The Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) is something I hadn’t heard about until a few years into my post-secondary journey. However, I was quite surprised that students were actively being sent emails about the committees on the senate, the student union board, and more, but not committees such as the AAC. In fact, many of those I have mentioned this committee to often do not know what it is or that it exists at all.
I decided to reach out to the chair of the committee, Claire Hay, to ask her some questions and get more information on what exactly the AAC is. Hay has been involved with the AAC since April of 2020 and her connection to the committee comes through her role in the Teaching and Learning Centre as a Teaching and Learning Specialist for both instruction and curriculum. Thus, when Hay joined the Centre, she was asked to chair the AAC.
The AAC was created in October of 2014 by the former AVP, Teaching and Learning Dr. Maureen Wideman, in order to ensure access for all people by leveling the playing field. Hay explains the mission and goal of the committee as being an “advisory committee to the university community (reporting to Dr. Alisa Webb, VP Students) established to advise on and promote accessibility on campus. Its goals are to: 1.) raise awareness and promote accessibility at UFV; 2.) serve as a point of consultation to the university on issues related to accessibility; and 3.) conduct professional development for both the committee and the wider university community.”
Currently, the committee has approximately 20 members comprised of staff, faculty, and students. Hay states that as of now, there are only two students on the committee but more are welcome to join if interested. Though not all members of the committee are disabled, Hay suggests that the committee’s terms of reference does make note that there should be disabled people on the committee and that there are people who meet this criteria on the committee at present.
The committee only meets for an hour and a half every two months and therefore is also not an onerous commitment for anyone who is curious about joining. If you are interested and wish to get involved — disabled or not — you are encouraged to reach out directly to Claire Hay.
