Connor Owen

Professor Franzese

English 160

November 1st, 2024

The Importance of Handicap Accessibility

Dear President Wheeler,

I have recently discovered that bouton hall does not have an elevator, in fact, most entrances (except for one) all have at least one stair before you can enter the building. I live on floor 3, a floor that would be completely inaccessible for those in a wheelchair and would bring great difficulty to those with walking assistance devices such as crutches, canes, etc. I believe it should be necessary for every dorm hall to have at least one elevator in every building in order to make this a handicap accessible campus.

These standards for campus accessibility are stated in the Americans with Disabilities Act Title 3. The purpose of this act, as stated, is to “…ensure that buildings, facilities, rail passenger cars, and vehicles are accessible, in terms of architecture and design, transportation, and communication, to individuals with disabilities.” (Americans with Disabilities Act Title III Regulations 7). These standards are not met by SUNY New Paltz- many doors are heavy and do not have buttons, a consistent lack of elevators, and there are no convenient handicap accessible paths around campus. All of these combined prove that this campus doesn’t abide by the Americans with Disabilities act. While there are many handicap accessible features on campus, it simply isn’t enough.

New Paltz, whether it’s the town or school, is a diverse environment. It is projected in data from 2018-2022 that 7.9% of people under 65 living in New Paltz, have a disability. (United States Census Bureau).  This is more than the federally required amount of handicap accessible buildings, only being 5% as stated, “All Federally assisted new construction housing developments with 5 or more units must design and construct 5 percent of the dwelling units, or at least one unit, whichever is greater, to be accessible for persons with mobility disabilities.” (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). The expectation to only meet the standard would leave out 2.9% of people who would struggle to simply travel from one building to another. For a school like New Paltz, who seem to pride themselves on inclusivity, this is an issue that requires an immediate solution. The simple act of funding accessibility enough to install at least one elevator in every hall would make all the difference.

This campus must be more accessible for those with disabilities, this is an issue that can start to resolve by the first step of construction of an elevator in every dorm hall. This is a simple, yet crucial step for a truly handicap friendly campus.

 

Best,

Connor Owen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Accessibility Requirements for Buildings. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/disabilities/accessibilityR.

Americans with Disabilities Act Title III Regulations. Department of Justice, 2010, https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/regulations/title-iii-regulations/#supplementary-information.

QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau, 2023,

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/newpaltzvillagenewyork/PST045223.