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. Once I found out about the lack of an elevator, it raised my awareness to other issues regarding accessibility on campus. One of these issues is heavy doors that do not have buttons or the buttons are defective. I am not affected by this but everytime I try to press a button and it doesn’t work, I think of those in crutches or wheelchairs who must now struggle to push the door open in order to get through. This is an issue that could easily be solved considering most doors have buttons, yet many are broken. Another issue I have found is the lack of ramps in most paths. While some stairs have a separate ramp beside them, many do not. While if not using the stairs, you technically can travel around the whole campus, you must take several detours making the time it takes to travel double and even on some occasions triple. This is not a consistent and reliable method for transportation for the handicap population. All of these issues have come to my attention as someone who has no issues with transport or walking, it’s hard to imagine what other issues are present that able-bodied people never become aware of. I believe SUNY New Paltz needs to consider those with disabilities when constructing parts of the 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 SUNY New Paltz is not meeting the expected standard in this regard. While there are many handicap accessible features on campus, it simply isn’t enough. Those who are unable to open the doors without buttons, or the many that have buttons that simply do not work, are restricted heavily on traveling through campus individually. While this may be dismissed due to the idea that it’s a smaller population than it realistically is. This is a real issue that affects real people.

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 act of only meeting the government regulated standard for accessible living spaces leaves handicap people out of many experiences. They can’t visit their friends on other floors if there is no elevator, meeting rooms and lounges that are rendered completely inaccessible. The simple act of funding accessibility enough to install at least one elevator in every hall would make all the difference. It may not solve the whole issue, but it’s a start to show that New Paltz cares about the groups of people on campus who are disabled.

How should we solve this issue? We may not be able to in a matter of days, or weeks, or months for that matter. What we can do is show support, start small and continue showing support. Start by funding elevators for every dorm, many already have them but we need New Paltz to be a truly handicap friendly environment. Many others have voiced their concerns regarding inaccessible campuses  around the country. Rebecca Roberts voices her concerns from Catholic University of America in Washington DC, “This is not a problem that can be solved quickly, but it is a glaring problem that is preventing students with disabilities from being able to fully experience the education and community that they pay to experience.” (Roberts). Washington DC is very close to New Paltz and it seems to share the same issues and expresses these issues from the perspective of someone who struggles with the inaccessibility of the campus. These issues prevent people from accessing the education and experience they worked towards. As I stated earlier, this issue will not be fixed in a short amount of time, it is an issue that requires care over the years in order to make this campus a better place for everyone.

This campus must be more accessible for those with disabilities, this is an issue that can start to resolve by one step at a time. Let it be the elevators, let it be the doors, all that needs to happen is a change. A change of priorities and a change of your perspective. Think of everyone who can’t travel as freely around campus as you may. Consider the other perspective. This is a simple, yet crucial step for a truly handicap friendly campus and an equally free campus. I hope for a future for this school in which everyone can travel freely with a truly equal campus for everyone.

 

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.

Roberts, Rebecca. “Accessibility on Campus.” University Wire, Uloop, Inc, 2022,             https://www.proquest.com/docview/2906967820?pq-origsite=primo&sourcetype=Wire%20Feeds