Draft Terms of Reference: McMaster’s Inaugural Student and Alumni Accessibility Council

Draft Terms of Reference: McMaster’s Inaugural Student and Alumni Accessibility Council

The Student and Alumni Accessibility Council (STAAC) is an inaugural body comprised of 15 – 20 current (under/graduate) students and alumni with disabilities. The STAAC is part of the STEER/R Grant for the Accessibility in Teaching and Learning Roadmap Project within the Office of the Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning. In collaboration with the Project Coordinator, members will set priorities for cross-faculty organizing and, as well as collective and individual feedback provision and recommendation generation, based on their shared interests and institutional context (e.g., strategic vision). Throughout the academic year, the Council will convene remotely at least once per month to conduct practical training, offer insights on accessibility-related policies, and engage in peer support and mentorship. Essentially, the Council will serve both as a platform for leadership and community development and an advisory committee. The Terms of Reference articulate the Council’s proposed mandate and the subsequent responsibilities. As a living document, it will evolve to reflect its members’ interests.

Expandable List

We define “disability” in the most expansive sense to encompass students or alumni living with:

  • Physical, learning, sensory, developmental, or mental health disability.
  • Medical conditions, chronic illnesses, or chronic pain.
  • Trauma (intergenerational or otherwise), grief, with or without related and associated physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, and cognitive effects.
  • Identifies as D/deaf, hard of hearing, Mad, neurodivergent, autistic, recovering, chronically ill, and/or experiencing addiction.
  • Challenges navigating campus or inequitable accessibility accommodations (formal or informal).
  • Assistive technology use/experience.

To acknowledge the commitment and labour associated with a position on the Council, each member will receive an honorarium through the Student Success Centre’s Career Access Professional Services (CAPS) Program. The honorarium is available to both part-time and full-time students at the undergraduate or graduate level, as well as to alumni up to five (5) years post-degree completion.

  1. Establish annual priorities for cross-faculty organizing that reflect students’ personal/professional goals as well as the contemporary post-secondary landscape.
  2. Cultivate a collaborative, inclusive environment for students and alumni with disabilities to learn and work together to enhance accessibility across McMaster University.
  3. Participate in workshops to develop robust knowledge of disability justice, the post-secondary landscape, university infrastructure, and/or leadership skills.
  4. Provide feedback on current accessibility policies, processes, and/or practices at as needed to support McMaster University’s strategic vision (“inclusive excellence”).
  5. Evaluate forthcoming policies including the forthcoming and identify potential areas for concern.
  6. Develop a sustainable model for peer support and mentorship within the first one to three years of the Council, ensuring continuity during transitional periods.
  7. Identify best practices for (self-)disclosure, respecting participants’ right to privacy, personal boundaries, and confidentiality.
  8. Build relationships with campus and community partners (e.g., Maccess, The Equity and Inclusion Office, Student Accessibility Services, Student Success Centre, Office of the Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning, the MacPherson Institute, and The Disability Justice Network of Ontario) as needed to support the Council’s objectives.
  9. Facilitate dialogue with McMaster staff, faculty, and/or administration as appropriate to influence policy on the built environment, digital accessibility, accommodation processes (through Student Accessibility Services and/or Human Resources), and related areas.
  10. Act as a resource for accessibility-related student groups and/or programs on campus.