Wheelchair Users Face Trouble At the Dorms

Some students and faculty who use wheelchairs have decided not to live on campus due to limited wheelchair accessibility at on-campus living sites like Residence Commons and Parkside Commons.

Richard Beaver, a freshman psychology major living at Residence Commons, uses a wheelchair and lives in the Residence dorms. Still, he said he can see how students who are confined to a wheelchair might have difficulties on campus.

The Residence buildings have steep hills, few elevators and minimal ramps.

According to Carol Roberts-Corb, director of housing and residence life at Cal State Long Beach, the most recent on-campus buildings were constructed about 30 years ago and all of the sites meet the Legal Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for buildings of the time.
"We try to work close with DSS, making sure we are legally up to code, and if we are ethically doing what we can to meet all students needs," Roberts-Corb said.



(Photographer: Sean Boyd)



David Sanfilippo, director of disabled student services, said housing may not be completely aware of the situation for disabled students and faculty.

  "It would be nice to have a switchback by the grass areas, but here is the problem: For every inch of height, you have to have 12 inches of length. So for that particular gradation, there is probably four feet, meaning 48 feet of ramp."

Before housing can begin construction on the dorms, it considers three aspects: Whether the buildings legally meet requirements, what the ethical needs are and its costs.

Parkside Commons also falls short in wheelchair accessibility, not for students, but for faculty.

Every professor who is hired at CSULB is eligible for faculty housing, but because there are limited spots, there is a competitive application process for when there is an opening.

Approximately three years have passed since wheelchair-user assistant professor of journalism Danny Paskin was chosen as a candidate for an exclusive spot in faculty housing in Parkside.

Although he was not selected as the final candidate for the on-campus faculty spot at the time, Paskin recollected there being a lack of wheelchair access to faculty housing in Parkside.

Paskin said he was offered a "Plan B," but it was different than what was offered to non-disabled professors. Eventually, Paskin was not selected to live on campus.

Roberts-Corb confirmed that nothing has changed regarding wheelchair accessibility in faculty living in Parkside since three years ago.

  Roberts-Corb said, "We have accessible faculty housing in the Residential Learning College, but currently at Parkside, no."

For the rest of the stor visit  http://www.daily49er.com/news/wheelchair-users-face-trouble-at-dorms-1.267149

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