Able Student Alliance calls OSU out for lack of accessibility
University to reassess accessibility on campus for the first time in more than 15 years following two dozen complaints
Rebecca Johnson
Issue date: 4/27/10
Section:
News
|
The Daily Barometer
The Able Student Alliance, an advocacy group for disabled persons on campus, has filed more than 24 complaints against Oregon State University for problems surrounding the lack of accessibility that students see and experience on the Corvallis campus.
The complaints vary from lack of a large lecture hall that allows for adequate accessibility, lack of parking spaces for the disabled, ramps not built to the specifications of the Americans with Disabilities Act and inadequate paths of travel.
"The ADA does not require every building be accessible," said Angelo Gomez, director of the office of affirmative action. "It requires that all of our programs, services and activities be accessible."
Unfortunately, with a growing student population, that task is becoming more and more difficult to comply with.
The way the university is set up now, a person requiring an accommodation due to a disability must make a request through disability access services. According to Tracy Bentley-Townlin, director of disability access services, there were 16 requests for classroom relocations last year.
"As the campus has grown, it is getting more difficult to simply relocate a classroom," Bentley-Townlin said.
Gomez admits things will have to change on campus and that this issue of accessibility probably should have been addressed long ago, but there are several hurdles to overcome, including millions of dollars in deferred maintenance needing to be addressed and historic buildings built decades before any official accessibility regulations.
"It is kind of a perfect storm between financial issues, a growing student body and old buildings," Gomez said.
Jeffery Evans, the president and founder of the ASA, has heard all the excuses and doesn't accept any of them, he said.
"It is not a matter of money: it is a matter of priority," Evans said. "And the university has made it clear all these [people with disabilities] are not a priority."
Evans,
born
without
legs and
one arm,
requires
the use
of a
wheelchair.
He is
certified
to
inspect
property
for
compliance
of ADA
accessibility
regulations.
Evans began his efforts trying to bring attention to problems he was personally dealing with months ago.
Along with contacting Gomez and Bentley-Townlin's offices, Evans also went to facilities services and the office of the OSU president. At first he was looking to inform university officials of compliance problems on campus. But, coming up against a brick wall, he started requesting data for himself in order to find out how big the problem is, he said.
Unsatisfied with the level of transparency and cooperation from university officials, Evans took his advocacy to another level, including gaining support from ASOSU, forming the ASA and filing the complaints.
Last week, Evans finally received what he was looking for in terms of information from Vincent Martorello, director of facilities services, who met with Evans to review the data that facilities services has been compiling over the last few weeks.
"It's a start," Evans said upon receiving the data. "We have done a preliminary review of the data, and we have a number of questions that, depending on the answers, needs to be answered privately."
The assessment is the first of its kind to be done on campus since the early 90s, when campuses were required to present an accessibility transition plan in compliance with the newly instated ADA.
"Frankly, I don't think there has been a comprehensive set of data (on accessibility) up until a few weeks ago," Gomez said,
Gomez said his office receives around five complaints a year regarding campus accessibility.
"I think the low level of complaints gave the false impression that there wasn't a problem," Gomez said, who credited the recent student advocacy for bringing the issues to light and spurring the recent activity.
Last week OSU allotted $200,000 to fix sidewalks and put up signs around campus, Evans said. Officials said the money was requested before the complaints were filed.
Evans began his efforts trying to bring attention to problems he was personally dealing with months ago.
Along with contacting Gomez and Bentley-Townlin's offices, Evans also went to facilities services and the office of the OSU president. At first he was looking to inform university officials of compliance problems on campus. But, coming up against a brick wall, he started requesting data for himself in order to find out how big the problem is, he said.
Unsatisfied with the level of transparency and cooperation from university officials, Evans took his advocacy to another level, including gaining support from ASOSU, forming the ASA and filing the complaints.
Last week, Evans finally received what he was looking for in terms of information from Vincent Martorello, director of facilities services, who met with Evans to review the data that facilities services has been compiling over the last few weeks.
"It's a start," Evans said upon receiving the data. "We have done a preliminary review of the data, and we have a number of questions that, depending on the answers, needs to be answered privately."
The assessment is the first of its kind to be done on campus since the early 90s, when campuses were required to present an accessibility transition plan in compliance with the newly instated ADA.
"Frankly, I don't think there has been a comprehensive set of data (on accessibility) up until a few weeks ago," Gomez said,
Gomez said his office receives around five complaints a year regarding campus accessibility.
"I think the low level of complaints gave the false impression that there wasn't a problem," Gomez said, who credited the recent student advocacy for bringing the issues to light and spurring the recent activity.
Last week OSU allotted $200,000 to fix sidewalks and put up signs around campus, Evans said. Officials said the money was requested before the complaints were filed.
Officials
have
also
said
that
Milam
Hall
will be
renovated
over the
summer
to make
it more
accommodating,
and an
outside
assessor
will be
brought
in to
inspect
those
renovations.
"Accommodations are there to offset the affects of the disability," said Owen Taylor, ASOSU accessibility affairs task force director. "Accommodations are not there to boost someone's grade or performance in class, or life."
For Taylor, the only way things are going to get accomplished is for all parties involved to start working together.
"There is a lack of trust, transparency and communication that needs to be worked out," Taylor said. "You can't break these issues down if no one is talking."
A task force is being formed of both students and faculty with the responsibility of prioritizing the changes that need to be made.
"What will probably end up happening is we will have a long list of problems with not enough resources," Gomez said.
A forum will be held for Rep. Sara Gelser [D-Corvallis] on May 4 at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center, where she will listen to the concerns about accessibility. President Obama recently appointed Gelser to the National Council on Disability.
Anyone needing an accommodation due to a disability can contact disability access services either online at http://ds.oregonstate.edu/home/ or by phone at 541-737-4098.
Rebecca Johnson, senior reporter
737-2231, news@dailybarometer.com
"Accommodations are there to offset the affects of the disability," said Owen Taylor, ASOSU accessibility affairs task force director. "Accommodations are not there to boost someone's grade or performance in class, or life."
For Taylor, the only way things are going to get accomplished is for all parties involved to start working together.
"There is a lack of trust, transparency and communication that needs to be worked out," Taylor said. "You can't break these issues down if no one is talking."
A task force is being formed of both students and faculty with the responsibility of prioritizing the changes that need to be made.
"What will probably end up happening is we will have a long list of problems with not enough resources," Gomez said.
A forum will be held for Rep. Sara Gelser [D-Corvallis] on May 4 at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center, where she will listen to the concerns about accessibility. President Obama recently appointed Gelser to the National Council on Disability.
Anyone needing an accommodation due to a disability can contact disability access services either online at http://ds.oregonstate.edu/home/ or by phone at 541-737-4098.
Rebecca Johnson, senior reporter
737-2231, news@dailybarometer.com
