Letter from the faculty following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020

Dear DMA Community,

In this moment, we want to state clearly that the Department of Design Media Arts stands against the continued acts of police brutality in Los Angeles and across the nation. We are sickened by the ongoing injustice against Black people, and acknowledge our own complicity in systemic racism. We have quietly ignored it for too long. Going forward, we commit to the anti-racist work needed to dismantle these systems, and commit to the ongoing learning and practice this work requires.

We add our voices to the concerns raised by the Executive Committee of Concerned UCLA Faculty, the Black Grad Student Association, and the Afrikan Student Union and demand:

• UCLA leadership provides a detailed public statement of the LAPD’s use of Jackie Robinson Stadium and issues a public letter to Chief Moore demanding an explanation and compensation.
• UCLA leadership affirms that LAPD will not be given use of UCLA facilities in the future.
• UCLA follows the lead of other public universities such as the University of Minnesota and ends its relationship with the LAPD and other county, state, and federal police departments.
• The defunding of UCLA PD and the reinvestment of funds in underserved campus communities.
• The immediate creation and funding of a black resource center at UCLA.

We have also listened to you, our students, and taken a hard look at our department. We know that we have been failing, and we see the impact those failures have had on you. We have a long way to go toward making this a supportive learning environment for Black, Indigenous, POC, queer, trans, sick/disabled, and low-income students. The work begins with us, the DMA Faculty, and the steps outlined below for this Fall are the first on a much longer path toward building a more inclusive, safe, and equitable space together.

• Pledge from all the faculty to participate in undoing racism training.
• Reevaluate our “canon” and decenter white and western voices.
• Commitment to at least 50% of special topics courses each year specifically addressing diversity, equity, and social justice.
• Introduce a new “Design, Disability, and the Internet” course into the curriculum for the 2021-22 school year.
• Renew efforts for outreach and recruiting of students from underrepresented minorities, especially among local LA schools.
• Find funding for and provide at least two funded spots in the DMA Summer Institute for the next five years, and hopefully beyond.
• Search for ways to subsidize Fab Lab, Print Lab, and equipment checkout services, and reduce fees.
• Develop accessibility guidelines and implement them for DMA spaces, websites, and all public events.
• Create new scholarships for students from underrepresented groups.
• Develop mentorship and support systems for students including job placement, portfolio development, and life after school.
• Reevaluate our curriculum and the pathways it provides.

We recognize that these are just a few of the many changes that need to happen. We also know that we will make mistakes along the way. We’re grateful for your patience. We welcome your feedback on current problems and changes we might make via this form. We are also reviewing your many helpful responses to the student survey and the town hall. Thank you for your generosity in helping guide the DMA community.

We pledge to do better, and redouble our will to create a better department and a better future. We ask that you join us in this goal as we look for ways we can hold ourselves and each other accountable.

In solidarity,
The Faculty of Design Media Arts

Christian Moeller
Lauren Lee McCarthy
Casey Reas
Rebeca Méndez
Eddo Stern
Peter Lunenfeld
Chandler McWilliams
Jennifer Steinkamp
Willem Henri Lucas
Erkki Huhtamo
Victoria Vesna

DMA Disabilities Statement

As with many units at UCLA, Design Media Arts works in conjunction with the University’s Center for Accessible Education (CAE) to provides a wide range of academic support services to regularly enrolled students with documented permanent or temporary disabilities in compliance with federal and state laws and University policies.

CAE determines the academic support services for each student based on specific disability-based requirements. The range of services CAE can facilitate include: campus orientation and accessibility, notetakers, sign language interpreters, proctoring and test taking arrangements, real-time captioning, on-campus transportation, support groups and workshops, special materials, referrals to UCLA’s Disability and Computer Program, Learning Disabilities Program, readers, registration assistance, disability parking, assistive listening devices, adaptive equipment, tutorial referrals, housing assistance, and processing of California Department of Rehabilitation Authorizations.

DMA acknowledges that accommodation letters, specific diagnoses, and recommendations can all be affected by students’ racial and socio-economic status, and that there are inequities of access to mechanisms of “proof” of disabilities. While we abide by all federal, state and local laws, and UC and UCLA-specific protocols, we encourage our departmental faculty and staff to commit to a culture of care rather than strict legalisms, whenever possible.

If DMA students need help contacting CAE, or assistance in filling out documents, the DMA Student Affairs Officer is happy to help out. If other issues come up regarding these issues, please contact the department’s Administrative Manager, who can assist in determining next steps and appropriate channels for redress. We hope to be allies and advocates.

We work with students to ensure that not only are official departmental websites accessible, but that student projects are, to the extent possible, as accessible as possible. Strategies include specific guidance on incorporating descriptive alt tags to describe elements on a website to users. We are working with frameworks developed by the WC3 and its Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/

All departmental invitations include detailed information about event accessibility including parking, elevators, wheelchair and all-gender accessible restrooms. Departmental public lectures, especially those that are streamed and/or taped and archived, are augmented by CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) so that text appears in realtime —while the words are spoken or played.

DMA is committed to disability justice, and strives to be a space not just of accommodation but of true inclusion. DMA believes that the arts and design communities have specific missions to broaden access, and is committed to rooting out ableism and ensuring justice and accessibility for all of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors. To that end we strive to make all of our studios, classrooms and public events ADA compatible and wheelchair accessible.

DMA drafted this statement with input from faculty, staff and students, strives to adhere to the National Center on Disability and Journalism ’s style guide for our language [ https://ncdj.org/style-guide/ ] and is inspired by Sins Invalid’s 10 Principles of Disabilities Justice. [https://muse.jhu.edu/article/690824/pdf].

Resource List

Center for Accessible Education
A255 Murphy Hall
The UCLA Center for Accessible Education (CAE) facilitates academic accommodations for regularly enrolled, matriculating students with documented permanent and temporary disabilities.
Phone: (310) 825-1501, TTY / TTD: (310) 206-6083
Fax: (310) 825-9656

If you are a student and would like to file a disability-based discrimination grievance, please see UCLA Procedure 230.2: Student Grievances Regarding Violations of Anti-Discrimination Laws or University Policies on Discrimination Based on Disability.
ADA & 504 Compliance Office — Chris Elquizabal
A-239 Murphy Hall

The ADA/504 Compliance Office provides guidance to campus constituents regarding University compliance with the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as related University policy.
Phone: (310) 206-9160, Fax: (310) 825-1068
Email: ada@saonet.ucla.edu

Other Resources, both On-Campus and Off

Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center
221 Westwood Plaza
The Ashe Center is an accredited, on-campus health facility designed specifically to meet the needs of all currently registered UCLA students. The Ashe Center offers convenient, accessible, high-quality health care.
Phone: (310) 825-4073

Campus Human Resources
10920 Wilshire Blvd.
Campus Human Resources provides information regarding benefits, job and career opportunities, training and development services, policies, workplace programs, and employee resources.
Phone: (310) 794-0800
Email: chr@chr.ucla.edu

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
John Wooden Center West
221 Westwood Plaza, 2nd F

CAPS provides short-term, high-quality mental health treatment including assessment, consultation, and case management; group and individual therapy; and psychiatry services. CAPS also provides campus mental health training and wellness education, training and professional development for mental health providers, and connection to community resources and referrals.
Phone: (310) 825-0768

Disabled Student Union
The Disabled Student Union (DSU) provides a safe and inclusive place for people with disabilities to feel accepted. Its purpose is to empower students through advocacy and education, build relationships with the administration and the wider campus community, to remove barriers of access on campus, and to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities to live in peace. Along with Access on Board, the Disability Studies Minor, and the University Committee on Disability, UCLA’s DSU will work to lead programs for people with disabilities as well as create a community of acceptance at UCLA.
dsuucla@gmail.com
IG: @dsuucla

Disabilities and Computing Program
4909 Math Sciences
The Disabilities and Computing Program provides training on assistive technology and website accessibility.
Phone: (310) 267-4648, Alt. Phone: (310) 206-7133
Email: dcp@oit.ucla.edu

Disability Studies Minor
Interdisciplinary program leading to a Minor, with courses including law, social work, architecture and many other fields.
Phone: (310) 825-3223
Email: PPalomo@college.ucla.edu

Environment, Health and Safety
501 Westwood Plaza, 4th Floor
Environment, Health and Safety promotes a safe and healthy environment supporting UCLA research, education, patient care, and public service activities. It fulfills this mission through regulatory compliance, maintaining public health, providing support for research, protecting the environment, effective stewardship of UCLA resources, community service and outreach, and collaboration with internal and external groups.
Phone: (310) 825-5689, Hotline: (310) 825-9797

National Arts Disability Center — Beth Stoffmacher
The mission of the National Arts and Disability Center (NADC) is to promote the full inclusion of audiences and artists with disabilities into all facets of the arts community. The NADC is a project of the Tarjan Center. The information, technical assistance, and evaluation services of the NADC aim to: 1. Strengthen the capacity of the mainstream arts community to include artists and audiences with disabilities, and 2. promote the professional development of artists with disabilities through access to educational, vocational and community activities, supports and networks.
Phone: (310) 825-5054, Fax: (310) 794-1143
Email: bstoffmacher@mednet.ucla.edu

Office of Ombuds Services
501 Westwood Plaza, Suite 105
The Ombuds Office assists members of the UCLA community with resolving conflicts, disputes or complaints on an informal basis. In order to afford visitors the greatest freedom in using its services, the Office is independent, neutral and confidential.
Phone: (310) 825-7627

Parking Services
555 Westwood Plaza, Suite 100
Daytime and evening campus parking is available for staff with either temporary or permanent disabilities. Both a UCLA Accessible Parking permit and disabled parking plate/placard are necessary to park on campus.
Phone: (310) 206-3884
Email: parking@ts.ucla.edu

Pathway Program
10995 Le Conte Avenue, Suite 413
Pathway at UCLA Extension is a sequential program for students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, offering a blend of educational, social, and vocational experiences, taught and supervised by experienced instructors sensitive to the individual needs of our students. On campus, Pathway students attend classes and participate with UCLA students in the many social, recreational, and cultural activities of a major university.
Phone: (310) 794-1235
Email: pathway@uclaextension.edu

Student Legal Services
A-239 Murphy Hall
Student Legal Services provide confidential legal counseling and assistance regarding a wide range of legal issues to all currently registered and enrolled UCLA students.
Phone: (310) 825-9894, Fax: (310) 825-1068
Email: ekemper@saonet.ucla.edu

Tarjan Center
760 Westwood Plaza, 58-228 Semel Institute
Tarjan Center is a bridge connecting the knowledge, expertise and resources of the university to persons with disabilities and the service delivery systems of the community. The Tarjan Center is a catalyst for collaboration, innovation, and systems change to advance the self -determination and inclusion of people with disabilities. We do this through university and community education, technical assistance, program evaluation, research and demonstration of exemplary programs and information dissemination.
Phone: (310) 825-5054, Fax: (310) 794-1143
Email: bstoffmacher@mednet.ucla.edu

UCLA Commencement-Specific Disability Resources
168 Kerckhoff Hall
UCLA Events provides a summary of commencement accessibility information.
Phone: (310) 825-8989, Fax: (310) 825-1179
Email: commencement@events.ucla.edu

UCLA Dental Clinics — Hospital Dentistry
10833 Le Conte Avenue, A-level, Room A0-156 CHS
The Hospital Dentistry Clinic specializes in advanced comprehensive general dentistry for patients with complex medical conditions and physical and mental disabilities. This program also provides dental services under sedation and in an operating room setting for patients unable to receive treatment in a routine dental setting.
Phone: (310) 825-6510

UCLA Library — Disability Resources
The UCLA Library is committed to providing accessibility to library materials, programs and services in an overall program environment that encourages interaction among all users, including individuals with disabilities.
Phone: (310) 825-1084

UCLA Recreation: Adaptive Programs
10945 Le Conte Avenue, Suite 3119
UCLA Recreation provides therapeutically-based recreation programs for people with disabilities that expand their access to opportunities to recreation and sports.
Phone: (310) 825-1059
Email: [adaptive@recreation.ucla.edu