780 --> 00:38:39.430 align:center and diversity. 00:38:39.430 --> 00:38:45.055 align:center A lot of times, in our work, we talk about IDEA, 00:38:45.055 --> 00:38:47.492 align:center so including A as accessibility in those 00:38:47.492 --> 00:38:49.450 align:center acronyms that we're seeing around our campuses, 00:38:49.450 --> 00:38:51.230 align:center and including it in a meaningful way, 00:38:51.230 --> 00:38:54.610 align:center rather than just mentioning it as one of the groups 00:38:54.610 --> 00:38:56.390 align:center that we should be thinking about. 00:38:56.390 --> 00:38:57.400 align:center So I would invite-- 00:38:57.400 --> 00:38:59.410 align:center we've got a large audience here. 00:38:59.410 --> 00:39:02.650 align:center I would invite you guys to share questions in the chat 00:39:02.650 --> 00:39:06.440 align:center or raise your hand if you have questions as well. 00:39:06.440 --> 00:39:09.730 align:center But in the meantime, I would just 00:39:09.730 --> 00:39:12.640 align:center love to hear from our panelists. 00:39:12.640 --> 00:39:15.280 align:center If you think about, what could our universities 00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:19.410 align:center be doing to make navigating life as a faculty 00:39:19.410 --> 00:39:22.445 align:center member with a disability easier in terms of not just 00:39:22.445 --> 00:39:23.820 align:center accommodations, but what could we 00:39:23.820 --> 00:39:25.950 align:center do about how we're thinking about our institution 00:39:25.950 --> 00:39:28.570 align:center from a universal design perspective 00:39:28.570 --> 00:39:31.380 align:center so that folks don't have to sit through those accommodation 00:39:31.380 --> 00:39:32.070 align:center processes? 00:39:32.070 --> 00:39:34.685 align:center Or, and as we all know, sometimes, 00:39:34.685 --> 00:39:36.060 align:center when we make these changes, we're 00:39:36.060 --> 00:39:39.627 align:center benefiting folks beyond just those with disabilities 00:39:39.627 --> 00:39:40.710 align:center that we're thinking about. 00:39:45.620 --> 00:39:46.452 align:center Stacy. 00:39:46.452 --> 00:39:47.660 align:center STACY BRANHAM: This is Stacy. 00:39:47.660 --> 00:39:48.920 align:center I can add a real quick one. 00:39:48.920 --> 00:39:53.540 align:center We need to have professional development for our leadership 00:39:53.540 --> 00:39:58.760 align:center on campuses that creates inclusive, healthy, nontoxic 00:39:58.760 --> 00:39:59.790 align:center environments. 00:39:59.790 --> 00:40:04.550 align:center I mean, I don't understand why we continue to support toxic 00:40:04.550 --> 00:40:09.080 align:center people in academia who don't do things like acknowledge 00:40:09.080 --> 00:40:12.620 align:center the need for taking rest for holidays, 00:40:12.620 --> 00:40:15.770 align:center for having reasonable work hours, 00:40:15.770 --> 00:40:19.130 align:center for being flexible in our schedules, 00:40:19.130 --> 00:40:24.080 align:center and also ensuring that when we're teaching our classes, 00:40:24.080 --> 00:40:25.640 align:center that we're-- 00:40:25.640 --> 00:40:27.470 align:center I know I'm now focusing on students-- 00:40:27.470 --> 00:40:29.510 align:center but that we're embodying those values 00:40:29.510 --> 00:40:35.960 align:center in how we are flexibly enabling our students to participate. 00:40:35.960 --> 00:40:37.370 align:center Anyway, that's it. 00:40:40.652 --> 00:40:42.110 align:center KIMBERLY THOMPSON: I just want to-- 00:40:42.110 --> 00:40:43.160 align:center this is Kim Thompson. 00:40:43.160 --> 00:40:45.860 align:center I just want to say again how important it 00:40:45.860 --> 00:40:51.410 align:center is to have folks in the room where the decisions are made 00:40:51.410 --> 00:40:54.260 align:center to constantly-- so I'll use another example, 00:40:54.260 --> 00:40:56.630 align:center and Stacy made me think of it. 00:40:56.630 --> 00:41:00.410 align:center When a University decides to change something big, 00:41:00.410 --> 00:41:05.350 align:center like its health insurance carrier, that 00:41:05.350 --> 00:41:08.920 align:center disproportionately impacts people with disabilities, staff 00:41:08.920 --> 00:41:12.520 align:center and faculty with disabilities because who 00:41:12.520 --> 00:41:16.720 align:center is likely to have more disparate providers? 