UNI services aid students with disabilities

Year round, students with disabilities can have trouble traversing the University of Northern Iowa campus. Registering with Student Disability Services allows students to receive accommodations from UNI for their disabilities.

Interim Coordinator of Student Disability Services Ashley Lerch explained how the university aids some students who are registered with the SDS.

"For our students with disabilities that have mobility impairments (who) might have problems getting around campus because of the snow, when they come in for their accommodation forms, often times, we put on there some sort of accommodation for leniency in regard to punctuality or classroom attendance due to inclement weather," Lerch said.

Erin Gitchell, a Portuguese and Spanish major and president of the Awareness of Individuals with Disabilities organization encourages eligible students to register with SDS so they can receive accommodations.

"Unfortunately, students not registered with Student Disability Services cannot have accommodations made for them," said Gitchell. "Students should register with Student Disability Services so that accommodations can be made. … If (students) are not registered, they aren't recognized as having a disability within the university."

Senior general communication major Ashley Anderson talked about some of the problems she has getting across campus in her wheelchair and some of the accommodations that are made for her.

One problem she faces is the snow when it isn't cleared off the sidewalks immediately. It gets packed down and  the wheels of her chair can get caught or slip. When this happens, she calls her friends or the Department of Public Safety to get help.

Anderson has been on campus four years, and this year has been the worst, especially a week before finals last semester. It was snowing all day, and the cleaning crews were waiting until the snow stopped falling to clean off the sidewalks.

"I got to class OK, but the ground was covered, and it took me 25 to 30 minutes when it usually takes five or 10 minutes at most," Anderson said.

She needed help from her friends to get back to her dorm that night. The next week was also difficult for Anderson.

"I was late to a final, and the teacher understood, but there is always the chance that they won't," she said.

Gitchell said that if a student is penalized for not being able to get to class and it isn't his or her fault, he or she should make a complaint to the university.

If students aren't able to get to class because of poorly cleared sidewalks or curbs, Lerch encourages them to bring it to the notice of the university.

"Facilities is the office we direct our students to if they do ever see any problems on campus and that's (273-4400). Students can call that number and report any areas they see and then facilities will send somebody out to clear that area," Lerch said.

The Facilities Office will then let the grounds crew know what areas need to be cleared of snow and ice, and they will take care of it as soon as they can. Lerch and Gitchell both encourage students to have facilities programmed into their phones so they can call if they do have a problem.

Students can also call the Department of Public Safety at 273-2712, if they are having problems getting around campus. Public Safety will help the student reach the office that can help them if it is unable to help the student directly.

Anderson, who has trouble when snow is piled in front of the automated doors or piled in front of the button to activate the door, can also use this number. Otherwise, this increases the possibility of getting stuck in a snow drift and defeats the purpose of having cleared sidewalks and automated doors.

A group of art students met with members of the Awareness of Individuals with Disabilities Friday to discuss issues of common interest. The discussion was arranged by assistant art professor Erica Voss as a prelude to developing a collaborative project.

Individuals discussed problems that they dealt with personally and general issues that emerged. It raised questions like "What is a disability?" and "Who defines disabilities?"

The group will be meeting in the Student Lounge of the Kamerick Art Building 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. March 22, and beginning April 1, the group will meet Fridays at 3 p.m.

More information about disabilities and registering with the university can be found at the Student Disability Services Web site at http://www.uni.edu/sds.