News and Notes: December 2004
Released: December 13, 2004
Understanding Disabilities: May I fail a student with a disability?
Yes. It is possible to fail a student with a disability. The laws mandate access to education, not guaranteed academic success. When a faculty member has provided reasonable academic accommodations, all that is required to comply with the law, and the student does not meet the course requirements, then failing a student is proper and lawful. The following is a compliance checklist that may be helpful:
- Stand by academic standards and freedoms, which include full and equitable access to academic programs.
- Provide verbal and written notice to your students of your willingness to accommodate. For example: "I encourage students with disabilities to discuss accommodations with me."
- Communicate clear and concise expectations for performance to your students. Distinguish between essential and non-essential components of the course.
- Respect requests for reasonable accommodations. (The disability student services office facilitates obtaining these alternative formats).
- Permit students to use auxiliary aides and technologies that ensure access (examples: note takers, sign language interpreters, readers, scribes, research assistants, tape recorders/players, assistive listening devices).
- Assure that your course materials, whether printed or electronic, are accessible and available in alternative formats (examples: Braille, computer electronic text, large print, internet, CD/cassettes).
- Consult with your disability student services office if you have questions when a student requests accommodations.
- Keep student disability-related information strictly confidential.
Chancellor’s Committee on Disability Concerns (Copied with permission of the University of Washington, http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty)
Wireless technology comes to UW-Whitewater
In the fall of 2003, the UW-Whitewater campus was introduced to wireless Local Area Network (LAN) through a pilot project in the Andersen Library. The wireless network enabled students, faculty and staff to access the Internet, Desire 2 Learn, email, and the library collection via their own laptop computers or one of the seven public laptops available in the library.
In fall 2004, with the campus infrastructure complete, Technology & Information Resources began to roll out wireless access to network resources throughout campus.
“The goal of the first phase of the wireless LAN project, dubbed the “Convenience Phase,” is to provide access on campus in locations where members of the campus community congregate,” said John Pariso, supervisor of Network Operation Center at Technology and Information Resources.
Currently, seven buildings, including the Library, have wireless access points: the James R. Connor University Center, Carlson Hall, Heide Hall, Upham Hall, Winther Hall and Williams Center. The Greenhill Center for the Arts is next in line as part of the convenience phase.
To date, there are 35 active wireless access points installed in the seven buildings. The library building has five while the University Center has the most access points in one building, with 10, at a cost of $1,200 per access point and is being funded through Student Tech Fees.
Wireless access is also expected to be available in the basements of the residence halls by the beginning of the 2005-06 school year.
Response from the campus community to the wireless access is overwhelmingly positive. Library reports almost 300 laptop checkouts in the span of two months. In addition, over 100 students and 50 faculty and staff used wireless access with their own laptops.
The second phase of the roll out is the “instructional phase” and will concentrate on providing wireless availability in the classrooms. Leaders from the four colleges and Technology and Information Resources will begin planning for this phase in December 2004.
How to get connected…and stay connected.
Students, faculty and staff members who want to take advantage of the looming wireless capabilities on campus need a UW-Whitewater email Log-in and a laptop computer with a built-in wireless network card or a purchased card that is WiFi certified and supports 802.11g.
For more information about wireless access, contact the UW-Whitewater Helpdesk at (262) 472-HELP, or go on line to the T&IR Wireless Technology site at http://www.uww.edu/tir/index.php?id=29.
The future is here at UW-Whitewater.
“Not a lot of students are showing up with wireless equipment,” said John Pariso. But when parents start buying their kids laptops as the computer of choice, UW-Whitewater will be wireless ready.
Classified Update: December 2004
Hired:
Daniel Langeberg, Custodian, Residence Life, 12/6/04
Retirement:
Shirley Bestul, Info. Sys. & Oper. Services, 2/4/05
Education college awards outstanding teachers
UW-Whitewater’s College presented Scott Bradley, associate professor of communicative disorders, with both the Audrey Z. McClellan Endowed Teacher of Distinction Award for 2004 and College of Education Service Award.
The McClellan award distinguishes excellence in teaching, and the individuals who work with students, helping them achieve their academic and personal goals. The award comes with a plaque and a $5,000 stipend for winning the prestigious honor.
McClellan and her husband, Rollie, of Janesville, established this award in 1998 to show their commitment to investing in quality education. Audrey McClellan taught math in Janesville from 1973-82 and received her master’s degree in professional development from UW-Whitewater in 1977. The McClellan’s have been longstanding supporters of UW-Whitewater.
Also announced at the award ceremony were the winners of the College of Education Advising and Research Awards. Virginia Epps, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, received the Advising Award for her devotion to guiding students. This year’s Research Award was given to two faculty members — Shannon Stuart, assistant professor of special education, and Dr. Ruiying Ding, assistant professor of communicative disorders.
The event also honored student scholarship winners, many of who met their donors for the first time. Attendees at this event included students, faculty members from the Education department, and scholarship donors.
- N & P Staff,npa@uww.edu
