Please register at the links provided on the session titles below for those sessions that may be of interest to you. To request an accommodation for any session or for assistance with reserving a space at a session, please contact the Office of Institutional Equity at (765) 494-7253 or (765) 496-1343 (TTY), or via e-mail at equity@purdue.edu.

Accessible Technology Webinar - The power of Social Networking Sites for People with Disabilities

The explosion of the use of Internet-based social networking sites and social media to communicate and connect with friends, work colleagues, potential job applicants and customers has been particularly beneficial to businesses and people with disabilities who may not have had the opportunity to connect so freely through more traditional or in-person means. This session will examine what social networking is all about and how it can be leveraged successfully to enhance communication and to break down barriers to full participation by everyone in the digital age.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010
2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
YONG, Room 1057

ADA Audio Conference - Service Animals: Unraveling the differences and best practices

The rights of people with disabilities who use service animals vary, depending on which law applies. The Americans with Disabilities Act, the Air Carrier Access Act, and the Fair Housing Act each have different standards for service animals and their owners. Complicating the topic even further is the issue of the definition of service animals, especially in relation to emotional support or therapy animals. This session will provide information about the definition of service animals and the rights of service animal owners under the ADA, the ACAA, and the FHA. We will also discuss the differences in how the various laws treat service animals versus emotional support or therapy animals, as well as model service animal policies for educational institutions and healthcare facilities.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010
2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
YONG 1057

The Nuts and Bolts of Faculty Search and Screen for Support Staff

This session is designed to aid support staff in preparing and processing the necessary documents for faculty search and screen procedures. Anyone involved in the faculty search and screen process who would like to learn about required procedures, document completion, and the approval process should attend. Session participants will receive the Faculty Search and Screen Procedures manual. Additional copies of the manual may be requested from the Office of Institutional Equity at any time.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010
1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
STEW 318

Faculty Search and Screen Essentials

This presentation will examine the faculty search and screen process from beginning to end and will focus on the role of faculty as members of search and screen committees. All faculty are welcome. Faculty newly appointed to search and screen committees who have not served on a search and screen committee at Purdue or who would like a refresher are strongly encouraged to attend.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
STEW 318

The Essentials of Staff Recruitment and Selection

The Office of Institution Equity and Human Resource Services Employment are again teaming up to offer “The Essentials of Staff Recruitment and Selection” sessions. Directed toward hiring supervisors and committees as they proceed through the staff hiring process, the session will provide guidance on the search process from beginning to end, including how to enlarge applicant pools, evaluate applicant credentials, conduct a fair and legal interview, what to include in offer letters, and successful documentation of the process. All hiring supervisors and search committee members who are new to the hiring process, new to the University, or who would like a refresher on the fundamentals are encouraged to attend.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
STEW 318

Legal Issues Webinar - Impact of the Supreme Court's ADA Decisions

When Congress passed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, it repudiated two of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ADA decisions. (Sutton and Williams) But what about the other ADA cases decided by the Supreme Court? These cases involved important issues including reasonable accommodation and seniority systems, the definition of employee and employer, pretext, the impact of qualifying for Social Security benefits, and direct threat. What impact have these cases had? This session will provide an in-depth review of lower court interpretations of the major Supreme Court ADA decisions that were not covered by the ADA Amendments Act and provide guidance for interpreting those issues in the future.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Young Hall, 1057

ADA Audio Conference - Aging Workers with Disabilities: Implications for Employers

The aging workforce is likely to result in increasing numbers of workers with disabilities. By the year 2010, this group will account for nearly half (44%) of the working age population (20-64), and the number of people with disabilities between the ages of 50 and 65 is predicted to double. Disability management and accommodation policies and practices readily lend themselves to addressing the challenges employers will face with an aging workforce, and the increasing prevalence of disability that these demographics bring. Join this session for a discussion of the practices associated with maximizing the productivity of an aging workforce and contribute to aging worker retention.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010
2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Stewart Center, 313

Conducting Quality Interviews

The Conducting Quality Interviews session is designed to provide Purdue supervisors with the tools to plan for and conduct candidate interviews, this session will highlight interview practices that will assist in making strong selection decisions.

Thursday, February 18, 2010
9:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m.
STEW 318

A Guide to Reference Checking

A Guide to Reference Checking is an interactive program that offers participants answers to the questions of who, what, when, how, and why of reference checking, as well as the opportunity to get answers to their reference checking questions. The fundamentals of reference checking have never been easier to master!

Thursday, February 18, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.
STEW 318

Diversity in Employment

The Diversity in Employment session features a conversation on diversity in the employment arena, including ten suggestions for recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce at Purdue.

Thursday, February 18, 2010
11:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.
STEW 318

Accessible Technology Webinar - Best Practices in Developing and Disseminating Documents Electronically

This webinar will focus on best practices for making documents accessible when they are going to be distributed electronically, including but not limited to PDF, PowerPoint, and Word documents. This session will be of interest to individuals who are involved in the development of documents for dissemination whether they are doing it as a website content manager or a HR Manager distributing information to potential candidates to an instructor preparing materials for posting on their course content pages or for distribution via email.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010
2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Young Hall, 1057

ADA Audio Conference - Conducting Effective Accessibility Surveys Part I

What to measure, how to measure, who is qualified to do a survey and what tools are available to support this activity are commonly asked questions. This two-part series will explore the requirements to conduct accessibility surveys by business, government and educational institutions to ensure that they meet the requirements of the ADA. Topics to be covered include what to look for in an existing facility as well as a facility that has undergone renovation and/or was newly constructed since the implementation date of the ADA. Experts in the field will share their "lessons learned" and tricks of the trade.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010
2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Young Hall, 1057

Legal Issues Webinar – Reasonable Accommodation Legal Update

Reasonable accommodation issues continue to be one of the most frequently litigated ADA issues. This session will identify the major trends arising in reasonable accommodation cases and analyze recent court decisions interpreting the reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Young Hall, Room 1057

ADA Audio Conference – Conducting Effective Accessibility Surveys Part II

This is the conclusion of the two-part series that explore the requirements to conduct accessibility surveys by business, government and educational institutions to ensure that they meet the requirements of the ADA. Topics to be covered include what to look for in an existing facility as well as a facility that has undergone renovation and/or was newly constructed since the implementation date of the ADA. Experts in the field will share their "lessons learned" and tricks of the trade.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Young Hall, Room 1057

Accessible Technology Webinar – Successful Accommodations: Assistive Technology and Accessibility Working Together

This webinar session is an overview of accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, specifically Assistive Technology. It will highlight how assistive and accessible technology work together to create a successful working environment for people with disabilities.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Young Hall, Room 1057

ADA Audio Conference – Reservations Please: Ensuring Access for Customers with Disabilities

Customers with disabilities are a growing market in the hospitality industry. Millions of people with disabilities regularly travel, shop, and eat out with family and friends. According to Census 2000, approximately 20.9 million families in this country have at least one member with a disability. An Open Doors Organization study estimated in 2003 that diners with disabilities would spend $35 billion in restaurants that year and the number was expected to grow and it has. The study also found that more than 75% of people with disabilities report that they eat out at restaurants at least once a week. Furthermore, The New York Times reported that spending by travelers with disabilities exceeds $13.6 billion annually. These statistics alone make the business case for ensuring access for customers with disabilities. Join this session to hear more about what the hospitality industry is doing to serve this market and their experiences doing so.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Stewart Center, Room 313