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Multicultural Council Minutes

November 9, 2003

Attendance & Introductions

Denise DeLaGarza, Texas Center for Disability Studies
Kimberly Walker, Oregon UCEDD
Allison J. Ball, University of Oregon
Tawara D. Goode, Georgetown University
Carolyn Richardson, NM Center for Dev & Dis
Susan Yuan, VT UCEDD
Paula Sotnik, ICI, UMB - Boston, MA
Gemma D. Skillman, SD Center Dis/ LEND
Sharon Hauss, IN Institute on Dis & Comm
Amy Anixter Scott, CDD, NM
Jacqueline Chavannes, CDD, NM
Glenn Fujiura, IDHD, Univ IL- Chicago
Ruth B. Smith, Shriver, UMass Medical School
Tokesha Warner, MIND Project/ Nashville, TN
Gordon Richins, Utah Center for Persons with Disabilities
Jean Beatson, UVM/ LEND
Mat McCullough, AUCD Central Office

Organizational Self-Assessment follow-up (Carolyn Richardson)

The MCC Self-Assessment Tool was introduced last summer and is available on the Council's website. An email announcement was sent to the Network shortly before the Diversity Survey was announced.

Board Diversity Workgroup report (Tokesha Warner)

The Diversity Workgroup was formed in January of 2003 on the recommendation of this Council to the Board. Many members of the Council were asked to serve on the workgroup and held a conference call before meeting in February of 2003. The Work Group appointed Leadership and worked to structure a Plan of Action, Suggestions and Recommendations to the Board. The Board meeting was cancelled because of snow and the Workgroup meeting was extended when the group got snowed in. The plan and structure were presented at the Board call and were well received. A solid list of suggestions and plans were set into motion and committees began to expand upon the ideas created.

Committees were formed around:

  1. Resources and best practices
  2. Recruitment and retention
  3. Annual Meeting
  4. Partnerships
  5. Surveys & Assessments

Criteria for Annual AUCD Diversity Award (Carolyn Richardson)

There will need to be a committee to create an Annual Award to be given at the Banquet. Tokesha, Kimberly and Allison Ball volunteered to work on creating award criteria.The call for Nominees is issued around August.

Introduction of New Officers

Carolyn thanked the outgoing officers and gave each of them a beautiful gift. Carolyn announced the new slate of officers:

  1. Chair: Kimberly Walker
  2. Vice-Chair: Royal Walker
  3. Secretary: Tokesha Warner

Kimberly thanked Carolyn for her motivation and determination during her years of service to the Council. The Board thanked Carolyn and acknowledged her years of service and drive in influencing the AUCD Network.

Board Update

  • DWG Survey results (Kimberly)
    • The results were presented to the Board on Sunday
    • Results will be presented to the Network on Tuesday
    • Centers who have not yet reported can still do so on the website (through late December or early January)
    • The numbers were not quite as low as expected.
    • The survey had a much higher response rate than other surveys
  • Central office (Mat)
    • Mat thanked Kimberly and Soon for analyzing the data
    • Mat thanked Tokesha for assisting with the development and analysis of the survey
    • The Board was surprised that the numbers were so high
    • It is important to realize that the most diverse centers are the ones who reported. This may have skewed the data.
  • Next Steps
    • In the future we need to prepare people that this is coming down the pike
    • Analyze the data to look at where people with disabilities are in the tier
    • The full results will be posted to the AUCD webpage in early December.
    • Other assessments are pending

Proposed merger of Multicultural Council and Diversity Workgroup

Council Issues

  • Structural issues: why did the workgroup need to be formed separate from the Council? The Board felt that to engage Directors it needed to be a workgroup of the Board.
  • What does the Board expect from the Council? Can we adopt the workgroup as part of the Council? Would we lose funding and support from the Board if the two were merged?

Wrap up and Next steps

  • Network with other Council Chairs
    • Training Directors: Ann Cox
    • ID: Dallas Hertzberg
    • CEC: Diane Lentz
    • COCA: Sharon Ely
  • Possible Initiatives
    • Partnerships
      • Recruitment & Retention
    • Resources & Best Practices
    • Website
  • Mat has direct access to the website so any changes needed should be directed to him. Tokesha will be our Webmaster.
  • Monthly conference calls between the Council Leadership
  • Kimberly will be making personal calls to all Center Directors to ask for participation and representation of their Center on the Council

F. Quarterly web casts

1. Interactive forum for the entire group

2. Open to trainees