Building a Collaborative Network: the University of Toronto Experience

1. Building a Collaborative Network: the University of Toronto Experience The ODA Planning Process & the SFBA Access Centre

2. The “Worlds” of Disability Activism • The mainstream disability movement • Organizations, coalitions, groups loosely working toward the same goals • “Ambassadors-at-Large” • Individuals representing the best people with disabilities have to offer

3. The “Worlds” of Disability Activism • Same applies specifically to the students with disabilities movement • Levels of collaboration, feedback and tension • Can there be action on disability issues outside a students with disabilities movement? • Yes!

4. Mainstream Disability Movement • Strengths • Strength in numbers • Organizational ability • Coalition building • Long-term movement building • Potential to access money • Weaknesses • Representative? • Negative association possible • “Lowest common denominator”

5. “Ambassadors-at-Large” • Strengths • One-on-one approaches • Concerted lobbying/negotiating tactics • “Your reputation precedes you” • Leadership by example • Ability to integrate within, but not necessarily be assimilated by, organizations • Weaknesses • One person’s worldview • Little permanence • Little money

6. At the University of Toronto… • Worlds in partnership – worlds in feedback – worlds in balance • A friendly environment created by “Ambassadors-at-Large” leads to the creation of a students with disabilities movement • The movement in turn fosters an environment for mentorship and individual and personal self-advocacy, leading to more Ambassadors • Common goals: A universally inclusive post-secondary education system

7. A Unique Collaboration • Over the past 3 years, awareness of and action on disability issues at the University of Toronto has grown in leaps and bounds • Collaboration between: • Students • Service Providers • Administration • Staff and Faculty

8. Student Approach • Establish a presence for students with disabilities • Raise awareness • Provide education • Effective lobbying strategies • Direct influence of systemic issues through an established network • Leadership by example • Case study of a consistent and long-term students with disabilities movement

9. Understanding the System • Building a network • Who do we need to meet and talk to? • What do people do? • How do we best approach them? • Understand how governance works • Understand how to lobby effectively • Do rallies work?

10. Vision of an Inclusive Campus • A community where all its members understand the need for and work toward a universally accessible environment for everyone, including people with disabilities

11. The ODA Planning Process: A Unique Opportunity for Partnership and Success

12. The Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001 • Legislates public sector and scheduled organizations in the province of Ontario to develop annual publicly available Accessibility Plans • Plans must: • Report on initiatives undertaken to date, or in previous plans • Identify barriers to be addressed in the new plan • Identify initiatives to remove/prevent/ameliorate barriers

13. U of T Planning Process: Year II • Global Advisory Committee • 40 members • Cross-section of the University population • Includes members with disabilities • 7 Subcommittees, including a consultative process • Co-ordinating Committee to write Plan • 5 members, including 1 student

14. Subcommittees • Attitudes • Including Information, Communication strategies • Policy • Physical Facilities • (Information) Technology • Universal Instructional Design • Student Life • Human Resources

15. Documentation, Recommendations • 98 pages • Report on 2003-2004 initiatives • 42/45 initiatives completed • With or without next steps identified • 3/45 initiatives started, and yet to be completed • Presentation of 2004-2005 initiatives • 40 initiatives total, including ongoing projects

16. Attitudes Breaking Down Barriers 2004 Poster campaign Enrolment Study Disability Issues and Orientation Training Physical Universal design seminars Elevator audit Accessible spaces Chemical sensitivities Wayfindng Technology Purchasing guidelines Accessible workstation Alternative formats Wireless technology Instructional Design Awareness campaigns Accommodation for faculty Publication of materials Highlights of Initiatives

17. Highlights of student involvement • Breaking Down Barriers 2004 conference • Poster awareness campaign • Policy: Statement of Commitment to Persons with Disabilities • SFBA Access Centre • Accessibility education for student leaders

18. Groundswell of Accessibility • Many independent projects, distinct from the ODA Plan • Accessible chemistry teaching labs • Disability anthology • Hart House Barrier Free • Redesigned and upgraded accessibility websites • UTSC accommodations funding • Community awareness, involvement and action on accessibility issues

19. Breaking Down Barriers • Model of a localized grassroots disability awareness and education conference • Design for long-term self-sustainability • Working conferences • Motivation of community

20. Poster Awareness Campaign • Similar to Mac Campaign (2003-2004) • 11 students from different constituencies, with different programs of study and with different disabilities • Majority are “Ambassadors-at-Large” • Would never have been possible 4 years ago • Cross-University distribution • Launch: November 25, 2004

21. Critical Mass for Self-Organization • 4 years ago: • Few people working in isolation on accessibility issues • Today: • Many people working in loose concert • Promotion of an inclusive and welcoming climate • Greater awareness of issues and their need to be addressed • Groundwork for co-ordination • The future?

22. Problems with the System • Projects are moonlighted every year • Firm commitments of resources beneficial • Institutional or departmental commitment to funding • Institutional inertia • “Dilution of standards” – how do equity and accessibility meld with a meritocracy? • Administration indifference/resistance • “The numbers game” and community indifference • “Equity is part of our principles – isn’t that enough?”

23. The Graduate Accessibility Committee • Mandate: • To act to improve the quality and accessibility of the graduate school experience for graduate students with disabilities.

