Information for Students Receiving Interpreting Services
Interpreting Coordinator:
Terri Oehrlein
tkoehrle@odos.wisc.edu
McBurney Front Desk:
(608) 263-6393 (TTY), (608) 263-2741 (V)
Interpreters are expected to adhere to the RID Code of Professional Conduct. They are to
provide interpreting services to the best of their ability and not allow
personal feelings to interfere in the interpreting process.
Student Responsibilities
- Students should request interpreting services as soon as they register for classes each semester by using
the Service Request Form for Regularly
Scheduled UW Classes. Undergraduates may be granted priority registration to provide additional time
for McBurney to coordinate services. To maintain priority registration, students must continue to request
services as soon as they register for classes.
- Arrive a few minutes early the first day of class to introduce yourself to the interpreter. The interpreter will wait for you to arrive outside of the classroom.
- Check your syllabi for videos being shown at the beginning of the semester. You should contact
your professor to find out if the videos are captioned. If the professor is unsure if the video has
captions, you should refer him/her to the Media Accessibility Letter that was sent at the
beginning of the semester, or have them contact the Interpreter Coordinator Terri Oehrlein.
- If you will be late to class, immediately call the McBurney Center front desk. Specify the time at which you will arrive to class. The McBurney Center will make every effort to notify the interpreter assigned to stay until you arrive.
- The interpreter will wait 15 minutes from the start of a scheduled assignment. If you do not arrive to
class by this time, the interpreter will leave and it will be considered a "no show".
- A No Show is when a student misses class without any form of prior notification to the
McBurney Center.
- An Early Cancellation is when the student has cancelled services with the McBurney
Center at least 48 business hours in advance.
- A Late Cancellation is when a student gives less than 48 business hours notice
that he/she will not be attending class.
- Occasional absences are understandable. However, interpreting services will be temporarily suspended for any
course section (lecture, discussion, or lab) when a student has 2 consecutive "no shows". You will need to
communicate with the Terri Oehrlein in order to reinstate services.
- If the interpreter assigned to your class is unable to attend, McBurney will make every effort to schedule
another interpreter. There is a shortage of interpreters in Wisconsin. If there are no interpreters available
to sub for the absent interpreter, we will attempt to audio record the class and have an interpreter make
a video as soon as possible.
- Communicate with your interpreter! Discuss your preferences and concerns directly with the interpreter, and
contact Terri Oehrlein if your concerns are not resolved.
- You will receive a mid semester email asking you to complete a survey providing feedback
regarding the interpreters you are currently working with. We take the information you provide
seriously and use the surveys as a tool to improve our services. Please fill the surveys out completely and honestly.
Requesting Interpreters
- If you have additional interpreting requests, such as field trips, extra or optional classes, review
sessions, etc., it is imperative that you complete a
Service Request Form For Other Academically-Related Requests. This official service request form
automatically sends your request to multiple DHH staff to ensure your request is processes as soon as possible.
- If you have a schedule change such as a class cancellation, time or room change, contact Terri Oehrlein
and the McBurney Front Desk as soon as possible.
- Interpreters do not necessarily know or note cancellations announced during class, listed in the syllabus,
or written on the board. It is your responsibility to directly inform Terri Oehrlein about all schedule changes.
- The McBurney Center has a legal obligation to coordinate interpreting services only for academically required activities.
Requests for registered student organizations may also be made through the
Registered Student Organization Activities Request Form.
- For all of your other UW-Madison sponsored activities, your interpreting service requests should be made directly
to the department or organization hosting the related activity or event. You can refer UW departments and units to
McBurney's web page describing How a UW Department or Unit Provides Interpreting.
- Contact the McBurney front desk if the interpreter does not show up for class, or contact Terri Oehrlein if the
interpreter is consistently late for class.
Observations and Interpreter Interns
- As McBurney increases opportunities to offer observations and professional development to
pre-professional interpreters, the DHH Program may schedule interpreter students and interns in your
classes. Please notify Terri Oehrlein if you do not want observations or interns in any of your classes.
If you have questions or concerns, please direct them to the Interpreter Coordinator
Terri Oehrlein.
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