2027 Accessibility

Access Information for the WGSC Spring Conference

The WGSC Conference planning team is committed to ensuring accessibility for everyone interested in learning, presenting, and being in community with one another at our spring conference. We continue to make changes each year to improve the experience for everyone and apply the relevant accessibility standards. 

The conference registration form has a space for accommodation requests. You may also make requests by contacting Tracy Lemaster at tlemaster@wisc.edu. Please submit requests by March 25, 2027. We will attempt to implement late requests but cannot guarantee they will be met.

If assistance is needed during the conference, please visit the registration desk on the 4th floor of the Memorial Union. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Stephanie Rytilahti, director of the WGSC and conference co-chair, at srrytilahti@wisc.edu.

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The Memorial Union has ADA-compliant gendered bathrooms on every floor. There are gender neutral single-occupant family bathrooms, also ADA compliant, on the 1st and 4th floors. During our conference, there will be a gender neutral multi-stall bathroom on the 4th floor, which has one ADA-compliant stall. Please see diagram below for the location of all restrooms.

map of memorial union with some rooms and bathrooms labeled

To be respectful of those with allergies and chemical sensitivities, we ask that whenever possible you refrain from wearing fragrances. That means not having any scented products on your body, hair, or clothes. 

Learn more about fragrance-free events from the Fragrance-Free Femme of Color Genius resource and Rachel Rose’s Beginner’s Guide to Fragrance and Chemical Sensitivities.

There are exterior ramp-accessible entrances to the Memorial Union facing Park Street and Langdon Street. All floors of the Memorial Union are accessible by elevator. There are lifts on the second and fourth floors. Please see the diagram below with “Lifts” and “Elevators” labeled in red.

map of memorial union with some rooms, elevators, and lifts listed

The Union has a lactation or “Health” room for attendees who would like a private space to breastfeed or pump: Room #1210 on the 1st floor. The room is equipped with a chair, side table, sink, mirror, hand dryer, and outlet, and is lockable from the inside.

To gain access, contact the information desk on the first floor in person or call 608-265-3000.

For all conference-related meals and snacks, the Memorial Union catering team will provide vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and nut-free options. When registering for the conference, attendees will be asked for any food allergies and sensitivities they may have.

Open-air dining is available on Tripp Deck off of Tripp Commons dining hall during lunch breaks. We also have N95 masks available at the registration desk. 

Room #4310 is reserved as a quiet room for those who would like to take a break from the activity of the conference. The room will remain unlocked during conference hours both Thursday and Friday.

Per University of Wisconsin–Madison’s service animal policy, service animals are welcome in all spaces of the Memorial Union.

If an ADA-compliant transportation option is needed, Union Cab has ADA-compliant taxis that are designed for users of wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Union Cab appreciates advance notice if a customer needs an ADA-compliant taxi, particularly in very late or very early hours of the day. Call them at 608-242-2000.

For public transportation, see the Madison Metro Bus accessibility information. Bus fares must be purchased with exact change or by downloading the Metro app. More information about can be found at the Metro Transit website.

The closest parking garage is Helen C. White (Lot 6) at 600 N. Park St. with visitor parking on the upper level only. This garage is directly across the street from Memorial Union. It has 10 accessible parking spaces. To guarantee a spot, visit the UW–Madison Transportation Services page on ordering daily parking permits. For more campus parking info, see current parking availability in university lots and this map of accessible parking on campus.

The next closest public parking option is the State Street Campus Garage, with entrances on Lake Street and Frances Street. Entering at the Frances Street entrance, there are 8 accessible spaces. Entering at the Lake Street entrance, there are 7 accessible spaces and 2 van accessible spaces. See more info about the State Street Campus Garage.

Please note that while there is metered street parking on Langdon Street in front of the Union, these spots are 15 minutes to 2 hours maximum, so they are not a good option for all-day conference attendees.

There will be reserved spaces for wheelchair users and seating for companions at all events. Chairs both with and without arms will be available for most spaces. Chairs without arms have seats of 24×18 inches.

We provide pronoun ribbons for participants who wish to make their pronouns visible to others. We will have they/them/theirs; she/her/hers; he/him/his; and an option for attendees to write in their own pronouns. Attendees may also use more than one pronoun ribbon.

Pronoun ribbons are located near the entrance to the Great Hall on the 4th floor of the Union.

Presenter Accessibility Guidelines

The WGSC Conference planning team is committed to ensuring accessibility for everyone interested in learning, presenting, and being in community with one another at our spring conference. While the guidelines below have been designed to provide access to attendees with disabilities, many will benefit all conference participants. 

Preparing for your presentation

  • Prepare an access document: a description of your talk with a list of key technical words, acronyms, and proper nouns, as well as key words or phrases in spoken languages other than English.
    • Dr. Cool’s List of Terms (PDF) is an example of an access document from Dr. Jennifer Cool, University of Southern California.
    • This document could be printed or digital – for example, provide a QR code that attendees can scan to view a Word document or HTML version. For print, provide at least two large-print copies (at least 18-point font).
  • If you plan on showing video during your presentation, caption/subtitle the video or have transcripts available. If using automatically- or AI-generated captions, subtitles, and transcripts, it is vital that you review and edit the generated text for accuracy.
  • Make sure any activities are accessible to all bodies. Consider ways that you could adjust activities if needed.
  • If using handouts, prepare some copies in large-print format (at least 18-point font). 
  • Practice your presentation out loud from beginning to end at least once. Time yourself to make sure you are within the time limit of your session while also speaking at a comfortable, natural pace.

If using slides

The nonprofit WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind) provides detailed information on digital accessibility, including a guide on PowerPoint accessibility. While some details may vary, those same accessibility concepts also apply to Google Slides, Canva presentations, and other types of slideshows/presentations.

Some key points to keep in mind:

  • Use a high-contrast color scheme (such as a white background with black text).  
  • Use a slide format that presents material in an accessible layout to ensure information on the slides have the correct heading structure and reading order.
  • Use simple, legible typefaces like Times New Roman, Arial, or Garamond, and maintain a large font size.
  • Use a limited number of typefaces, fonts, and font variations. 
  • Put minimal text on each slide.

During your presentation

  • If providing any handouts or access documents, let attendees know whether you want them returned at the end of the session.
  • Present at a comfortable pace. Avoid monotone and/or rushed speech, which can make it difficult for some people to absorb what’s being said.
  • When speaking, position your face in a way that allows participants to read your lips. Avoid speaking while facing away from the audience or while looking down at papers or screens.
  • Provide verbal description of meaningful visuals including images, slides, charts, and videos. For examples, see the University of Colorado Boulder Digital Accessibility Office guidance on spoken descriptions of visual content. 
  • Avoid or explain jargon and acronyms.
  • If asking questions of the audience, make sure to pause and give people time to process what you said and formulate their responses.
  • During Q&A, those asking questions should identify themselves so audience members know who is speaking. Make sure to repeat the question before answering it.
  • Only one person should speak at a time.  

For additional information, see the American Anthropological Association’s Presentation Guidelines for Success & Accessibility.

Poster accessibility guidelines

  • Use simple, legible typefaces like Times New Roman, Arial, or Garamond.
  • Use black text on a white background for your text to be the most legible. If you want to use other color combinations, make sure they contrast enough by using this contrast checker.
  • Avoid too-small text. Best practices are:
    • Title: 72 to 140-point font. It should be readable from 10 to 15 feet away to catch attendees’ attention.
    • Section Heading: 46 to 56-point font
    • Block Text/Body: 16 to 30-point font

Some additional resources:

If you have questions about any of these guidelines, please contact Kelsey Foster at kmfoster2@wisc.edu.