UCOD Meeting Notes (May 9, 2023)

UCLA Committee on Disability / UCOD Meeting Notes (May 9, 2023)

UCOD Meeting Notes (May 9, 2023)

UCOD Meeting
May 9, 2023 / 2PM / Zoom

Attendees

Voting Members:
Emily Frake, Michael Garafola, Katie Healey, Adam Kipust, Travis Lee, Carolanne Link, Sanaz Nabati, Quinn O’Connor, Sylvia Page, Harold Pimental, Sal Santa Ana, Laura Sencion-Mendoza, Nicholas Shinghal, Caitin Solone, Brooke Wilkinson

Absent:
Katie Bogue, Camila Krause, Kyle Udelson

Guests:
Fang-I Chu, Anya Desai, Natalie Landau Gibson, Omar Newland, Monique LaPalm, Yonit Kovnator, Rob Diaz, Daniela Cortez Bravo, Brandie Kirkpatrick, Spencer Scruggs

Agenda

1. Intros

2. Leadership Speeches & Voting (15 mins)

a. Speech by Laura Sencion-Mendoza

b. Speech by Michael Garafola

c. Speech by Travis Lee

d. Question and answer period. Discussion of priorities and accomplishments, getting more students involved in UCOD, and planning for influx of disabled students with the new Disability Studies major.

e. Travis voted in as chair. Laura and Michael voted in as vice chairs.

3. Working Group on Advancing Physical Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities at UCLA (Yonit, 10 mins)

a. ADA Transition Plan Survey currently taking place in Capital Programs. An outside agency (Sally Swanson) was used to construct the survey.

b. Other stakeholder input is welcome. There will be involvement from UCOD, students, and faculty.

c. Meetings will start in August/September.

d. Scope of group: All UCLA facilities are under consideration as priorities are finalized.

e. Discussion of the potential overlap with UCOD’s work.

4. Meta Map Update (Carolanne, 10 mins)

a. $8,000 funding received from EDI.

b. Data collection in progress. Still struggling to get data collection from male restroom users. More data needed from the south edge of campus. Ready to start data collection on the hill-including only publicly available restrooms. Hoping to get all buildings along Charles E. Young loop.

c. MetaMap Accessible Bathroom Quick Guide and Volunteer Handbook. Please collect data/enlist others to collect data if possible.

5. Support Group for the Cohort with Limitations (Fang-I)

a. Several stages to support within and post-education.

b. Group would provide a communication bridge, collective well-organized resources, consultation, and connecting/networking opportunities

c. Opportunities for collaboration: Charlotte Poplawski in the Med School, Employee Risk Management

d. Discussion of students’ desire for affinity groups and connection with disabled faculty and staff.

e. Disability Cultural Center is still in progress, currently seeking a location. Email fac@usac.ucla.edu for more information. There is a letter from the Chancellor and Monroe Gordon in support of the DCC. Could UCOD write a letter in support?

6. New Faculty and TA Training- Learning Objectives for Disability Awareness Training (Travis and Katie, 10 mins)

a. Move to next agenda

7. Discuss Bylaws and Absent Voting Members (15 mins)

a. According to by-laws, three unexcused absences results in removal from status as voting member. Currently there are some members boycotting due to UCOD’s approach to advocacy for remote learning and concerns over meetings’ effectiveness and safety.

b. Discussion of re-engaging Disabled Student Union. Important to be intentional with expectations and transparent about UCOD’s limitations and scope in regards to advocacy. Also important to earn back trust by addressing ground rules around information sharing in UCOD, considering disclosure guidelines, and the role of CAE in the committee. These components could be added to the by-laws in future.

8. Department Updates (5-10 mins)

9. Adjourn