CASS Opportunity and Challenge Awards
Overview:
Since the first student of record that needed accommodations was identified in 1966, many people including faculty, staff and members of the community provided support for these students. Many students are also registered to receive services from a number of state and local agencies. Such support, which promoted student success continued until and beyond the founding of the department in 1992. Over that time over 4,000 students registered for ADA accommodations with this department. Currently, over 1,100 students are registered with CASS. Their accommodations impact over 1,500 courses each semester.
Through the use of letters of accommodation, it is the faculty that provide the direct accommodations for the student. In addition, it is the staff and members of the community that provide the support for these students outside of the classroom.
Implementation:
The names of the five awards, as well as the criteria was written and approved by the Ability Awareness Planning Committee. A single online nomination form is used for nominations of all awards. A promotional campaign seeking nominations for the awards is held annually during the months of May - July.
To remove bias from the CASS staff, all completed nominations are forwarded to an impartial panel of judges that represent both the campus and the community. Each judge is asked to rate each nomination in relation to the award criteria. One finalist is identified in each of the five categories.
There are five awards, nominations are made for each of them. The award criteria follows below:
- Ability Advocate Award for Staff
- Diamond Amigo Award for Members of the Community
- Emerging Leader Award for Students
- Miner Ability Award for Faculty
- Web Accessibility Recognition Award
Ability Advocate Award for Staff
Criteria for Selection:
The University of Texas at El Paso commits itself to providing quality assistance and accommodation to a diverse student population that includes students with disabilities. As such, this award will be given to a UTEP Staff member in recognition of excellence in promoting student support services, advocacy, or leadership on campus and in broader life contexts, particularly for students with disabilities.
The recipient of the award should:
- Help remove barriers for students with disabilities for full inclusion and participation in programs and services;
- Cooperate in promoting acceptance and awareness for students with disabilities in all aspects of the university and community life;
- Advocate for the civil rights of students with disabilities in order to increase their participation in the UTEP community;
- Demonstrate commitment to the concept that all people, regardless of the nature or degree of an individual's disability, have the right and obligation to become full and contributing members of society;
- Make contributions in addition to normal job requirements or when the achievements of students with disabilities are not likely to be recognized by other organizations;
- Significantly improve or enhance the quality of the higher educational experience in ways that make a substantial difference for a student with a disability.
Eligibility for Awards:
- Nominees for awards shall hold regular staff appointments at UTEP in any department.
- Any staff member previously nominated who did not receive this award in the past will be eligible for re-nomination during subsequent years.
- No special consideration will be given to age, gender, race, national origin, religion, financial need, disability, rank, or duration of the nominee’s service.
- Although all criteria are important, an individual may not necessarily meet all of the qualifications as stated above.
- Each nomination must be for a single individual; joint or team nominations are not accepted.
- Nomination screening will be done by an impartial selection committee.
- An award nominee does not need to be a person with a disability.
Diamond Amigo Award for Members of the Community
Criteria for Selection:
The University of Texas at El Paso commits itself to providing quality assistance and accommodation for a diverse student population. This diverse population is often supported by members of the community. As such, this award will be given to a member of the greater El Paso community in recognition of excellence in their support for students, advocacy, and leadership on and off campus, particularly for students with disabilities.
The recipient of the award should:
- Work tirelessly to remove barriers for persons with disabilities at the community level;
- Engage in a professional or volunteer capacity to provide health services, personal assistance, or support services to make quality of life better for people with disabilities;
- Create innovative programs that have a lasting and positive change;
- Advocate for support for additional services or funding at the community level;
- Advocate for change that make a difference in the everyday quality of life for others;
- Collaborate with people with disabilities to make a difference, one person at a time;
- Initiate programs that improve access to education, employment and daily living needs;
- Have a proactive role in the community for promoting awareness of disability issues in all areas of personal development, including academic, social, and employment activities;
Eligibility for Awards:
- Nominees for awards shall be active in the greater El Paso and UTEP community in ways that benefit UTEP students, especially those with disabilities;
- Any community member previously nominated who did not receive this award will be eligible for re-nomination during subsequent years.
- No consideration will be given to age, gender, race, national origin, religion, financial need, disability, rank, or duration of the nominee’s service.
- Although all criteria are important, a nominee does not need to meet all the qualifications as stated above.
- Each nomination must be for a single individual; joint or team nominations are not accepted.
- Nomination screening will be done by an impartial selection committee.