00:41:16.720 --> 00:41:19.660 align:center Who is likely to be taking care of their mental health 00:41:19.660 --> 00:41:24.940 align:center by using good mental health hygiene and going to therapy? 00:41:24.940 --> 00:41:29.440 align:center And we had a situation where they changed our health care 00:41:29.440 --> 00:41:30.020 align:center provider. 00:41:30.020 --> 00:41:31.390 align:center They didn't talk to anybody. 00:41:31.390 --> 00:41:35.980 align:center Therapy is now minimally covered, 00:41:35.980 --> 00:41:37.930 align:center just the minimum of the law there. 00:41:37.930 --> 00:41:42.730 align:center And that impacts folks with disabilities far more so. 00:41:42.730 --> 00:41:45.670 align:center It has to be everybody-- 00:41:45.670 --> 00:41:48.400 align:center Sometimes, I feel like, on campus, I'm running around, 00:41:48.400 --> 00:41:52.330 align:center and my goal is to create allies because there 00:41:52.330 --> 00:41:55.420 align:center isn't enough of me to be in every room. 00:41:55.420 --> 00:41:58.450 align:center So I have to train the people around me. 00:41:58.450 --> 00:42:02.320 align:center I have to find my allies and get them in the rooms 00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:06.910 align:center where the decisions are made so that it can constantly be, 00:42:06.910 --> 00:42:09.550 align:center how is this going to impact our staff 00:42:09.550 --> 00:42:12.020 align:center and faculty with disabilities? 00:42:12.020 --> 00:42:14.140 align:center So that's a question that always ask. 00:42:14.140 --> 00:42:16.990 align:center What are the unintended consequences of this decision? 00:42:24.650 --> 00:42:28.620 align:center Yes, Rob, me-- yeah. 00:42:28.620 --> 00:42:30.747 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: I think you hit home, too, 00:42:30.747 --> 00:42:33.330 align:center on something I was thinking as Stacy was talking, too, is just 00:42:33.330 --> 00:42:36.420 align:center the amount of time and energy that faculty 00:42:36.420 --> 00:42:38.070 align:center and staff and people with disabilities 00:42:38.070 --> 00:42:42.110 align:center spend navigating, making choices about their health care, 00:42:42.110 --> 00:42:44.610 align:center figuring out how to do things on campus because it might not 00:42:44.610 --> 00:42:46.090 align:center be accessible the first time. 00:42:46.090 --> 00:42:48.540 align:center And it's something that some folks have raised with me 00:42:48.540 --> 00:42:50.850 align:center over the years is just acknowledging that 00:42:50.850 --> 00:42:52.290 align:center even if there is an accommodation 00:42:52.290 --> 00:42:55.440 align:center process on campus, that that's a very lengthy process 00:42:55.440 --> 00:42:56.880 align:center to go through. 00:42:56.880 --> 00:43:01.170 align:center It can be difficult to track down documentation 00:43:01.170 --> 00:43:03.480 align:center and stressful to go through that, too. 00:43:03.480 --> 00:43:07.620 align:center So even the system that is supposed to provide access 00:43:07.620 --> 00:43:11.560 align:center can still be difficult to navigate. 00:43:11.560 --> 00:43:13.980 align:center MARK COPPIN: I think that Kim hit the point, 00:43:13.980 --> 00:43:18.380 align:center I mean, exactly nailed it, that we 00:43:18.380 --> 00:43:20.130 align:center have to have people that are at the table. 00:43:20.130 --> 00:43:24.810 align:center And it needs to be people that are within the community 00:43:24.810 --> 00:43:27.810 align:center to sit at the table at a lot of these decisions. 