Inaccessability on campus
Saturday, April 7th, 2007This article is from the Daily Texan, the student paper of the University of Texas. I have decided to post it here because the issue of inaccessible college campuses is a national one. When I first attended college back in the early 80’s, the campus was very inaccessible, and I was not allowed any accommodations. Somehow, I made it through. When I went back to college in the late 90’s (in a different state), the campus was almost a model of physical access, and my professors not only allowed me the accommodations that I needed, some even had statements about the ADA and accommodations in the syllabus, and took the time to see if students needed any. There were quite a few students with disabilities on campus, so I wasn’t always the only person with a disability in my class. We also had a strong Office of Students with Disabilities, so if there was an instructor who messed up, or there was an issue brewing that affected students with disabilities,that office would take care of the situation promptly. I was very lucky, but man students are not. Here in New York, I have heard of two campuses in particular that are inaccessible – the University of Rochester, and the University of Buffalo, and UB in particular, seems to have a culture of resentment and nastiness towards students with disabilities. This is something that disability advocates and activists must address, as more and more folks with disabilities are entering college.
UT Must Prioritize Accessibility
By Justin Burniske
April 5, 2007
As you walk across campus today, take a minute to notice every step you go down, every sidewalk crack you maneuver over. Then imagine if you couldn’t.
Imagine if you could not simply step over these obstacles, but instead had to carefully plan around them, so you could get between classes in time.
The issue of wheelchair accessibility is often forgotten, as most people are ambulatory. However, any of us could become part of this population at any moment. While issues of diversity are constantly being discussed, it seems that people with disabilities related to accessibility are often overlooked, since they are not traditionally viewed as a type of minority. They should be a part of any diversity conversation.
Manasi Deshpande, a Plan II senior, recently presented to the Student Activity Center Ad-Hoc Committee findings on accessibility issues on campus and how important it was to truly make the new building accessible. The information she shared came as somewhat
of a shock. While it should come as no surprise that not every building complies with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, to hear that only 19 of the 150 campus buildings are compliant is astounding.
When addressing the ad-hoc committee, Deshpande also presented her findings from a study she conducted involving 25 graduate students in the College of Education. The subjects were taking a special population course that provides training on a variety of different populations, including people with disabilities. The course is very similar to the training administrators might receive concerning students with disabilities. Twelve members were placed in a control group engaged in academic discussion of disability, while the other 13 volunteers engaged in discussion after having simulated the experience of being confined to a battery-powered wheelchair.
The results showed that the control group’s willingness to pay a student fee for accessibility improvement increased by 1 percent from pre-discussion to post-discussion, while the experimental group’s willingness to pay increased 89 percent. The experimental group also noted issues with restrooms, including those located in the Sanchez Building, where recent renovations have made the restrooms ADA compliant.
Without automated doors, however, they remained nearly inaccessible. Additionally, group members noted a lack of directional wayfinding signs, campus doors that were difficult to open and a shortage of curb cuts. Finally, the experimental group noticed a change in the treatment they received from the people around them, including people they knew, during the time they were in the wheelchairs.
In her presentation, Deshpande informed the committee that there are two conflicting modern disability theories: the medical and the social models. The medical model says the problem is with the individual and that the individual must adapt. The social model says that the problem is with society, that the world created by society often excludes the individual and that society needs to work harder to support the abilities of individuals with disabilities.
As a society, we need to adapt the social model. We learn to design our world to accommodate everyone. We don’t discriminate against individuals.
The first step is to become aware. As you go about your day, I challenge you to take an accessible route. That means you can’t just take the steps, you must instead find a ramp. You can’t jump over curbs, you have to find the curb cuts. Anywhere you find yourself stepping down or up or over means you are going somewhere a student in a wheelchair cannot go.
If you have trouble, look for wayfinding signs to help you find the accessible path. This might help you notice areas where they are lacking. Consider also where the wheelchair seating is in the classroom. What about accessible restrooms? Are they well-marked and easy to find, or are you left wandering around with a full bladder?
The Campus Master Plan, created in 1999, looks at the long-term vision of campus architecture. It mentions seven major goals, including making campus more pedestrian-friendly. It also talks about better wayfinding and signage, but only in the context of “Strengthened Identity of the Campus.” It does not explicitly include making campus physically more accessible.
Deshpande also shared her findings with a variety of campus administrators, including President William Powers. She recommended they partake in a similar simulation - none have taken the ride yet.
As we look to the future of this campus, we need to be inclusive. We need to not simply meet ADA standards, but instead meet the needs of all community members. The Student Activity Center has made accessibility a priority in its design, a priority that will hopefully reach the rest of the University community.
So today, go out of your way to take the ramps or walk down the curb cuts instead of up the steps and over the curb. And maybe tomorrow we’ll see President Powers roving campus in an electric wheelchair.
Burniske is a Plan II and UTeach-math senior.
Source: Copyright 2007 The Daily Texan