Emerging Leader Award for Students
Criteria for Selection:
The University of Texas at El Paso commits itself to providing quality higher education to a diverse student population. This diverse population includes students with disabilities. As such, this award will be given to a UTEP student in recognition of excellence in promoting student support, advocacy, and leadership on campus and in broader life contexts, particularly for students with disabilities.
The recipient of the award should:
- Achieve recognition among students, staff, and faculty for effective leadership in ensuring that every student is recognized for their individual achievements;
- Demonstrate an interest in fostering the academic and personal development of students by setting a role model example of excellence;
- Demonstrate a commitment to engage in and accommodate students living with a disability, in all facets of university life, by showing through role modeling what is attainable;
- Be accessible to students and demonstrate proactive and innovative methods of supporting student initiatives, taking leadership roles or role modeling;
- Demonstrate a commitment to foster meaningful working relationships with services that will encourage student engagement and participation in campus life;
- Participate in programs/activities that create a sense of community among students, faculty, and staff;
- Exemplify the qualities of unselfishness, integrity, and humane outlook; and
- Contribute to the institutional welfare of the University;
Eligibility for Awards:
- Nominees for awards shall be a UTEP student in any of the colleges or grade levels.
- Any student previously nominated who did not receive this award will be eligible for re-nomination during subsequent years.
- No consideration will be given to age, gender, race, national origin, religion, financial need, disability, rank, or class year.
- Although all criteria are important, an individual need not necessarily meet all the qualifications as stated above.
- Each individual can receive multiple nominations.
- An award nominee need not be a person with a disability.
- Nomination screening will be done by an impartial selection committee.
Miner Ability Award for Faculty
Criteria for Selection:
The University of Texas at El Paso commits itself to providing quality higher education to a diverse student population. This diverse population includes students with disabilities. As such, this award will be given to a UTEP faculty member in recognition of excellence in promoting student support, advocacy, and leadership on campus and in broader life contexts, particularly for students with disabilities.
The recipient of the award should:
- Achieve recognition among students and colleagues for effective leadership in ensuring that every student is recognized for their individual achievements;
- Demonstrate an interest in fostering the academic and personal development of students;
- Demonstrate a commitment to engage in and accommodate students living with a disability, in all facets of university life;
- Be accessible to students and demonstrate proactive and innovative methods of supporting student initiatives;
- Demonstrate a commitment to foster meaningful working relationships with services that will encourage student engagement and participation in campus life;
- Participate in programs/activities that create a sense of community among students and faculty;
- Exemplify the qualities of unselfishness, integrity, and humane outlook;
- Contribute to the institutional welfare of the University;
- Each individual can receive multiple nominations.
Eligibility for Awards:
- Nominees for awards shall hold regular appointments at UTEP with the rank of instructor or higher.
- Any faculty member previously nominated who did not receive this award will be eligible for re-nomination during subsequent years.
- No consideration will be given to age, gender, race, national origin, religion, financial need, disability, rank, or duration of the nominee’s service.
- Although all criteria are important, an individual need not necessarily meet all the qualifications as stated above.
- Each nomination must be for a single individual; joint or team nominations are not accepted.
- Nomination screening will be done by an impartial selection committee.
Web Accessibility Recognition Award
Criteria for Selection:
The University of Texas at El Paso commits itself to providing quality higher education to a diverse student population. This diverse population includes students with disabilities. As such, this award will be given to a department in recognition of their providing accessible web content for all members of the campus community, including students with disabilities.
The recipient of the award should:
- Ensure internet accessibility is provided on its website in response to Universal Design for Learning (UDL), where all people have access to the content;
- Demonstrate an commitment in disseminating academic and professional content on their website that is accessible by students with disabilities;
- Provide options for various needs of navigation, display, auditory, and visual engagement of the viewer;
- Be accessible to students, and demonstrate proactive and innovative methods of supporting student initiatives;
- Foster collaboration within UTEP’s web-based community;
- Facilitate the promotion of programs and activities that create a sense of community among students and faculty;
- Contribute to the growing reputation of the University for its accessibility;
- Each department can receive multiple nominations.
Eligibility for Awards:
- Nominees for this award can be any UTEP department or program with a hosted website.
- Any department previously nominated who did not receive this award will be eligible for re-nomination during subsequent years.
- No consideration will be given to the type of department or its level of responsibility to the University.
- Although all criteria are important, a department need not necessarily meet all the qualifications as stated above.
- Each nomination must be for a single department or program; joint or team nominations are not accepted.
- Nomination screening will be done by an impartial selection committee.