When I entered LSU as a freshman, I held many strong opinions and cared deeply about many issues. Campus disability access was not among them. It was an issue with which I was unfamiliar, and I could not identify with the daily problems students and faculty with a disability faced. During my time at LSU, I began to see disability access as a real issue that needed immediate attention.
Since I was eight years old, I have spent many days in hospitals and gone through more than two dozen operations. I was born with a bone condition that causes irregular bone growth, which results in bone tumors in the joints and other bone deformities. During my sophomore year at LSU, I underwent a hip surgery which left me on crutches for approximately 10 weeks of the spring semester.
As my friends can attest, this was not an easy time for me. Although I had a medical parking permit, getting to classes was tiring and difficult at best. Crutching up the stairs in Himes or hobbling to my car in the rain were some of the more difficult tasks I faced. By the time I got home from school and physical therapy, all I wanted to do was sleep. I hardly could focus my energy to do homework and study, much less contribute to campus organizations.
When I finally retired my crutches, I was thankful to be able to walk, but I began to think of all those whose disability never would allow them to do so. I just had a small taste of the plight they face their entire lives. Getting to class and accessing campus facilities sometimes was impossible and they had to overcome many obstacles to do this.
I was given an opportunity to do something about the problem. The speaker of the Student Senate asked me to chair the Student Government Committee on Building Access. I jumped at the opportunity. Although composed of people with different views, the committee members shared the common goal of making LSU accessible to all students. One member in particular and I had many disagreements before we served on the committee. By the end, we were good friends, which gave me a new respect for those in his political spectrum.
The situation would have discouraged many. A campus that was anything but accessible faced our committee. Some Facility Services estimate placed the cost of making the campus accessible at more than $8 million. Beyond the cost, the state and university had a history of indifference to the issue. How could a group of five students possibly persuade the state to dedicate $8 million to making the campus accessible when money is short and accessibility a low priority?
We decided increasing public and administrative awareness about the problem was our only viable option. Almost weekly, committee members met with administrators for an entire semester. We also planned events such as Disability Access Day in the Quad, which allowed people a chance to experience this problem from the seat of a wheelchair.
In a little more than one semester, we made great strides. Our chancellor is solidly committed to making the campus accessible, a student fee was rededicated to campus accessibility, and other funding was promised. This problem was transformed from being a non-issue at LSU to being at the forefront of the University. Chancellor Emmert has established a Campus Access Site Team to work on the issue. During the summer, Facility Services fixed slopes and doorways, cut curbs, leveled sidewalks, and the Athletic Department constructed wheelchair-accessible seating in Tiger Stadium’s student section.
There are many things that remain to be accomplished. As many of the original leaders on the issue are graduating and moving on to the “real world,” there is a huge need for students to step up and fill the gap.
Students need to keep the heat on the administration to make sure the money comes and is used where it is most needed. The administration does care about what we say and will work to ensure our campus is the best in the country. So if you care about this issue, get involved and lead.