Physical Disability and Financial Accessibility on Campus; Journalism Students Discuss
University of New England, Biddeford, ME
Nineteen students taking an introductory journalism course at UNE found issues in student accessibility across several sites on campus, both in the freshman dorms and the school’s own bookstore.
A curious installment, or lack thereof, within the freshmen dorms, leaves students confused as to why only one of the five freshmen housing buildings includes an elevator. An introductory course in journalism examines the older quad buildings built for rooms to house two people, whereas the newer building, Featherman Hall, has larger room capacities. Over the past decade, students have been placed in triples in the smaller rooms, while the rooms in Featherman have between one and two occupants. This scenario is due to the addition of the elevator in Featherman, making it the only accessible dorm to those who require its assistance. Students in the older buildings are confined to limited spaces with hardly enough leeway to keep their belongings. This design also limits students who require elevator assistance from entering the other quad buildings. Freshman Nick Coneau, a sports management major, states, “[This is a] big issue without wheelchair accessibility.” It is a vital safety concern and an inhibiting factor for students with limited mobility.
Additionally, students inquire about the additional costs of academic textbooks required for many classes. With most of the class nodding their heads in agreement, they question why UNE upcharges so much at our bookstore. Freshman Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture major Cole LaChapelle formulates, “[Some] Community Colleges have textbook funding programs, why don’t we?” This link is intriguing since, while UNE is a private college, students may still struggle to afford these costly textbooks. Implementing a program may alleviate the financial stress numerous students face without continual income.
Addressing such topics may bring light to the adverse aspects of student life here on campus and could be imperative to driving change.
