Making Sure All Doors Are Open
Advocating for Genuine Accessibility at SLU
When I think back on what made St. Lawrence University stand out to me as a school, when I visited campus it was the community and friendliness. During my time here, I quickly found the general spirit of Laurentian character through the lovely theme house I live in, The Hub, which resides on the second floor of Sykes Hall, and the greater SLU community. However, this past semester, I was diagnosed with a condition that, for an extended period, left me practically unable to walk up and down stairs. During this time, I quickly discovered the inaccessibility of much of campus. More specifically, the inaccessibility of many dorm buildings and theme houses. Moving to a more accessible room on a floor with an accessible bathroom would have meant losing access to the beloved theme house I live in and being separated from the very community that has made my experience here at SLU so special.
I began to notice the incomplete care for disabled, particularly physically disabled, students’ experience. Many theme houses inadvertently require residents to be able to climb stairs to live there, meaning these opportunities to build a close community based on shared interest and/or identity are rendered inaccessible to any disabled student who cannot climb stairs. A whole portion of the population not being able to access these communities is pretty saddening, to say the least.
However, a more significant root problem lies below this issue. As a society, we routinely isolate our disabled peers, whether that be via inaccessibility, ableism, prejudice, etc. We forget about them and leave them behind. We ask ourselves, “Why should I care if I am not disabled?,” failing to realize it is a population you can become a part of at any moment. Have you ever used an elevator because you were pushing something on wheels or your legs were tired?
Congratulations, you’ve benefited from accessibility! Have you ever used an automatic door opener because your hands were full? Accessibility again! It is something that benefits all of us. It allows students with both traditional disabilities and dynamic disabilities (like I have) to access the same opportunities as others.
As SLU moves into the future, more and more students may come here with various disabilities requiring accessibility. At a school that prides itself on the community it provides its students, I would love to see further initiatives to make our theme houses, dorms and academic halls all accessible. Perhaps as adjustments grow yearly in terms of the use of dormitory and theme house space, accessible spaces within the residential buildings could be prioritized for theme houses as much as possible. Inclusion means more than having one accessible dorm option just to say your campus is accessible. Inclusion means full inclusion and ensuring all opportunities are made accessible to every student