“Welcoming Disability with the Social Model”The March 2 workshop “Welcoming Disability with the Social Model” will open the month-long series “It’s Accessible, but is it Inclusive?”

March 2 workshop to launch series on accessibility and inclusivity

A new format to Accessibility Awareness Day will see live, virtual workshops held each of the five Tuesdays in March, from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

The Office of Human Rights, Equity, and Accessibility has organized the presentations on the theme “It’s Accessible, but is it Inclusive?” with the intention of fostering an environment in which all people feel like they belong and are active contributors to the campus and the greater community.

The first in the series is March 2, “Welcoming Disability with the Social Model.” This presentation will introduce central tenets of the social model of disability. Attendees will explore how the social model approaches disability differently from common medical and charity models, and the impact that valuing disability can have on teaching, learning, and practice.

Presenting are Jijian Voronka, an assistant professor in the School of Social Work who uses critical disability studies perspectives to elucidate confluences of power that affect disabled people in everyday, community, and institutional life; and social work student Iseonna Silliker, whose courses in disability studies have fostered her passion for accessibility, social inclusion, and human rights.

The series will continue

  • March 9, “Accessibility, Inclusion, and the Limits of the Law”
  • March 16, “Supporting Human-Centered Design”
  • March 23, “Accessible Online Education During the Pandemic and Beyond”
  • March 30, “Keynote Address: Inclusion has to be Purposeful”

Find more information, including session registration, on the Accessibility Awareness Day website.

students leading orientationApplications for student support jobs in orientation programming are open through March 15.

Applications open for student orientation jobs

Job applications for the student staff positions for summer 2021 in orientation programming are open until Monday, March 15. Apply via mySUCCESSS.

These positions are full time paid opportunities, only open to undergraduate students returning to the University in September, notes student development specialist Amber Norman.

“We are looking for students who are very involved in campus life and interested in furthering their leadership abilities,” she says. “They will have a big hand in facilitating Head Start and Welcome Week and will be role models and leaders to the incoming undergraduate student body.”

The available positions include co-ordinators for:

Find more information, including a calendar of relevant dates, on the orientation website.

Diploma frame and picture frameBuy a diploma frame from the Alumni Association before March 31 to be entered into a draw to win your purchase and a portrait frame.

Enter for a chance to win a free diploma frame from the Alumni Association

With spring convocation right around the corner, now is the time to think about celebrating the UWindsor graduates in your life.

The UWindsor Alumni Association offers a variety of Canadian-made frame styles to display UWindsor diplomas with pride. Beat the spring rush and purchase a diploma frame before March 31 to be entered into a draw to win your purchase and an 8"x10" universal portrait frame. The winner will be announced April 1.

To order your frame, click here.

two people in conversationEmployees are often reluctant to speak up at work. But if they make efforts to research their ideas and ensure they benefit the organization, it benefits both workers and employers.

Helping workers find their voice benefits employees and employers, say researchers

Employee voice — speaking up with ideas, concerns, opinions, or information — is vital for organizational performance and innovation, but studies consistently show that employees are reluctant to speak up.

In an article published Thursday in the Conversation, Kyle Brykman, assistant professor of management at the Odette School of Business, and Jana Raver, professor of organizational behaviour at Queen’s University, explore why is this the case, and what can be done to help people voice their opinions at work more effectively.

The two conducted five studies involving nearly 1,500 participants to identify critical features of higher-quality messages from employees:

  1. They have a strong rationale. Their ideas and opinions are logical and based on evidence.
  2. They have a high feasibility. Their ideas are practical and have the potential to be implemented.
  3. They have a strong organizational focus. Their opinions are critical to the success of the organization or team, not just personally beneficial to the employee.
  4. They have a high novelty. They shouldn’t just repeat old ideas or approach the situation with the same frame of mind.

“Putting energy into developing higher-quality voice messages takes effort, but our research shows that it pays off. Employees who regularly presented higher-quality voice were regarded as more worthy of promotion and better all-round performers in their jobs,” they write.

Read the entire piece, “Why employees hesitate to speak up at work — and how to encourage them,” in the Conversation, which shares news and views from the academic and research community.

Markus Law-HeeseMarkus Law-Heese has signed on to the Lancer men’s volleyball team.

Varsity volleyball adds setter to men’s roster

Lancers men’s volleyball head coach James Gravelle announced the commitment of recruit Markus Law-Heese to the program’s 2021-22 roster Thursday.

A setter from Aurora High School and the Storm Volleyball Club, Law-Heese is a four-year honour roll student who will study concurrent education next fall.

“We are very happy to have Markus commit to our program,” said Gravelle. “He is a smart player with a very competitive spirit. He will improve our gym from day one and we look forward to his arrival on campus in September.”

Law-Heese listed many reasons for choosing Windsor to continue his education and volleyball career.

“They have an amazing volleyball program, a great coaching staff, and a great team culture,” he said. “Windsor also provides me with the academic program of my preference and I am very excited about the upcoming year.”

Read the whole story, “Gravelle adds Markus Law-Heese for 2021-22 season,” at goLancers.ca.