President's Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (PACDI)
Michigan State University's commitment to institutional accessibility and diversity, and to the principle that all people matter, guides ongoing efforts to make the university community one that welcomes the contributions of all its members, including persons with disabilities. The President's Advisory Committee on Disability Issues was established in 1987 to ensure broad institutional input on matters relating to persons with disabilities of all characteristics at MSU. According to its bylaws, the committee is responsible for advising the president on university policies, programs, and procedures affecting persons with disabilities in the university community. The committee is comprised of voting members representing MSU faculty, students, and support staff.-
Notice of Meetings
Next Scheduled Meeting
PACDI will meet on January 21, 2025 at 1:oo p.m. Location - Green Room Main Library – 4th Floor, West Wing and via Zoom. Contact ocr.evalynyanna@msu.edu for a Zoom invitation.
- Agendas
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Meeting Minutes and Recordings
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Annual Report
On April 15, 2024, PACDI issued its Annual Report for the 2023-2024 Academic Year. The Report was shared with the President at our annual meeting with him on April 22, 2024. The Report was also shared with Academic Governance.
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Bylaws
President's Advisory Committee on Disability Issues Bylaws (docx) Revised 05.03.2023
President’s Advisory Committee on Disability Issues
Bylaws
Vision
A university that is welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to all members of the community and members of the public who participate in the university’s programs, services, and activities.
Mission
To advise the President and community stakeholders on university policies, programs, and services, purposefully advocating for a more equitable, inclusive, and accessible Michigan State University (MSU) for persons with disabilities.
Charge
The President’s Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (PACDI) is charged with analyzing and identifying issues, proposing solutions, and making recommendations to the President and directly to community stakeholders on matters of particular concern to persons with disabilities, including:
- Implementation or revision of policies and guidelines impacting individuals with disabilities, including but not limited to the University’s Disability & Reasonable Accommodation Policy, the Web Accessibility Policy, the Anti-Discrimination Policy, etc.
- Periodic reporting of data regarding the number of students, staff, and faculty who identify as having a disability; recruitment, retention and promotion of staff, faculty, and students with disabilities; and strategic recommendations for improving representation of persons with disabilities in our student and employee populations.
- Barriers to access or other issues raised by colleges, departments, programs, units, students, employees and program participants with disabilities and suggestions for responding to issues.
- Raising awareness of disability as part of the University’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion efforts and suggestions for providing equal access and inclusion.
- Educational programming or events that promote education, celebrate disability, and raise awareness and inclusion for the disability community, e.g., Disability Awareness Month, “listening sessions” on the climate for university community members with disabilities.
- Representation of the disability community in different campus-wide groups (e.g., search committees, advisory committees, task forces, strategic planning initiatives, and others).
- Improving the accessibility of new and existing facilities and infrastructure.
- Training programs for students, staff and faculty regarding issues impacting persons with disabilities, student and employee accommodations, and web and digital accessibility, etc.
- Funding recommendations for disability accommodations, academic adjustments, and assistive technologies.
- Programming for and about people with disabilities.
- Improved digital and web-based access and other assistive technology.
- Accessible signage, wayfinding, and transportation on campus.
- Resources for community members with disabilities.
- Staffing ratios in the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, the Office of Employee Relations, the Employee Assistance Program, Counseling & Psychiatric Services, etc., to address the needs of students, faculty, and staff with disabilities.
- Compliance and best practices for accessible and/or universal design.
- Accessible practices, programs, and services.
- New policies, programs, and/or procedures to assure that persons with disabilities have equal access to programs and facilities within the University.
- Monitoring the effectiveness of programs for persons with disabilities and progress towards a barrier free environment for persons with disabilities at MSU.
- Informing responsible campus offices about issues raised at Committee meetings, and requesting follow up from, or making recommendations to campus offices to which matters have been referred.
- Other recommendations deemed necessary by the PACDI membership to advance PACDI’s mission.
Organizational Structure
Officers
PACDI will consist of the following officers: a Chair, Vice Chair, and a Secretary.
