Update on "What Moves Us" Dance Festival and Conference
An updated schedule for the World Dance Alliance-Americas
General Assembly, coming up May 28 - May 31, is now available. The UW Dance Department invites the public
to attend concerts and participate in public dance classes presented by the Assembly. The WDAA
Assembly will bring together more than 200 experts and artists in the field of dance from all over the United
States and over 15 countries. The event's theme "What Moves Us" highlights the most basic component of
dance - movement - in order to broaden definitions of the dancing community and the communities affected by
dance. Through emphasis on inclusivity, the Assembly hopes to promote intercultural exchange, highlight the
rich and unique artistic contributions of dancers with disabilities, and encourage the involvement of the
local Madison community. Bird and Water Dance Ensemble, a company of fifteen performers all of whom have physical
disabilities or visual impairment, will present the Assembly's closing event, a full-length concert at
the Wisconsin Union Theater on May 31 at 7:00 pm. Space for individuals using wheelchairs may be limited.
Those needing accommodations should call (608) 262-2353 by Saturday, May 30, at 12:00 noon.
All public concerts except the opening night concert are free. For more
information,
visit the UW-Madison Dance Program website or contact
Assembly Coordinator Ereck Jarvis at (608) 262-1640.
Job Opportunities through Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Calendar of Key Dates and Deadlines
See related articles below for more information.
May 5: Final Accessibility Advocates Meeting for Spring 2009
May 21: FREE Assistive Technology Resource Fair at MATC
May 24: Cheer Madison Spinal Cord Injury Association's Hand Cycle Team at Madison Marathon
May 28-31: See Bird and Water Dance Ensemble at World Dance Alliance-Americas General Assembly
McBurney Updates
Congratulations to all students who will be graduating this spring! Take pride in your achievement. We wish you
all the best as you prepare for careers or the next steps in your education. Please keep in touch and let us know if
you have any questions as you make this important transition.
Stressed out about the end of the semester? Not sure when to start studying for finals? Call today to make a SLSS
(Study and Learning Skills) appointment to get extra help with exam preparation, time management, study skills and
make appointments is the week before finals! To make an appointment please call the McBurney front desk
at: 608-263-2741 and ask to make a SLSS appointment.
McBurney Reminders
Make sure finals go smoothly by checking in with professors now regarding your finals test accommodations.
If you're attending summer school, check the expiration date on your VISA to ensure it hasn't expired.
Document conversion users are also reminded that on-time requests for summer were due May 1.
Evaluations for test accommodations, notetaking and document conversion services will be available
online shortly after finals week. A link will be posted from McBurney's home page.
Your feedback is critical to improving these essential core services.
Please take the time to share your thoughts and perspectives.
Message from Peter Greenwood, President of Accessibility Advocates
I want to take a brief moment of your time to introduce myself. My name is Peter Greenwood and I am the
new president of Accessibility Advocates. I have been a member for the last two semesters and am now thrilled
to be able to take on a leadership role.
I am a senior majoring in psychology; I am not exactly sure what I plan
to do after graduating, but something to do with health and disability issues seems likely. Due to a battle
with bone cancer from the age of 18-21 my left leg was amputated above the knee. Since I lost my leg I have
tried to find a new balance in my life. This hasn’t been easy, but one thing I know gives me more balance is
working for greater accessibility for students with disabilities, as well as more disability awareness from
the general student body. Through Accessibility Advocates I have become much more aware of the large
variety of individuals with disabilities on this campus. That being said I not only want to work towards
making campus more accessible for students with disabilities, but I also want to make students without
disabilities more aware of the issues students with disabilities face. This will make for a more welcoming and
understanding environment for all.
We will be having an end of the semester dinner/meeting on Tuesday May 5th from 6-7pm in the Multipurpose
Room at McBurney. At this meeting we will be planning for the fall. Some possible future projects are a
short video showing Accessibility Advocates' history and possible future goals, and
also a disability awareness day during the fall semester. As usual, if you have an idea for an event or
anything that you think Accessibility Advocates could do, don’t be afraid to speak up. We are also still
looking for members to fill leadership positions; if you are interested please let us know. You can check out
job descriptions on Accessibility Advocates'
web site. Additional opportunities may include positions as chairs of membership, publicity, and programming
committees. We are also looking for people with video and web skills.
Please R.S.V.P. to mcburneystudentadvisory@rso.wisc.edu
by Tuesday, May 5, at noon if you will be attending the meeting so we can order enough food.
Major campus construction projects are in process (e.g., Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, Wisconsin
Union Redevelopment, Education Building remodeling) or will be starting soon. These projects are affecting
transportation throughout campus. They also may make getting to McBurney more difficult for some students. Currently,
the interior route to McBurney from University Avenue through the Medical Sciences Center (MSC) and Social Work
buildings has been affected by construction on the MSC. Observatory Drive from Bascom Hall to Memorial Union will
be closed right after classes end; buses will be re-routed as a result. Students are encouraged to contact their McBurney
accommodations specialists if getting to McBurney becomes a problem; staff are willing to meet with students at Steenbock
Library, if needed.
Bird and Water Dance Ensemble, a Taiwan-based dance company comprised entirely of dancers with visual and
other disabilities, will be performing at the World Dance Alliance-Americas General Assembly "What Moves Us" festival
and dance conference hosted by the UW-Madison Dance Program. A May 28 performance will be held at the Capitol Theater at
the Overture Center for the Arts, and a May 31 performance will be held at Wisconsin Union Theater on campus. For
more information, see the Dance Department's web site.
Community Events and Information
Learn about new talking book technology, assistive technology for people with low vision, funding options and more
at a FREE Assistive Technology Resource Fair held on May 21 from 10am - 4pm at the MATC Truax Campus. There will be
hands-on technology displays, as well as information sessions. For
more information, see Assistive Technology Resource
Center's web site. Sign language interpreters and CART services will be provided. If you need other accommodations,
please contact the sponsors by May 8.
The Madison Spinal Cord Injury Association will have a hand cycle team competing in the Madison Marathon on May 24.
To get involved in other activities sponsored by the organization, including potlucks, picnics, recreation and sports,
and socials, please see the Madison Spinal Cord Injury Association's web site.
Internships/Scholarships/Employment
Check out job opportunities through the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR).
Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education graduates should be aware that DVR
received funding which they hope will enable them to add ten new positions soon. You can sign up for email
notification of new job openings on the Department of Workforce
Development's web site.
Students searching for summer employment may want to check out the
Summer Youth Employment Program,
which has revised its upper age limit to age 24 with additional funding provided by
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009.
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