ADA students and administration members share thoughts on campus wheelchair accessibility and accomodations for students with disabilities
By Michael Houston
Senior Ryan Warren has thought about the possibility of being stuck in the elevator in Buckley Center in the evening, unable to reach the emergency telephone and having to bang on the sides of the elevator to be heard.
The emergency telephone in the elevator is too high for Warren to reach while in his wheelchair, he said, which is one of the problems with physical accessibility on UP's campus.
Meaghe Kelleher, a junior, who also uses a wheelchair, agrees.
"I don't even think little kids could reach [the buttons]," she said.
On campus, the Office for Students With Disabilities is located in the University Health Center and has an accommodation process for students with disabilities. Melanie Gangles, the Coordinator for the Office for Students With Disabilities, said via e-mail "the student is responsible for cooperating with the arrangement of their accommodations and communicating in an ongoing manner with the Office for Students with Disabilities about the effectiveness of their accommodations."
While Warren and Kelleher have some complaints with accessibility on campus, they both thought the University does a good job for students with physical disabilities.
Warren looked at Willamette University (Salem, Ore.) and ultimately chose UP, in part because of its accessibility. While UP's campus is not as flat as Willamette, Warren said the buildings at Willamette were not as accessible.
Kelleher also noted that the sidewalks around campus are good for wheelchairs, and the administration does its part to place students with disabilities in easily accessible classrooms. She simply sends them an e-mail and they arrange her classes accordingly.
Physical Plant is responsible for maintaining the sidewalks and Public Safety keeps locked bikes off wheelchair ramps, Gangles said in her e-mail.
There is some room for improvement on campus for students with disabilities; Warren said "it could be better."
The Clark Memorial Library can be a source of difficulty for students in wheelchairs. An elevator key is required to access the awkwardly placed elevator on the main landing. Kelleher thinks this might be one place to improve because students use the Library frequently.
The book shelves are also a little close together for Warren, who also had difficulty with the Library front doors his freshman year. He tried opening the door from the inside with his foot and soon noticed a spider web crack forming in the bottom of the glass.
Since that incident, automatic doors have been installed for the library doors. Other buildings on campus also have automatic door openers, like Corrado, Swindells and Waldschmidt.
The little things around campus are mainly what Kelleher finds difficulty with. Sometimes the buttons to open automatic doors are awkwardly placed, she said. For example, the Pilot House only has an automatic door on the single side door, rather than the main double-door entrance, according to Kelleher.
She also finds difficulty when she has to move chairs out from the low computer desks in the Pilot House and BC. Kelleher questioned why they are meant for people with disabilities when chairs are placed in the way.
Gangles also said via e-mail that there is an ADA Committee that would be glad to receive input from students with disabilities. She also said any complaints could be sent to her, and she could forward them to the Committee.
Warren also questioned some of the University's recent judgment on accessibility with the new University Village. Built in 2000, the Tyson and Haggerty Halls should adhere to some basic ADA requirements. Warren said that he has only observed ADA accessible rooms on the second level, which makes it difficult for disabled students.
When asked about the accessiblity of the Village, Gangles did not comment.
Overall, both Warren and Kelleher manage daily life on campus. Warren has lived in Corrado the past few years and is able to accomplish all his tasks during the day, except make his bed - which no college student should be obligated to do anyway.