00:43:27.810 --> 00:43:30.540 align:center An example is we talk about we need 00:43:30.540 --> 00:43:32.400 align:center to make sure that all of-- especially 00:43:32.400 --> 00:43:35.100 align:center since we've gone online, and as a university, 00:43:35.100 --> 00:43:36.780 align:center we're looking at more online courses, 00:43:36.780 --> 00:43:39.690 align:center and making our materials accessible, 00:43:39.690 --> 00:43:42.060 align:center and we have a lot of legacy materials 00:43:42.060 --> 00:43:44.010 align:center out there, and making those things accessible. 00:43:44.010 --> 00:43:46.050 align:center And now we're saying, OK, all faculty 00:43:46.050 --> 00:43:48.622 align:center need to make all of these changes. 00:43:48.622 --> 00:43:50.830 align:center And they need to make all their materials accessible, 00:43:50.830 --> 00:43:52.180 align:center which we have to do. 00:43:52.180 --> 00:43:54.390 align:center But we don't know-- we don't take into account 00:43:54.390 --> 00:43:57.630 align:center how that impacts the person that may have a disability 00:43:57.630 --> 00:44:00.180 align:center and that may take them twice as long in order to do that. 00:44:00.180 --> 00:44:03.990 align:center And our expectation is that they need to be able to do these. 00:44:03.990 --> 00:44:07.590 align:center But we don't have the resources in order to support them. 00:44:07.590 --> 00:44:09.690 align:center And we need to make sure that we identify and we 00:44:09.690 --> 00:44:12.810 align:center have those resources to be able to support them, what they 00:44:12.810 --> 00:44:13.830 align:center able to-- 00:44:13.830 --> 00:44:15.060 align:center be able to do that. 00:44:15.060 --> 00:44:19.200 align:center It may not be an official accommodation. 00:44:19.200 --> 00:44:21.630 align:center But it is definitely something that we need to consider. 00:44:21.630 --> 00:44:24.120 align:center And we need to make those things better available. 00:44:24.120 --> 00:44:28.510 align:center For me, it may take twice as long as it takes Kim to do it. 00:44:28.510 --> 00:44:32.340 align:center And it may take somebody else twice as long as-- 00:44:32.340 --> 00:44:34.200 align:center the expectation that someone else. 00:44:34.200 --> 00:44:37.590 align:center But it takes her twice as long as somebody else than I do. 00:44:37.590 --> 00:44:40.770 align:center And putting that-- without recognizing that. 00:44:40.770 --> 00:44:44.670 align:center And putting that as an unfair advantage for that faculty 00:44:44.670 --> 00:44:46.800 align:center person or staff person. 00:44:46.800 --> 00:44:49.630 align:center And we look at that even when we work with our students. 00:44:49.630 --> 00:44:51.240 align:center So it's really, that consideration 00:44:51.240 --> 00:44:54.070 align:center is, what are we asking? 00:44:54.070 --> 00:44:59.260 align:center And how does that impact that person? 00:44:59.260 --> 00:45:00.872 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: Rob. 00:45:00.872 --> 00:45:02.830 align:center ROB PARKE: Mark made me think of something else 00:45:02.830 --> 00:45:03.538 align:center that I would add. 00:45:03.538 --> 00:45:06.080 align:center And I don't know how to solve this problem. 00:45:06.080 --> 00:45:08.100 align:center But I think that the-- 00:45:08.100 --> 00:45:12.518 align:center at least if HR is supporting this, 00:45:12.518 --> 00:45:15.060 align:center there are different schedules, there are different languages, 00:45:15.060 --> 00:45:17.520 align:center there's different processes than faculty have. 00:45:17.520 --> 00:45:20.340 align:center And that's neither good nor bad. 00:45:20.340 --> 00:45:25.630 align:center But what I've experienced is I would 00:45:25.630 --> 00:45:27.730 align:center fight with my interim COVID accommodations 00:45:27.730 --> 00:45:29.620 align:center to continue to be online. 00:45:29.620 --> 00:45:34.940 align:center I would find out approval five days before classes actually 00:45:34.940 --> 00:45:37.250 align:center started. 00:45:37.250 --> 00:45:41.150 align:center So I was wracked with anxiety. 