Courtney Meyer
What do the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities and a credit union have in common? Not much, you may think. Yet, both the MSU RCPD and MSU Federal Credit Union are leaders in maximizing opportunities for persons with disabilities.
The MSU Federal Credit Union has continuously strived to make a positive impact on the Lansing community by serving and aiding the needs of all of its members. This spring when all ATMs across Michigan were slated to become compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the MSUFCU could assert its leadership, as it had begun implementing ADA compliant ATM components, such as voice guidance in 2003, eight years prior to any such requirement. Other now mandatory standards include Braille instructions, sufficient floor space; and height, screen, keyboard, and reach specifications.
Jeff Jackson, MSUFCU's Vice President of Payment Systems and Support Services stated, "Serving the needs of our members is a major focus at MSU Federal Credit Union. Opening up another delivery channel with ADA compliant ATMs gives all of our members the opportunity to be financially independent."
Nick VanderWall, a senior at Michigan State University majoring in broadcast journalism, is "happy [MSUFCU] has taken steps to make visually impaired people's lives more independent [because] it is one more step toward total independence." With his guide dog Toby by his side, Nick uses the ADA compliant ATMs by inserting headphones into the ATM, listening to the automatically-activating text-to-speech feature, and navigating the keypad with the Braille controls.
This isn't the only way MSUFCU has partnered with the RCPD to make MSU an outstanding place to work and study regardless of whether disabilities are a concern. The credit union supports the RCPD in more direct ways, providing financial contributions to the annual Awards and Appreciation Reception and the Welcome Orientation Workshop that introduces students to the RCPD and its services.
It has additionally contributed to the Carlson Accessible Media Program, which helps students with print-related disabilities access textbooks through Braille, large print, and electronic formats, and the Tower Guard Scholarship, given annually to some of the honor students who assist RCPD in achieving its mission of textbook accessibility. Recent remodels to their ComputerLine online banking system were inclusive of the needs of persons with disabilities.
[Student Nick VanderWall uses an accessible MSUFCU ATM.]