Chair
The ADA Coordinator will serve as the permanent Chair of PACDI. The Chair is responsible for:
- Presiding over monthly meetings
- Preparing the Annual Report with assistance of the Vice Chair
- Communicating recommendations to the President and other community stakeholders
- Reviewing applications and making membership decisions with the assistance of the Vice Chair and a designated member of the Committee
- Calling special meetings when necessary
- Appointing subcommittees and task forces as needed, and
- Performing other duties as may be necessary to advance PACDI’s mission
Vice Chair
The Vice Chair will be selected via a nomination process of self or other Committee members. The nominee will have the opportunity to accept or reject the nomination. The Vice Chair will be selected based on an open vote of a consensus of the Committee membership present at the first monthly meeting of the academic year. A Vice Chair may serve successive terms, if nominated and elected by a consensus of the membership. If the Vice Chair is unable to serve on the Committee for the appointed term, a successor Vice Chair will be nominated and selected via a consensus vote of the Committee membership present at the meeting.
The Vice Chair will have the following responsibilities:
- Presiding over monthly meetings in the absence of the Chair
- Preparing the Annual Report with the assistance of the Chair
- Reviewing applications and making membership decisions with the assistance of the Chair and a designated member of the Committee, and
- Performing other duties as may be necessary to advance PACDI’s mission
Secretary
The ADA Coordinator will designate a Secretary from the Office for Civil Rights to provide clerical support to the Committee.
The Secretary will have the following responsibilities:
- Preparing the monthly meeting agenda
- Sending meeting notices and agenda to members
- Reserving space for in-person meetings or sending links to virtual meetings
- Serving as the official minute taker during monthly meetings
- Maintaining PACDI’s Bylaws, and any updates or revisions and posting them on PACDI’s website
- Posting monthly meeting minutes on PACDI’s website
- Maintaining PACDI’s website
- Coordinating events or other special functions held by or on behalf of PACDI
- Coordinating the annual meeting of the PACDI membership with the President’s office
- Performing other functions as designated by the Chair or Vice-Chair to ensure the efficient, well-organized, and transparent operation of PACDI
Committee Membership
Membership in PACDI is voluntary. All Committee members have voting rights. The membership will consist of the following offices and positions, or their designee:
- Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer – Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
- Director of Equity and Compliance - Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
- Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer – Human Resources
- Disability Accommodation Specialist – Office of Employee Relations
- Associate Provost and Associate Vice President – Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs
- Vice President – Office for Civil Rights
- ADA & Section 504 Coordinator - Office for Civil Rights
- Assistant Provost and Executive Director – University Health and Wellbeing
- Director - Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
- Presidential Advisor on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct issues
- Vice President for Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Facilities
- Vice Provost - Institutional Space Planning and Management
- Representative - Associated Students of MSU
- Representative - Council of Graduate Students
- Vice President for Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Facilities
- Vice Provost - Institutional Space Planning and Managemen
- A member of the faculty with an academic or research focus on disability accessibility (via open application to the Chair of the Committee) to serve a two-year term, with the ability to apply for membership in successive terms.
- An undergraduate student (selected via open application to the Chair of the Committee) to serve a two-year term.
- A graduate Student (selected via open application to the Chair of the Committee) to serve a two-year term.
- A maximum of two (2) students designated by the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (selected via open application through the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities) to serve a two-year term, with the ability to apply for membership in successive terms.
Notice of membership opportunities for student, staff, and faculty will be posted on PACDI’s website and distributed via email to interested parties, offices, and organizations by May 30 of each year. Applications for membership must be submitted to the Chair of PACDI by June 30. Except for applicants selected by RCPD, the Chair, Vice Chair, and a volunteer from the Committee membership, will review applications for membership for the coming year and make selection decisions by July 30. Open applications for the RCPD representative appointee will be notified of selection decisions by July 30.
The appointment of membership to the Committee will aim to ensure robust, but not necessarily exclusive, participation of persons with disabilities. If the Chair, Vice-Chair, or the membership of the Committee feel that the Committee is not sufficiently diverse, the Chair may appoint additional Committee members to increase the diversity of represented disabilities among the membership. When and if necessary, such individuals shall be appointed by August 1 to serve one-year terms.
Changes to the membership of the Committee will be by consensus of the existing membership present at the monthly meeting when the vote occurs.
