The University Record, October 15, 1996
U-M’s Investing in Ability Week is Oct. 13-18
By Rebecca A. Doyle
Investing in Ability Week, Oct. 13-19, is observed throughout the state to encourage everyone to focus on abilities, rather than perceived disabilities, when employing persons with disabilities.
At the U-M, the following events are scheduled:
Oct. 14
“Moving Violations,” John Hockenberry lecture, 8 p.m., Michigan Union Ballroom. Tickets are $10 and available at the Michigan Union Ticket Office. Hockenberry is news correspondent for “Dateline NBC” and author of Moving Violations: War Zones, Wheelchairs and Declarations of Independence. He has been a paraplegic since an auto accident when he was 19 years old. The lecture is sponsored by The Office of Major Events, the Council for Disability Concerns, the Affirmative Action office and other units.
Oct. 16
10 a.m.—Annual meeting of the Council for Disability Concerns, Michigan Union.
11 a.m.—Neubacher Award presentation, Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union. The award is presented annually in memory of James Neubacher, a U-M alumnus and columnist for The Detroit News until his death in 1990 from multiple sclerosis. In addition, twelve certificates of appreciation will be awarded this year to University staff.
Oct. 14-18
Open house at the Adaptive Technology Computing Site, Shapiro Undergraduate Library. The facility provides learning resources available to students with disabilities.
|
Hiring decisions should involve entire staff, food service manager says This year, a new award has been added to celebrate the abilities of employers as well as employees at the U-M. In recognition of efforts they have made to make the U-M a welcoming environment for those with varying abilities, twelve certificates will be presented to faculty and staff at a ceremony that begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union. Dan Schleh, food service manager for South Quadrangle, is one who will receive such recognition. But, he says, it’s not the managers who necessarily should get the credit. “You need the support of all your staff—they’re the ones who have to take the extra steps to help this person.” Schleh talks with all the employees about how the workload might change, then asks them to weigh the help they can give against an additional chore each day. His staff has been very supportive of a long-standing effort within the unit to accommodate employees who, due to injury or impairment, may not be able to do the same kind or same amount of work as someone else. |