00:45:41.150 --> 00:45:43.010 align:center I was pretty sure that they weren't 00:45:43.010 --> 00:45:46.490 align:center going to tell me to go in person because that would create all-- 00:45:46.490 --> 00:45:48.460 align:center I mean, I would have-- 00:45:48.460 --> 00:45:50.360 align:center would have been a situation. 00:45:50.360 --> 00:45:53.710 align:center But still not knowing, just being anxious the entire time. 00:45:53.710 --> 00:45:55.770 align:center So that's obviously problematic. 00:45:55.770 --> 00:45:59.840 align:center But then students are signing up for a class 00:45:59.840 --> 00:46:02.220 align:center that says it's in person. 00:46:02.220 --> 00:46:03.760 align:center And I don't think that's right. 00:46:03.760 --> 00:46:04.798 align:center I don't that's fair. 00:46:04.798 --> 00:46:06.840 align:center If a student really doesn't want an online class, 00:46:06.840 --> 00:46:08.670 align:center I don't want them to take that. 00:46:08.670 --> 00:46:10.997 align:center That's not going to be successful for them. 00:46:10.997 --> 00:46:13.080 align:center But the university couldn't change it to be online 00:46:13.080 --> 00:46:14.760 align:center until it was approved. 00:46:14.760 --> 00:46:19.122 align:center And so now that we're kind of in this rolling, where 00:46:19.122 --> 00:46:21.330 align:center I have to do it every year, it's a little bit better. 00:46:21.330 --> 00:46:26.408 align:center But I was trying to communicate with HR to say, look, you're 00:46:26.408 --> 00:46:27.450 align:center on a different timetable. 00:46:27.450 --> 00:46:30.683 align:center So the schedule for students goes live in February. 00:46:30.683 --> 00:46:32.850 align:center And they're like, well, we'll approve your next year 00:46:32.850 --> 00:46:33.960 align:center accommodation in April. 00:46:33.960 --> 00:46:37.380 align:center I'm like, that doesn't really work. 00:46:37.380 --> 00:46:40.410 align:center They're thinking, oh, the end of the year is May. 00:46:40.410 --> 00:46:43.420 align:center But there's this whole academic semester or quarter cycle. 00:46:43.420 --> 00:46:45.750 align:center And so getting everybody on the same page of, 00:46:45.750 --> 00:46:49.990 align:center hey, I want students to be able to know the class is online. 00:46:49.990 --> 00:46:52.020 align:center They start registering in February. 00:46:52.020 --> 00:46:54.570 align:center So you need to make your approval in January 00:46:54.570 --> 00:46:55.320 align:center or whatever it is. 00:46:55.320 --> 00:46:57.653 align:center I'm sure there's many other examples of that, that we're 00:46:57.653 --> 00:46:59.430 align:center just in two different worlds. 00:46:59.430 --> 00:47:01.710 align:center And we want to work together. 00:47:01.710 --> 00:47:04.260 align:center But we have to figure out, what are we talking about? 00:47:04.260 --> 00:47:05.340 align:center What are we scheduling? 00:47:05.340 --> 00:47:07.150 align:center How do we communicate more clearly? 00:47:07.150 --> 00:47:09.265 align:center So that's better for the faculty, for the staff, 00:47:09.265 --> 00:47:10.140 align:center and for the students. 00:47:13.940 --> 00:47:15.260 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: Kim. 00:47:15.260 --> 00:47:16.760 align:center KIMBERLY THOMPSON: One of the things 00:47:16.760 --> 00:47:18.410 align:center that I'm thinking as I'm listening 00:47:18.410 --> 00:47:21.980 align:center to you talk, Rob, is that what we need 00:47:21.980 --> 00:47:27.140 align:center is a faculty and staff with disabilities in higher ed. 00:47:27.140 --> 00:47:31.753 align:center We need a group because I'm looking at the chat, 00:47:31.753 --> 00:47:33.170 align:center and it looks like Michigan State's 00:47:33.170 --> 00:47:34.890 align:center doing a really good job. 00:47:34.890 --> 00:47:36.650 align:center Julie spoke to that. 00:47:36.650 --> 00:47:39.410 align:center And then I can't-- 00:47:39.410 --> 00:47:40.400 align:center I didn't read Kelly's. 00:47:40.400 --> 00:47:47.690 align:center But we have organizations that serve students in higher ed. 00:47:47.690 --> 00:47:54.890 align:center And you watch the change in the profession over time 00:47:54.890 --> 00:48:00.790 align:center is largely based on how well those groups have worked. 