Renovations to accommodate disabled
As physical barriers to disabled students are being removed by state
and federal laws, Alert, a student program senring the handicapped,
plans additional activity geared toward the person as a whole.
By TOM WOLFE
Of the Emerald
Like everything else for the
handicapped, the mechanics of
getting a college education are
more elaborate and troublesome
than for the rest.
But as more disabled persons
attempt to wheel themselves into
classrooms and ferry themselves
across downtown streets with the
aid of a white cane, lack of ac
commodation becomes intolera
ble.
“ Basically, the University's goal
is to give disabled students an
equal chance at getting an educa
tion — to avoid prejudice.” exp
lains Daniel Valentine, a Univer
sity planning consultant, himself
confined to a wheelchair.
For the past several years the
University has been opening class
rooms to disabled students, in
stalling curb cuts and ramps and
removing door jams. Now the ma
jority of campus classrooms are
accessible, says Valentine. But
more work needs to be done.
Valentine estimates it would
cost the University $1.4 million to
meet all current state and federal
accessibility requirements for
University buildings. At its last
session, the Legislature approp
riated about $100,000 to the entire
state system for facilities plan
ning.
“I was not disappointed with the
figure,” says Art Mand, director of
planning for the state system of
higher education. “It showed the
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686-3107
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state's concern for the issue and
gives us a start for the next ses
sion,” he says.
“We’re being guided by the
principle of reasonable accom
modation” in using that money,
says Valentine. “Our premise is
that it is unreasonable to open
every square foot of every floor on
campus to the disabled.”
Valentine, as a University his
tory professor, has taken part in
campus planning to accommo
date disabled students during his
two years at the University.
He says the final draft of a trans
ition plan to make University build
ings and facilities accessible to
the handicapped is nearing com
pletion. According to law, that plan
must be ready by Dec. 2 and a
self-evaluation considering all
necessary changes must be
finished and on file in every educa
tional institution retying on federal
funds by next June.
In the meantime, a recently
begun practice of “mainstream
ing” disabled students into regular
classrooms is producing a new
wave of handicapped students
who are planning to enter univer
sities and later compete for jobs.
Valentine points out that a col
lege education is especially valu
able to the disabled because they
usually can't rely on manual labor
skills.
In addition to University efforts
in building modification is the
progress being made by Alert, an
ASUO-funded program serving
the handicapped.
Dan Ferguson, Alert director,
plans to make the program more
visible and active this year.
Special orientation sessions for
now students are being held this
week to prepare students for re
gistration, class scheduling prob
lems and to inform them about
housing, transportation and re
creational opportunities in
Eugene.
Ferguson encourages disabled
students to drop by the Alert office
in EMU Suite 1, extension 4383,
so they may begin receiving the
program's newsletter, News Alert,
and take advantage of services
and counseling offered through
the office.
Ferguson is working on several
other activities for Alert during the
rest of the year. Included in his
plans are the possibility of a
SEARCH course to give people
an awareness of social issues in
volving handicapped persons,
such as marriage and sexuality.
Later in the year Alert will spon
sor an awareness week to give
able-bodied students a chance to
experience the world of the dis
abled.
Ferguson also hopes to be able
to hold the Oregon Wheelchair
Olympics at Hayward Field this
spring. Traditionally the event is
held at Mt. Hood Community Col
lege in Gresham.
"Hayward Field would be a par
ticularly good location for a
number of reasons,” Ferguson
explains. “The image of Eugene
as the track capital of the work)
and the tartan track could in
crease interest and the caliber of
competition.”
This is Ferguson s favorite type
of activity for Alert "Increasingly, I
would like the handicapped to be
their own advocate.”
Handicapped info sought
An affirmative action committee on education is interested in
obtaining student input and cooperation throughout its evaluation of
University programs in light of federal regulations protecting the hand
icapped against discrimination.
Students with comments or suggestions about the University’s
compliance with the law’s requirements relating to accessibility and
facilities should contact Karen Alvarado in the Office of Affirmative
Action, 686-3123.
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