Positions and offices that make up the Committee membership may change names. Amendments to the Bylaws to reflect changes in the position or office will be made at the sole discretion of the Chair and will not require Committee approval.
Meetings
The Committee will meet monthly throughout the academic year. Notice of meetings will be published on PACDI’s website. All meetings are open to the public and will include, as time allows, opportunities for public participation. Any Committee member or member of the public may submit an item for inclusion on the agenda.
The Chair or Vice-Chair will preside over monthly meetings. Committee members may add an item to the agenda at any time during the meeting. Between 15 and 30 minutes of each meeting will be reserved for public comment, including presentation of questions, comments, and suggestions from any non-member of the Committee.
Meetings will be recorded. Minutes of meetings will be maintained by the Secretary, distributed to the Committee membership, and posted on PACDI’s website after approved by the membership. Meeting minutes and other documents generated, reviewed, or maintained by the Committee will be kept for historical purposes by the Secretary in the ADA Coordinator’s Office in the Office for Civil Rights.
Should the membership determine the need for a special meeting of the Committee, in whole or in part, outside the monthly PACDI meeting schedule, the organization (including but not limited to; time, location, format, agenda, announcement, and participants) shall be determined by the Committee in consideration for the purpose and/or need for the special meeting.
To gain a broad understanding and perspective of the issues impacting the disability community, the following positions and representatives of the units and organizations identified below, may be invited to meetings to share their work, perspective, and concerns and to facilitate connection with people, programs, and resources that advance PACDI’s mission.
Issues Impacting Employees with Disabilities
- Office of Employee Relations – Disability Accommodation Specialist
- Associate Provost and Vice President - Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs
- Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer – Human Resources
- Director – Work Life Office
- Faculty with academic or research focus on disability
- Representative - University Committee on Academic Governance
- Representative - Academic Specialist Advisory Committee
- Representative - Library Faculty Steering Committee
- Representative - Administrative Professional Association
- Representative - Administrative Professional Supervisors Association
- Representative - AFSCME Locals 1585 and 999
- Representative - Clerical Technical Union
- Representative - Fraternal Order of Policy, Lodge 141
- Representative - IATSE & MPMO, Local 274
- Representative - IUOE Local 324
- Representative - MSU Extension
- Other community stakeholders with information/issues impacting employees with disabilities
Issues Impacting Students with Disabilities
- Director - Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
- Assistant Director of Case Management, Assessment, & Programmatic Innovation – Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
- Assistant Director of Assistive Technology Innovation – Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
- Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education
- Associate Provost for Graduate Education
- Senior Vice President - Student Life & Engagement
- Community Liaison
- Dean of Students – College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dean of Students – College of Human Medicine
- Dean of Students – College of Veterinary Medicine
- Dean of Students – College of Law
- Representative – Council of Students with Disabilities
- Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities student appointee
- Associated Students of MSU student appointee
- Council of Graduate Students student appointee
- Other community stakeholders with issues/information impacting students with disabilities
Diversity Equity Inclusion & Accessibility
- Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer – Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
- Director of Equity and Compliance – Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
- Chief Information Technology Officer – Information Technology
- Chief Academic Digital Officer – Information Technology
- Director - Educational Technology – Information Technology
- Manager Telecom Services – Information Technology
- Presidential Advisor – Relationship Violence & Sexual Misconduct issues
- Vice President - Office for Civil Rights
- ADA & Section 504 Coordinator – Office for Civil Rights
- Digital Accessibility Coordinator – Office for Civil Rights
- Accessibility Review Coordinator – Office for Civil Rights
- Executive Director – Prevention Outreach & Education
- Director Anti-Discrimination Policy Investigations – Office of Institutional Equity
- Digital Accessibility Coordinator - MSU Libraries
- MOSAIC: The Multicultural Unity Center
- Representative - Office of Cultural & Academic Transitions
- Representative - Student Veterans Resource Center
- The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center
- College of Human Medicine’s Autism Parent-Professional Conference
- College of Music’s Annual “Celebrating the Spectrum” Piano Festival
- College of Arts & Letter’s Sense-Ability Ensemble
- Other community stakeholders with issues/information impacting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities
Infrastructure and Facilities
- Vice President - Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Facilities
