Mission Statement of the CAU

The Committee for an Accessible University (CAU) serves as an advisory committee to the Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Services, the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, and the Office of Student Disabilities Services. The Committee works closely with the University Architect to implement the Architectural Barrier Removal and Prevention Program (ABRP) effort. Included in the Committee's charge: monitoring major renovations, landscape projects and new construction; identifying barriers; and recommending, prioritizing, and requesting individual projects.

Members are University-wide representatives from Schools, Centers, Offices, and Programs who come in frequent contact and/or work with, or are themselves faculty, students, and staff with disabilities. Meetings are held in the fall and spring of the academic year. The ABRP Subcommittee meets as needed throughout the year.

The CAU advances three major objectives:

  • To provide students, faculty, staff and guests with disabilities the opportunity to fully access, participate in, and contribute to the University's academic, social, and employment activities.
  • To ensure that every teaching and research opportunity is conducted within barrier-free facilities, so that Penn will not be denied the minds and talents of gifted and highly motivated students, faculty, staff and guests.
  • To contribute to the protection and enhancement of Penn's physical plant and financial assets by removing and preventing the creation of both landscape and architectural barriers that limit the full utilization of Penn's facilities; and, by contributing to the continuing optimum maintenance and service effort.

Participant List

NAME TITLE DEPARTMENT SCHOOL/ CENTER
Chris Adams Building Manager Wharton Wharton
Tonya Bennett Director Vet School Office of the Provost
Taylor Berkowitz Senior Planner, Special Projects University Architect Facilities & Real Estate Services
Michael Bernhardt  Director  Penn Transit  Executive Vice President
Jessie Burns Director, Strategic Projects Office of the Provost Office of the Provost
Frank Caldera Clinical Associate Professor Rehabilitation Medicine Perelman School of Medicine
Carolyn Couture IT Support Specialist Information Systems & Computing Executive Vice President
Susan Dever Administrative Assistant Department of Public Safety Executive Vice President
Joanna Ellis Nurse Penn Physical Medicine and Rehab Penn Medicine
Jennifer Feldman Associate General Counsel Office of General Counsel President’s Center
John Gustafson Assistant Manager Transportation Executive Vice President
Uri Hangorsky Associate Dean Student Life Vice Provost for University Life
Tracey Hawkins Manager Business Services Executive Vice President
Peg Heer Associate Treasurer Treasurer’s Office Office of the Executive Vice President
Jane Holahan Executive Director Weingarten Learning Resources Center Vice Provost for University Life
Bryan Isola Director New Bolton Center Office of the Provost
Elizabeth Jamieson Associate Director Penn Live Arts/Guests Services Annenberg School for Communication
Eugene Janda Chief Department of Public Safety Executive Vice President
Christian Kittrell Business Administrator Development & Alumni Relations Office of the Provost
Mark Kocent Principal Planner University Architect Executive Vice President
Helene Lee Director Operational Services School of Nursing
Eva Lew Director University Architect Facilities & Real Estate Services
Kate Lynch Senior Developer Library Computing Systems Office of the Provost
Debra Mancinelli Manager Student Life Events Vice Provost for University Life
Suzanne Marsh Career Planning Professional Career Planning Law
Chris Phillips Director Facilities Services Vet School
Deborah Porter Building Administrator Annenberg School of Communications Office of the Provost
Jennifer L. Rappaport Associate Director Affirmative Action President's Center
Aaron Spector Director Weingarten Learning Resources Vice Provost for University Life
Sam Starks Executive Director Office of Affirmative Action President’s Center
Margaret Stineman Professor CCEB Perelman School of Medicine
Kirk Trasborg Executive Director Information Systems & Computing Executive Vice President
Paige Wigginton Associate Director Special Services Executive Vice President
Olivia Wilson Associate Director Human Resources – Wharton Wharton
Margaret Yang Associate Director Student Life School of Dental Medicine