MEMORANDUM
TO: Deans/Directors
Department Chairs
Department Secretaries
Division Level Representatives
Access and Accommodation Resource Coordinators
FROM: Melany Newby, Interim ADA Coordinator
DATE: June 1, 1995
RE: ADA Accommodations Notice
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the programs, services and activities of public entities and requires that those entities make their programs, services and activities accessible to individuals with disabilities. Title II applies to the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
As part of our continued efforts to ensure compliance with the ADA's provisions, it is important that individuals with disabilities are aware that they may make requests for reasonable accommodations in order to attend various events and activities. To accomplish this, all notices of public meetings and all invitations, brochures, pamphlets or flyers announcing public performances, lectures and programs need to contain such information. An easy way to accomplish this would be to add the following to these notices, invitations, etc.:
"In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the University of Wisconsin-Madison will make every effort to honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. Requests can be responded to more effectively if received by the institution as far in advance of the _____ [event, performance, meeting, program, etc.] as possible, preferably at least a week. Direct accommodation requests to _____ [the person responsible for organizing or coordinating the event, meeting, etc.]. Voice: _____. TTY: _____."
Where the activity is a conference, workshop or other event that includes an advance registration, similar but equally acceptable language is recommended in the UW-Madison Guide to Conference Planning, as follows:
"If you have a disability and desire accommodations, please advise us with your advance registration; requests are confidential."
In addition, UW-Madison is subject to Wisconsin Executive Order 120. This Order requires that, to the extent possible, state agencies hold state-sponsored or co-sponsored meetings, hearings, conferences, and training sessions in facilities that are accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities. Those who plan such events should also be aware of this requirement.
It might be a good idea to designate a specific individual in your unit or area to handle these types of accommodation requests. Additional relevant information is contained in the above-mentioned Guide to Conference Planning and the more detailed UW-Madison ADA Conference Planning Guidelines, available on WiscInfo and in most deans' and directors' offices. Also, the following individuals/offices are available as resources to assist in identifying acceptable meeting sites and accommodations and to identify an accommodation provider, such as a sign language interpreter:
- Sites and Facilities Structure Accessibility: Marcia Carlson, facilities
planning specialist, Department of Facilities, Planning and Management,
845 WARF Building, 610 Walnut Street, Madison, WI 53705; phone 262-8419;
fax 265-3139; TTY 265-5147; email: mcarlson@fpm.wisc.edu
- Specific Types of Accommodations For Students and Non-Employees: Trey
Duffy, director, McBurney Disability Resource Center, 905 University
Avenue, Madison, WI 53715; phone 263-5174; fax 265-2998; TTY 263-6393;
email: j.trey.duffy@mail.admin.wisc.edu
- Specific Types of Accommodations For Employees: Nancy Malz, Disability Coordinator/Employment at the Equity and Diversity Resource Center, 179A Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706; phone 263-2378; fax 263-2081; TTY 263-2473; email: nmalz@vc.wisc.edu
Enclosure
xc: David Ward
John Torphy
John Wiley
Charles Read
Mary Rouse
Marcia Carlson
Nancy Malz
Trey Duffy
Dick Pierce
Scott Jenkins
Mark Schemmel
Lisa Massman
Edna Szymanski
Peggy Lewis