00:48:00.790 --> 00:48:03.920 align:center I'm thinking of-- if you haven't heard of AHEAD, 00:48:03.920 --> 00:48:06.050 align:center it's the Association of Higher Education 00:48:06.050 --> 00:48:07.760 align:center and Disability in Education. 00:48:07.760 --> 00:48:11.690 align:center And they put out documentation guidance a few years ago 00:48:11.690 --> 00:48:17.810 align:center that changed how we do things, really pushed toward removal 00:48:17.810 --> 00:48:20.330 align:center of barriers in higher ed. 00:48:20.330 --> 00:48:28.650 align:center So let's do the same thing for professionals with disabilities 00:48:28.650 --> 00:48:32.670 align:center in higher education because there's power in numbers, 00:48:32.670 --> 00:48:35.640 align:center and there's also power in sharing information. 00:48:35.640 --> 00:48:38.670 align:center I'm fairly certain that most universities 00:48:38.670 --> 00:48:39.810 align:center don't talk to each other. 00:48:43.527 --> 00:48:45.110 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: Yeah, I feel like that 00:48:45.110 --> 00:48:46.985 align:center is something I've heard a lot is that there's 00:48:46.985 --> 00:48:49.190 align:center more need for community and connection, 00:48:49.190 --> 00:48:53.930 align:center partially for mentoring, but also partially for information 00:48:53.930 --> 00:48:55.340 align:center sharing. 00:48:55.340 --> 00:48:57.800 align:center I spend a lot of time with computer scientists. 00:48:57.800 --> 00:48:59.870 align:center And a lot of computer science conferences 00:48:59.870 --> 00:49:02.120 align:center I've been talking to lately have accessibility chairs. 00:49:02.120 --> 00:49:03.980 align:center So they're thinking about the folks 00:49:03.980 --> 00:49:05.480 align:center that are coming to those conferences 00:49:05.480 --> 00:49:06.620 align:center and making them accessible. 00:49:06.620 --> 00:49:09.403 align:center But I was surprised to discover that's not common in other STEM 00:49:09.403 --> 00:49:11.570 align:center fields and not something that folks are even talking 00:49:11.570 --> 00:49:12.695 align:center about in other STEM fields. 00:49:15.133 --> 00:49:16.550 align:center That's another way that folks have 00:49:16.550 --> 00:49:19.070 align:center found allies is by finding those conferences that 00:49:19.070 --> 00:49:20.720 align:center are more accessible in that field 00:49:20.720 --> 00:49:24.920 align:center and where people with disabilities are going. 00:49:24.920 --> 00:49:27.200 align:center So yeah, I don't have a solution to that yet. 00:49:27.200 --> 00:49:28.700 align:center But again, we are going to talk more 00:49:28.700 --> 00:49:31.700 align:center about finding community and connection for people 00:49:31.700 --> 00:49:33.140 align:center with disabilities next week. 00:49:33.140 --> 00:49:35.360 align:center We'll have a few folks talking about their efforts 00:49:35.360 --> 00:49:37.250 align:center to do that and a few folks that are 00:49:37.250 --> 00:49:40.670 align:center involved with disability cultural centers talking 00:49:40.670 --> 00:49:41.190 align:center about that. 00:49:41.190 --> 00:49:45.600 align:center So I look forward to that conversation as well. 00:49:45.600 --> 00:49:49.220 align:center There's some discussion in the chat about faculty unions 00:49:49.220 --> 00:49:52.040 align:center and what sort of role that could have. 00:49:52.040 --> 00:49:53.540 align:center I don't know if any of our panelists 00:49:53.540 --> 00:49:55.490 align:center have any experience with faculty union. 00:50:00.420 --> 00:50:01.830 align:center No, I don't, either. 