By Elana Melzer, Head Producer of McK Radio
Photography by Elana Melzer
When walking to class, have you ever noticed loose bricks, uneven sidewalks, or stairs at the entrances of nearly every building? For most students these little details might be annoying minor inconveniences but for disabled students they stand out. These little details can be a massive barrier for some students and faculty members.
McKendree is the oldest private university in Illinois meaning our buildings are also old. Buildingslike Old Main and Eisenmayer have historical significance on campus. We also have some newer buildings, like Piper Academic Center (PAC) and the Hett. And, with the campus being built on a hill, we have many stairs and steep sidewalks. As a disabled student myself, senior Elana Melzer, these things can make attending class a challenge.
The historic buildings on campus add to the culture of the school, but the buildings are also inaccessible. For example, buildings like Old Main and Clark Hall have stairs at the entrance of the building, but no ramp making them largely inaccessible for disabled students. Not all students can use stairs, and of those that can, it may be difficult to do so. For example, someone on crutches can use the stairs, but it takes much longer and can be very difficult.
These old buildings were made before elevators were common, so they don’t have the physical space to be updated to make them more accessible. Luckily, there are newer buildings on campus that are accessible or have been updated to be accessible. Voight Science Hall is currently undergoing renovations, and one of the things they are adding to the building is an elevator. The Lair was recently renovated, and it now includes a ramp so that anyone can access the space. These are great steps towards making campus more accessible for all.
PAC, which opened in 2000, is a newer and more accessible building on campus. The inside of the building has an elevator and wide hallways so people in wheelchairs can easily get around. However, the area outside the building is inaccessible. The building has multiple entrances, but only two are “accessible.” The entrance to the lower level faces the road and the sidewalk there starts with five stairs. Someone in a wheelchair can’t go up those stairs, so they have to go around and enter from the other side of the building. Though, this way involves going up a steep hill with an uneven sidewalk. The sidewalk is uneven and steep enough that it can be difficult for any mobility-aid-user to navigate. This results in both entrances not truly being accessible to disabled people.
The issues outside of PAC are just the tip of the inaccessible iceberg at McKendree. Even if we exclude all the buildings that are not easily possible to make accessible, there is still the issue of stairs lining the outdoor walkways that block mobility aid users and disabled individuals from taking the most direct path to their location.
This is a barrier that everyone at McKendree faces. Accessibility doesn’t just improve the lives of disabled people; it improves the lives of everyone. People get injured all the time, especially student-athletes, and people can become disabled at any time in their life. Injured student athletes not only struggle to cope with being unable to play their sport, but they also struggle to navigate campus with an injury. Inaccessibility harms everyone and bars people from equal access to services such as education.
Inaccessible design choices may seem as annoyances to able-bodied individuals, but they are barriers and add challenges to the daily life of disabled individuals. This reality that we face is a barrier to accessing education at McKendree University. So next time a loose brick or uneven staircase annoys you, let others know that it is an issue so we can increase accessibility for all at McKendree University.
