The Road to education

Making UPEI more accessible

By Stacy Dunn

MANY PEOPLE DEVOTE THIS TIME of year to planning for the upcoming university or college semester: selecting courses, preparing timetables and so forth. Students with disabilities, though, may find this process more difficult. For instance, a course might be in an inac- cessible building, or a visually impaired person may have to wait months for books to be changed into Braille or audio tape. Fortunately, institutions such as UPEI recognize these problems and are slowly but surely seeking ways to help persons with disabilities have a successful university career.

UPEI Access-Ability is a group devoted to upholding the rights of stu- dents with disabilities. This sixteen- member committee includes faculty, staff

and two students with disabilities. A chairperson is appointed for one year and reports to the Director of Student Services on the group’s progress.

For the 1993-94 school year, UPEI Access-Ability set up a bursary and promotion campaign; the bursary is available for a full-time student with a disability who is in financial need. Other financial aids are obtainable, and UPEI Student Services has a financial aid ad- visor (for the school year only) who is informed about the latest national, re- gional, and local awards availableto any student.

The advisor publicizes scholar- ships through the UPEI X-Press the student newspaper. The committee hopes to use the X-Press to promote

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disability awareness and issues, as well as events sponsored by UPEI Access- Ability. The group also plans to report its activities to the PEI Council of the Disabled’s newsletter. This inform peo- ple outside the University of UPEI’s commitment to persons with disabili- ties.

At present, a brochure for stu- dents with disabilities is UPEI Access- Ability’s main promotional tool. This brochure advises students on how to inform the university of their needs be- fore enrolling. Student Services con- ducts a summertime orientation pro- gram in which a faculty advisor aids prospective students in course selection and a summer student provides tours of the university. During the school year, Student Services’ counsellors and fac- ulty chairpersons help students choose courses, and a liaison officer promotes the campus. Further information about academic advisement and campus tours is available by calling Student Services at 566-0423.

The financial aid advisor, the learn- ing assistance centre, and UPEI Access- Ability can be reached through Student Services. UPEI Access-Ability’s bro- chure also lists the phone numbers of campus security, medical services, the residence manager, and the Sports Cen- tre (whose staff assured UPEI Access- Ability they can accommodate people with disabilities).

Two of the most accessible build- ings at UPEI are the Sports Centre and the Veterinary College, since both were constructed recently. Two years ago, many of UPEI’s buildings were assessed on the basis of their entrance and inte- rior (i.e. elevator use) accessibility. Factors such as accessibility of equip- ment and washrooms were not consid- ered, but the study did assess the build- ings as follows:

Main Building

--ramp to main entrance; -- elevator to all floors

Duffy Building

-- wheelchair lift at one side of build -- elevator service from second to floor

Robertson Library -- automatic doors -- ramp to snack area

Kelley Building

-- door on ground level

-- elevator to all floors

Steele Recital Hall

-- recently installed automatic do and elevator to all floors

Dalton Hall

-- steep-looking ramp at entrance -- narrow entrance doors

-- only accessible on first floor

Blanchard Hall -- only accessible on first floor

-- narrow halls and doors Unfortunately, the Student U

ion Centre and the Chaplaincy Ce are not accessible to students with ¢ abilities. Even the accessible buildit are imperfect. For instance, the ele tors may be too slow, and people use wheelchairs or are visually impail may have difficulty reading the ro numbers above the doors. UPEI / cess-Ability is aware of these imperf tions and is constantly advising mail nance staff of such problems. UPElis committed to reconstrv ing older buildings, as well as constru ing a new student centre and chemis building, but these commitments requirelarge amounts of time and mo Inthe meantime, people with disabilit who are interested in a post-second! education should inquire about the se! ices UPEI provides and speak out ! service accommodation is lacking.

Sick Of cLAsSeS? bOrEd oF sTUdYinG aLl The TiME? T! soMeTHinG nEw ANd exCiTIng... eAT Raw eGGs, piCk Yo! NOse iN pUbLIc, sNeEZe iN sOmEonE'S fACe...WRITE FOR 7 X-PRESS! Meetings are every Tuesday evening at 6:00

room 06 main.

Hope to see you there!

(October 4, 1994