00:50:04.430 --> 00:50:06.560 align:center I'll ask one more question, as we 00:50:06.560 --> 00:50:10.410 align:center are getting towards the end of our panel discussion here. 00:50:10.410 --> 00:50:13.130 align:center What advice would you give to faculty 00:50:13.130 --> 00:50:17.480 align:center with disabilities in terms of navigating their career 00:50:17.480 --> 00:50:22.760 align:center or navigating institutional processes and institutions more 00:50:22.760 --> 00:50:23.360 align:center generally? 00:50:36.275 --> 00:50:38.120 align:center ROB PARKE: I mean, I have two-- 00:50:38.120 --> 00:50:40.010 align:center I guess I have two minds about it. 00:50:40.010 --> 00:50:45.530 align:center One, the advocate mind is like, ask for what you need. 00:50:45.530 --> 00:50:47.820 align:center There is a law that is in place. 00:50:47.820 --> 00:50:50.120 align:center And if you need things-- 00:50:50.120 --> 00:50:53.542 align:center That's true, the institution can-- 00:50:53.542 --> 00:50:55.500 align:center and some of you are much more experts about it. 00:50:55.500 --> 00:50:58.040 align:center But as I understand it, if an institution 00:50:58.040 --> 00:50:59.720 align:center of a large amount of size is going 00:50:59.720 --> 00:51:02.390 align:center to have a hard time saying it can't provide you financially 00:51:02.390 --> 00:51:06.380 align:center for that, and if it's medically necessary, 00:51:06.380 --> 00:51:08.040 align:center then it's medically necessary. 00:51:08.040 --> 00:51:10.760 align:center So the question, then, as I have experienced it, comes down to, 00:51:10.760 --> 00:51:12.910 align:center can you still do the job? 00:51:12.910 --> 00:51:17.700 align:center And that is probably where some of the thorny parts come in 00:51:17.700 --> 00:51:18.360 align:center is if you-- 00:51:18.360 --> 00:51:20.080 align:center teaching online, for example. 00:51:20.080 --> 00:51:23.250 align:center Is being in person a huge part of the experience? 00:51:23.250 --> 00:51:24.700 align:center That's the sticking point. 00:51:24.700 --> 00:51:27.900 align:center So I would say, fight for what you need and what you want. 00:51:27.900 --> 00:51:30.713 align:center I'm not oblivious to the fact that there are, 00:51:30.713 --> 00:51:32.130 align:center depending on where you work, there 00:51:32.130 --> 00:51:34.360 align:center might be consequences to that. 00:51:34.360 --> 00:51:38.460 align:center And so as I'm navigating it myself, what do I ask for? 00:51:38.460 --> 00:51:41.040 align:center What do I not ask for? 00:51:41.040 --> 00:51:41.940 align:center I'm a private person. 00:51:41.940 --> 00:51:42.982 align:center What do I want to reveal? 00:51:42.982 --> 00:51:44.490 align:center So I would say, yes, you should-- 00:51:44.490 --> 00:51:46.170 align:center I would encourage any faculty or staff 00:51:46.170 --> 00:51:48.810 align:center to get what the law and the rights 00:51:48.810 --> 00:51:51.610 align:center allow you to do to thrive. 00:51:51.610 --> 00:51:54.840 align:center And it would be a point of privilege 00:51:54.840 --> 00:51:57.212 align:center to say, well, if they won't tolerate you, 00:51:57.212 --> 00:51:58.920 align:center or they're going to give you a hard time, 00:51:58.920 --> 00:51:59.650 align:center then go somewhere else. 00:51:59.650 --> 00:52:00.858 align:center But that's not so easy to do. 00:52:00.858 --> 00:52:04.410 align:center So I guess I would say we live in a world 00:52:04.410 --> 00:52:10.020 align:center where I'd still be mindful about protecting yourself and being 00:52:10.020 --> 00:52:12.310 align:center wise about who you-- 00:52:12.310 --> 00:52:14.490 align:center how you communicate and who you communicate with. 00:52:14.490 --> 00:52:17.560 align:center And-- I don't know. 00:52:17.560 --> 00:52:19.810 align:center That's two answers, but it's what 00:52:19.810 --> 00:52:21.460 align:center my genuine experience has been. 00:52:25.420 --> 00:52:28.180 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: Stacy. 00:52:28.180 --> 00:52:30.640 align:center STACY BRANHAM: Yes, I have two answers, too. 00:52:30.640 --> 00:52:33.730 align:center So first, for the other folks with 00:52:33.730 --> 00:52:39.280 align:center emotional, psychological, mental disabilities like myself, 00:52:39.280 --> 00:52:42.430 align:center I found myself in an abusive workplace situation. 