Darcy Garretson (senior, DWA)

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Author: 

I’m writing in response to a Weekly letter that was published last semester or last year about how Oxy is not very handicapped accessible. I’ve never disagreed with this statement (my handicapped dad would never have been able to see my bedroom in any of my old dorms,) but now I can personally understand why Oxy needs more infrastructure for the mobile-impaired, as I am currently using crutches because of a sprained foot.

Before I continue, please do not take this as a rant like the one Michael from The Office made when he thought his leg was broken. Also thank you, Campus Safety, for giving me rides to and from Rangeview, and thank you, nice people that carry stuff and/or open doors for me.

From the little that I know, there are enough nice people to help out mobile-impaired people. However, even though I can still technically use stairs and open doors, I have plenty of complaints.

First, several times I have tried to get to the MP, only to find in shock that the mailroom door was locked. How is a person in a wheelchair supposed to get up there then? The elevator by the KOXY room does not lead to the MP, at least not directly.

Second, even if a less mobile person uses a provided ramp or elevator, what about all the doors that are in between? This problem especially applies in Rangeview, but also for most Oxy buildings, where there are no buttons for handicapped people to press so that the door will open up automatically. Then there are those buildings with no elevators.

Third, there are those buildings (like Johnson in particular) that only have one accessible entrance, whereas the other entrances all have stairs. Going all the way around the building and up and down hills to the one accessible door, I imagine, is quite annoying.

Fourth, even though Oxy’s hillscapes cannot be changed, I would hate to imagine what it would be like if my dad were to come to see me graduate in a few months. He, being the heavy man he was, would have been difficult to push around campus (especially up and down hills). This reason alone was enough for him to have used a mechanical wheelchair most of the time, but of course, that would not work here. On the other hand, I guess he would have to use his van to get around, because he would have never let Campus Safety pick him up and put him in a car, and maybe they would not have even been able to pick him up.

At least I don’t have to worry about my dad getting to and from Commencement, and at least I only need the crutches temporarily. Still, it would be nice if Oxy could be more handicapped accessible, if only to make up for the hilly landscape.

Also, as a lefty, I feel Oxy either needs to buy a lot more lefty desks or, even better, needs to buy desks that are comfortable for both lefties and righties.

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