24. The Work of the Graduate Accessibility Committee • Research, policy, lobbying group • Best of both worlds • Policy influence • Graduate Students’ Union Accessibility Policy • Passed April, 2003 • Under review November 2004-March 2005 • Canadian Federation of Students (Ontario Component) • Round 1: August, 2003 • Round 2: February, 2004

25. The Work of the Graduate Accessibility Committee • Taskforce/committee membership • Provost’s Taskforce on Student Housing • ODA Planning Process • Standing Committee on Barrier-Free Access • Hart House Barrier-Free • Presidential Search process • Personalized and targeted lobbying strategy • Extensive contacts network • Raise awareness • Get things done!

26. History of the GAC • November 2002: Committee originated • March-April 2003: Development of GSU Accessibility Policy • April-August 2003: Participation in ODA Planning Process Year 1 • October 2003-February 2004: Coalition building and work with other student groups • January 2004-Present: Implementation of lobbying strategy • October 2004-Present: Review of Committee and policies and long-term recommendations for future

27. Case Study: The SFBA Access Centre

28. Students for Barrier-Free Access • Founded in 2002 • Advocacy/outreach on behalf of students with disabilities • Originated Breaking Down Barriers conference series • Collaborates with Canada-Wide Accessibility for Post-Secondary Students in conference organization • Accessibility Rally (May 2003) • Work in conjunction with Graduate Accessibility Committee on accessibility issues at U of T

29. “Access Centre” • Funded by a student levy from the Students’ Administrative Council • Future funding possible from Graduate Students’ Union • Staffed by a 0.8 FTE Co-ordinator, and student volunteers

30. Timeline • March 2004: Proposal of referendum question • March 2004: Successful referendum • April-May 2004: Development of business plan • June-July 2004: Securing space • August 2004: Hiring of Co-ordinator • September 2004-Present: Launch of Access Centre and its activities

31. Goals of Access Centre • To serve as a nonacademic resource and support network for students with disabilities. • To provide disability and accessibility-related resources to all members of the University community, including persons with disabilities. • To provide a welcoming space for people with disabilities within the University of Toronto community.

32. Goals of Access Centre • To provide an accessible workspace for students with disabilities. • To conduct outreach campaigns around accessibility issues within the campus community, in collaboration with other ongoing efforts at the University of Toronto.

33. Goals of Access Centre • To assist with the organization and promotion of the annual Breaking Down Barriers conferences. • In collaboration with conference organizational authority: Canada-wide Accessibility for Post-Secondary Students • To participate in the development of the University’s annual Ontarians with Disabilities Act Accessibility Plans.

34. Governance Model • Majority student representation • Inclusion of student governments • Involvement of host sites • Involvement of disability service provider • Chaired by the Chair of the SFBA

35. Involvement of University Community • Discussion of business plan with members of senior administration • Securing host sites • Hart House • Faculty of Arts and Science/Sidney Smith Hall • New College • Complementary capabilities of host sites • Creation of Centre projects list • Inclusion in the ODA Planning Process

36. ODA Plan Documentation • 6.5 Student-run Centre • Barrier: Currently, there is no central coordination of social, recreational and other activities with respect to nonacademic issues for students with disabilities.

37. Initiative: Establish a student-run Access Centre on the St George campus. Funding has been secured for the next five years, through an annual $2.00 levy from full-time undergraduate students.The Access Centre will provide social support and resources for students with disabilities. In its first year of operation, the Centre would like to accomplish the following:

38. Explore the feasibility of a mentoring program, researching best practices from other programs at University of Toronto and elsewhere. Establish a resource that identifies all those engaged in disability scholarship at UofT. Develop a safe online discussion space for students with disabilities. Compile and maintain a list of frequently asked questions about financial options available for students with disabilities, who do not qualify for the Ontario Student Assistance Program and are seeking funding for accommodations. Provide American sign language training for students

39. Responsibility: Students for Barrier Free Access with support from Hart House; Accessibility Services, ATRC; Student Affairs; Information Commons; and Faculty of Arts and Sciences • Timeline: September 1, 2004 – August 31, 2005

40. 6.6 Accessibility Education for Student Leaders • Barrier: Although many students are in the forefront of disability activism, people with disabilities continue to encounter negative attitudes within the student population as they do in the community at large.

41. Initiative: Develop an educational module for student leaders. Develop an educational module to raise awareness on equity issues, including accessibility, to be used by student leaders with associations and clubs.

42. Responsibility: Hart House, with support from: Students for Barrier Free Access; Student Affairs; Faculty of Physical Education and Health; Accessibility Services; and Graduate Students’ Union. • Timeline: September 1, 2004 – August 31, 2005

43. Conclusions • Two “worlds” of disability activism • Mainstream movement • “Ambassadors-at-Large” • Interface and symbiosis between both • Collaborative atmosphere at University of Toronto built over 3 years • Essential to understand “how the system works” • Development of SFBA Access Centre as a marker of permanence at U of T

44. Acknowledgements • Graduate Accessibility Committee • Patrick Houssais, Chair SFBA (2004-2005) • Uzma Khan, CanWAPSS • Carol Krause, Chair SFBA (2003-2004) • Julia Munk, Access Centre Coordinator and SFBA Founder • Janice Martin, Manager, Accessibility Services, St. George Campus, University of Toronto • University of Toronto Community

45. Contact: Mahadeo A. Sukhai, President Graduate Students’ Union 2004-2005 Tel: 416-978-2391 Email: m.sukhai@utoronto.ca