00:52:42.430 --> 00:52:44.470 align:center And something just didn't feel right. 00:52:44.470 --> 00:52:47.110 align:center And that's what triggered me to go seek therapy. 00:52:47.110 --> 00:52:53.620 align:center And that was the beginning of a huge spurt of growth for me 00:52:53.620 --> 00:52:55.880 align:center emotionally and professionally. 00:52:55.880 --> 00:52:58.030 align:center And so be curious. 00:52:58.030 --> 00:53:01.540 align:center Encourage others to be curious and seek out the resources 00:53:01.540 --> 00:53:03.140 align:center that you have access to. 00:53:03.140 --> 00:53:04.450 align:center The other thing is-- 00:53:04.450 --> 00:53:06.070 align:center I think I'm going back to something 00:53:06.070 --> 00:53:09.680 align:center Kim said, which I phrase it as, find your people. 00:53:09.680 --> 00:53:10.960 align:center Find your allies. 00:53:10.960 --> 00:53:13.660 align:center Understanding how other people with disabilities 00:53:13.660 --> 00:53:15.700 align:center across campus, in different units, 00:53:15.700 --> 00:53:18.010 align:center what resources they're tapping into, 00:53:18.010 --> 00:53:20.170 align:center what strategies they have. 00:53:20.170 --> 00:53:25.030 align:center Advocating together can be really extremely helpful, just 00:53:25.030 --> 00:53:27.970 align:center pragmatically, but also emotionally, 00:53:27.970 --> 00:53:30.100 align:center for your sustainability in the academy, 00:53:30.100 --> 00:53:32.545 align:center and then finding a way forward to find your people. 00:53:37.710 --> 00:53:39.980 align:center KIMBERLY THOMPSON: This is Kim Thompson. 00:53:39.980 --> 00:53:46.060 align:center For all of this, sunlight is the best disinfectant. 00:53:46.060 --> 00:53:51.190 align:center If we talk to each other, whether it's salary, 00:53:51.190 --> 00:53:54.440 align:center whether it's attempts to unionize, 00:53:54.440 --> 00:53:56.750 align:center whether it's disability accommodations, 00:53:56.750 --> 00:54:01.910 align:center if we talk to each other, those systems of oppression 00:54:01.910 --> 00:54:03.950 align:center get shaky. 00:54:03.950 --> 00:54:09.020 align:center So we need to be clear and talk to each other. 00:54:09.020 --> 00:54:14.270 align:center With regard to requesting accommodations, take a buddy. 00:54:14.270 --> 00:54:15.560 align:center Take someone with you. 00:54:15.560 --> 00:54:18.530 align:center You're allowed to have somebody come with you. 00:54:18.530 --> 00:54:23.360 align:center Let somebody look over what you're requesting. 00:54:23.360 --> 00:54:26.220 align:center There is strength in numbers. 00:54:26.220 --> 00:54:28.085 align:center So that's my advice. 00:54:32.157 --> 00:54:33.240 align:center BRIANNA BLASER: I love it. 00:54:33.240 --> 00:54:33.570 align:center Thank you. 00:54:33.570 --> 00:54:34.480 align:center We are at our time. 00:54:34.480 --> 00:54:37.022 align:center And I want to make sure to be respectful of everybody's time. 00:54:37.022 --> 00:54:39.600 align:center So please join me in thanking our panelists 00:54:39.600 --> 00:54:43.650 align:center for sharing their expertise and experiences with us. 00:54:43.650 --> 00:54:46.860 align:center And thanks to everybody for joining us. 00:54:46.860 --> 00:54:51.120 align:center We will be following up over email with an evaluation 00:54:51.120 --> 00:54:53.580 align:center survey, and I encourage you to fill that out so we 00:54:53.580 --> 00:54:56.500 align:center can learn to do better. 00:54:56.500 --> 00:55:01.410 align:center And as I said, we are here to chat. 00:55:01.410 --> 00:55:03.460 align:center So folks who want to continue the conversation, 00:55:03.460 --> 00:55:05.190 align:center I am going to hang out for a while. 00:55:05.190 --> 00:55:08.260 align:center And I invite you to hang out with us, too. 00:55:08.260 --> 00:55:10.160 align:center I'm going to stop the--