The Online Reflector

The increase of construction on campus has increased the difficulties in navigating throughout campus, especially when a person has a physical disability, according to Amy Allen Sekhar, chair of modern languages and assistant professor of French.

Sekhar, whose office is in the library, said it is difficult making her way across campus with the recent construction in front of the library.

“There’s not really an easy way to get into the library building without stairs, especially if you add on the construction, for someone who has limited walking capability,” Sehkar said. “Getting from Esch to the library isn’t that far, but it is when you consider going around all the construction.”

According to Associate Professor of History and Political Science Douglas Woodwell, the construction across Hanna Avenue also increased difficulties in getting across campus

“It didn’t seem like during that whole [Hanna Avenue] project that anybody cared about being able to get across the street if you are in a wheelchair,” Woodwell said. “There were little things that could have been done. They could have made it so you could cross at the traffic light, yet there were ledges from the sidewalk to the ground, where the ramps were supposed to be, because of the construction. It wouldn’t have taken more than a little bit of effort to smooth those edges down. It seems to me like they could have made that process a little easier for those of us who don’t like to try to move uphill on a gravelly surface.”

In addition to construction, parking is also an issue. Until recently, there were only two disability parking spaces near the ramp at Good Hall.

According to Woodwell, during this time, he would have to park even farther away from the building than everyone else because he needed open space on the left side of his vehicle. He then would have to cross the entire parking lot. Woodwell said that would become even more dangerous when snow and ice covered the ground.

Sekhar also has issues with parking due to limited spaces.

According to Sekhar, since the parking lot behind the library is a visitor lot, the two disability parking spots in that lot are often taken.

“My other alternative is to park in the big lot between here [the library] and Christel DeHaan. Unfortunately, the closest spots are closer to Christel DeHaan, so they’re not close. And the whole point of the disabled spots is that they’re close,” Sekhar said. “I have a lot of stuff that I need to carry in and out. And with my disability, I’m not supposed to carry weight on my back, so I can’t have a backpack. [My bag] is heavy, and it’s hard to pull behind me. So it would be nice to have something a little closer.”

Having elevators break down is another issue that Woodwell has had to deal with. He already has missed a class this semester because the elevator was broken and he was unable to get to the classroom.

On Sept. 21, the elevator in Good Hall was once again broken down when Woodwell got out of his night class. According to Woodwell, campus police came, and he was given the option of either calling the fire department to carry him down the stairs or get out of his wheelchair and scoot down the flights of stairs step-by-step.

Though UIndy follows all legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, there are other important things that need to be addressed, according to Sekhar.

“I have trouble reaching a lot of things on campus that I think people don’t necessarily think about. I can’t reach a lot of the self-serve things in the cafeterias, such as the soda machines. I can’t reach sinks in most bathrooms. Those are all technically ADA accessible, but I still can’t reach them, because my disability doesn’t exactly fit the bill for ADA,” Sekhar said. “I think sometimes there’s a kind of tendency to read things into the letter of the law versus the spirit of the law, and the spirit of the law is to make things accessible.”

Sekhar thinks it would be beneficial for the university to take advantage of what she believes is a monumental time in students’ lives by setting up a mentoring program for students with disabilities.

“Students are at a point in their lives when they’re going from having parents as advocates and becoming very independent. College is an interesting time in that everyone is learning to be their own person, and I think that for people with disabilities, that’s learning to be your own advocate.”

Sekhar’s idea involves a group where students, faculty and staff with disabilities meet.

“I would love to mentor someone and say ‘this is my journey, and where it’s taken me being a person with a disability,’” Sekhar said. “Because UIndy is changing so much, we’re at a great moment to say ‘let’s make this a conversation.’”