- Campus Planner – Infrastructure Planning and Facilities – Real Estate & Capital Plan Business Office
- Vice President - Intercollegiate Athletics
- Director - Auxiliary Sports Group Administration
- Assistant Provost - Institutional Space Planning & Management
- Representative - All University Traffic and Transportation Committee
- Other community stakeholders with information/issues impacting infrastructure and facilities
Event Accessibility/Extension/Youth Programs
- Executive Director - Wharton Center
- Director - Extension
- Director - Youth Programs
- Other community stakeholders with issues/information impacting event accessibility, extension, and youth programs
Student and Employee Health & Well-Being
- Assistant Provost & Executive Director – University Health and Wellbeing
- Director - Counseling & Psychiatric Services
- Director - Employee Assistance Program
- Director - Office of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies
- Other community stakeholders with issues/information impacting student and employee health and well-being
Police & Public Safety/Communications and Office of General Counsel
- Vice President and Chief of Police – Police & Public Safety
- University Police Support Unit Administrator – Police & Public Safety
- Vice President - Office of General Counsel
- Vice President - University Communications
- Other community stakeholders with issues/information impacting public safety, communications, and changes in the law impacting individuals with disabilities
Invitations to Committee members and community stakeholders to present at a meeting will include specific topics, updates or questions the Committee believes will advance its mission. Committee members and community stakeholders may present other information relevant to the Committee’s purpose and mission although not specifically requested. Invitations to present at a meeting will be sent by the Chair or Vice-Chair at least two months prior to the meeting at which the Committee Member or community stakeholder presents to the Committee.
Annual Report
Each year the Committee will submit an Annual Report summarizing:
- Its scholarly, advocacy, and disability awareness-raising activities
- Guidance, advice, and recommendations it made
- Updates on the status of implementation of recommendations from the previous year
- Other updates or information it received during the year
The Annual Report will be prepared by the Chair and Vice-Chair and shared with the membership by March 15. The membership will approve the Annual Report. Committee recommendations and actions will be by consensus of the Committee membership.
Annual Meeting with the President
The President will meet with the Committee at least once during the academic year. The annual meeting with the President will be held in April. Additional meetings may be requested by the President or the Committee. The Committee will forward its Annual Report to the President by April 1. During the annual meeting with the President, the Chair, Vice-Chair, and other Committee members as assigned, will discuss:
- The activities and actions the Committee took that year
- Recommendations and advice the Committee provided to advance PACDI’s mission and charge
- Information and issues the Committee learned about during meetings with community stakeholders
- The status of implementation of the prior year’s recommendations, and
- Comments, questions, or inquiries the President or the Committee membership may have regarding activities, recommendations, or other areas of interest.
The President will ensure that recommendations are promptly disseminated for consideration by appropriate University offices. PACDI may request status updates on the implementation of recommended actions.
Revised: May 3, 2023
Previous Bylaws
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PACDI Members
The membership consists of the follow offices and positions, or their designee:
- Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer – Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
- Director of Equity and Compliance - Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
- Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer – Human Resources
- Disability Accommodation Specialist – Office of Employee Relations
- Associate Provost and Associate Vice President – Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs
- Vice President – Office for Civil Rights
- ADA & Section 504 Coordinator - Office for Civil Rights
- Assistant Provost and Executive Director – University Health and Wellbeing
- Director - Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
- Presidential Advisor(s) on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct issues
- Vice President for Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Facilities
- Vice Provost - Institutional Space Planning and Managemen
- Senior Vice President - Student Life & Engagement
- Representative – Clerical Technical Union of MSU
- Representative - Libraries Steering Committee
- Representative - Associated Students of MSU
- Representative - Council of Graduate Students
- A member of the faculty with an academic or research focus on disability accessibility (via open application to the Chair of the Committee) to serve a two-year term, with the ability to apply for membership in successive terms.
- An undergraduate student (selected via open application to the Chair of the Committee)
- A graduate Student (selected via open application to the Chair of the Committee)
- A maximum of two (2) students designated by the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (selected via open application through the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities)