Aaron Miller
The RCPD office is revived, renewed and ready for a new school year after making many changes throughout the summer
It's time to get out of the water, shake the sand off your hot towel and head back from the beach. Summer's over and - ready or not - the school year is beginning.
While you were catching rays the RCPD staff was working hard to improve the office, making changes in physical appearance, technology, and personnel. You'll certainly notice the results of that work, starting the moment you come into the office at 120 Bessey Hall. The office doesn't look the same since the reception area was given a facelift, making the area more roomy and attractive.
The "office image" committee designed a new layout and brought in all new furniture and a new display case.
![The office image committee poses for a photo. Standing from left to right are Donna Leahy, Donna Clark, Karen Rivard. Seated are Gail McAllen and Jennifer Doerr.](\/images/image001.jpg" "The office image committee poses for a photo. Standing from left to right are Donna Leahy, Donna Clark, Karen Rivard. Seated are Gail McAllen and Jennifer Doerr.")
"We're pleased with the changes," committee chairperson Jennifer Doerr said. "Hopefully students will feel that it's a professional, attractive environment to work and learn in."
Along with the office image committee, LuAnn Gloden was instrumental in sprucing up the front office by helping make decisions, generating ideas and providing support.
You may notice one more change in the front. Receptionist Diana Shank has transferred from RCPD to a job with Undergraduate University Division. But Pam Pope is still holding down the fort, waiting to greet you with a 10-gallon jug full of candy you can dip into for a mid-afternoon or morning snack.
The Assistive Technology Center in room 151 also was updated and renovated. The Braille embossers have moved across the hall to room 144, making a much quieter room, and the workstations have been remodeled. The tall, brown metal shelves that previously separated the computer stations have been replaced by sound-absorbing light-green partial walls, and high-tech flat panel monitors are in place at each of the four high-powered Dell computers. The large-screen monitors use new display technology that eliminates screen flicker, reducing fatigue, radiation and risk to people who have epilepsy.
"With this project we broadened the offerings of our technology center and improved functionality for users of certain technologies," RCPD Director Mike Hudson said. "It's part of an ongoing evolution for the office, to continually improve our technology services to students and employees with disabilities."
Besides new furniture and equipment, there are a few new faces at RCPD, as well. About nine work-study students have been hired since spring. These students provide vital support in keeping the office running.
RCPD is also looking to hire a technology-guru to help maintain the office's servers and computers, so the roster of new faces may be even longer in the very near future. The search is on-going, and interviews are being held in August and September.
"That person is going to help us move our technology agenda along even more quickly," Hudson said. "They're going to help us develop new online information services and improve the rate at which new information is available for users of our office."