UCOD Meeting Notes (February 11, 2025)
UCOD Meeting
February 11, 2025 / 2PM / Zoom
Attendees
Voting Members:
Fang-I Chu, Michael Garafola, Travis Lee, Carolanne Link, Sanaz Nabati, Quinn O’Connor, Sylvia Page, Harold Pimentel, Emilia Podesta, Sal Santa Ana, Nicholas Shinghal, Caitlin Solone, Alexa Vaughn
Absent:
Yasamin Bolourian, Christine Craib, Adam Kipust
Guests:
Rob Diaz, Mauricio Baker Mason, Jackson Fletcher, Kelly Goodman, Ania Korpanty, Yonit Kovnator, Scott La Rochelle, Nnamdi Mbanugo, Jennifer Miyaki, Leroy Moore, Ariella Morrison, Aryan Pandey, Spencer Scruggs, Brooke Wilkinson, Amelia
Agenda
1. Intros (MG, 7 mins)
2. Newsletter updates (Newsletter subcommittee, 5 mins)
a. The February issue theme is UCOD. Issue includes election information, member spotlight, and committee updates and goals. Also includes emergency preparedness information.
b. Let the Newsletter Subcommittee know about March events.
3. Federal grants paused and un-paused (HP, 5 mins)
a. Recent executive order for a 15% indirect cost cap for all NIH grants.
b. Programs to diversify science have been targeted or shut down.
c. NIH policy may change drastically and NIH Institutes may be consolidated.
4. Digital accessibility moving forward (TL, 5 mins)
a. Recent guidance on ADA expanded scope to include instructional learning environments.
b. UCOP guidance is to continue to focus on bringing accessibility to a higher level by 2026.
5. ADA moving forward at UCLA (YK, 5 mins)
a. Section 504 can’t be repealed without an act of Congress.
b. Concern expressed over resource distribution through OCR and DoE.
c. California Civil Rights Department and UCLA Office of Civil Rights are alternate routes to take complaints instead of OCR.
6. Voting updates and timeline (CL, 5 mins)
a. Two year positions (May 2025-May 2027)
b. Committee members attend meetings or sends proxy for ⅔ meetings and vote on committee issues.
c. Available positions: one undergraduate, one graduate, one faculty, two staff, one alum, four floaters (one single year position)
d. Leadership positions: Chair, Two Vice Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, Voting Facilitator, Physical Spaces Subcommittee Head, Events/DPW Subcommittee Head, Technology/Website Subcommittee Head, Newsletter Subcommittee
e. Interest in election form will be open soon. Please check all position categories that apply.
f. March meeting: Speeches for run-offs (if applicable).
g. April meeting: New committee will be announced and leadership interest form open
h. May meeting: Leadership candidate speeches. Leadership voting will be ranked choice.
i. June meeting: Leadership turnover
7. Law student survey and presentation (AK, 15 mins)
a. Disability Law Society is a safe space for students with and without disabilities who are interested in disability law and policy.
b. Survey of disabled law school students was conducted in fall 2024 on student experiences receiving accommodations.
c. DLS advocating for: trauma-informed training for staff, publicized AHEAD audit, peer note taking, flexibility, remote options, and timely communication.
d. CAE welcomes meeting with disabled students and groups to address concerns.
8. Upcoming Events
a. LMU Conference: A Neighborly Conversation, February 21
b. Career Panel: “Navigating Graduate School Decision Making for Students with Disabilities”, February 25th, 4pm-5:30pm on Zoom
c. Job talks for Disability Studies X Institute for Society and Genetics faculty position
9. Closed voting session for voting members
a. Meeting ending at 3:15 for non-voting members
b. Committee approves bylaw update: If a student has served two year term and has one year left at UCLA, they can run for a special one year term instead of a second two year term.
