The latest lecture in the Kirkland Project "Technology, Science and Democracy" series was a presentation by Danny McLain, disability advocate from the Resource Center for Independent Living in Utica. McLain, assisted by Ashley Westbrook '06, was asked to audit the campus' accessibility for people with physical disabilities. The objective of the audit was to see where problems in accessibility arose on campus and to suggest ways to rectify them. The audit was sponsored by the Kirkland Project, Kirkland Endowment and the Dean of Students.
McLain and Westbrook toured campus looking at many aspects of accessibility, including parking, ramps, entrances, bathrooms and signage, in both public buildings and residence halls. They found that where attempts at accessibility were made, they were often unsuccessful due to minor problems. Some of the issues discovered were ramps with improper slope or bad maintenance, the need for more handicapped parking and signage and improved bathroom accessibility, and signage. McLain said that many of these mistakes could be corrected with little or no expense.
Senior Associate Dean of Students Nancy Thompson, the college's ADA compliance officer, was in attendance at McLain's talk. She said that this assessment will be useful in the college's efforts to make the campus as accessible as possible to persons with disabilities. McLain's report will be made available to the officers of the college and to members of the college community.
McLain said people with disabilities will spend their money and time where they feel most comfortable, and he stressed that there is a moral imperative to create the most accessible environment possible. "Access isn't about following the letter of the law," he said. "It's about including people."
Other lectures in the "Technology, Science and Democracy"series:
Dick Teresi on "Whose Science?"
"Technology, Science and Democracy: What's at Stake?"
"Building Communities Across the Digital Divide"
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