Whenever accessibility and inclusion are built into design and planning up front, everyone benefits. An example of this is the well-known “curb cut effect.” When sidewalk curbs are cut to create accessible pathways at crosswalks or other entry points, people with disabilities have greater access. But this greater access also creates a more welcoming environment for delivery workers using dollies, parents or caregivers walking with strollers, bicyclists, and travelers wielding suitcases.
But how does this effect translate to event planning for campus activities? How does an event planner or organizer ensure accessibility so all attendees can enjoy and participate fully without challenges?
These are questions the Division of Student Life’s Inclusive Excellence Committee sought to answer last year. In fall 2022, members of the committee brought up concerns about events being inaccessible and a lack of consolidated resources for creating accessible programs on campus. The committee is comprised of new, middle, and senior-level staff members in the Division of Student Life who are committed to mattering and belonging efforts at UT, like making sure anyone who wants to participate in an event can do so.
What sparked was an idea for an event checklist that would help programming staff or university event planners create experiences on campus that would facilitate belonging for all community members.
With direction from pre-established resources from Multicultural Student Life, Student Disability Services, Human Resources, and other areas of UT, the Inclusive Excellence Program Guide was developed!
This guide provides descriptions, examples, and steps anyone can take to make their events and programs more accessible and inclusive to all, organized into six sections:
- Pre-event Planning and Preparation
- Assessment
- Venue and Facilities
- Technology and Virtual Programming
- Food and Materials
- Communication and Confidentiality
Each section includes key considerations, a planning checklist, an example or testimonial, and sources.
For example, the Venue and Facilities section of the guide provides information about inclusive and accessible amenities available on campus:
- Interfaith Meditation Space in Room 367C in the Student Union next to the Big Orange Pantry
- Meditation Space in Frieson Black Cultural Center Room 207
- All-Gender Restrooms inside the Center for Student Engagement (Student Union Room 174) and next to the Pride Center (Student Union Room 373)
- Wellness/Lactation Rooms across campus
The guide also encourages event planners to familiarize themselves with accessible exits and shelter locations in case of an emergency.
The official guide will be distributed in spring 2024 and widely implemented throughout the Division of Student Life in fall 2025.
Ultimately, there’s something for everyone at the University of Tennessee. Using the Inclusive Excellence Program Guide can help ensure that everyone can attend and enjoy events and programs designed with their experience in mind.