How can I get a Publc and City 4yr College to comply with the Disabilities Act?

[You Are Guilty]

Well then I misinterpreted your complaint as to the blind students in the stairs too, which still leaves us with your dissatisfaction with the speed of the elevators. So, that begs the question, exactly how fast must the elevators be to meet with your approval?

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

You should suggest the college remove the current elevator motor and install a "hemi".

 

[HighwayMan]

So, the question remains. Are they're any professionals out there who can guide me the right direction.

Direction of what?

The following is from your own college web site: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/studentservices/access/ada

The law provides that a student with a disability has the right to request accommodation from the college or university once he or she has provided appropriate documentation of the disability to the appropriate personnel at the institution. The Office of AccessABILITY located at East 1214B is the designated office at Hunter College.


So what's the mystery here?

 

[truthisone]

Direction of what?

The following is from your own college web site: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/studentservices/access/ada

The law provides that a student with a disability has the right to request accommodation from the college or university once he or she has provided appropriate documentation of the disability to the appropriate personnel at the institution. The Office of AccessABILITY located at East 1214B is the designated office at Hunter College.


So what's the mystery here?

I filled out one those forms. It asks things such as do you need extra time for tests or do you need a note taker if you are visually impaired. I still need a wheelchair, should I ask for a more qualified maintenance team to be hired because this isn’t a small school or should I ask for someone to carry me on their back if the elevator I need is broken ? lol

My point is they're not following that law, so what can I do to help? Do anyone in the law profession actually use their teeny tiny free time to read these forums? too bad I'm only a psych major

Sorry if I joke a lot. It's just my personalty which sometimes comes off rude in the written word.

 

[justalayman]

I filled out one those forms. It asks things such as do you need extra time for tests or do you need a note taker if you are visually impaired. I still need a wheelchair, should I ask for a more qualified maintenance team to be hired because this isn’t a small school or should I ask for someone to carry me on their back if the elevator I need is broken ? lol

My point is they're not following that law, so what can I do to help? Do anyone in the law profession actually use their teeny tiny free time to read these forums? too bad I'm only a psych major

Sorry if I joke a lot. It's just my personalty which sometimes comes off rude in the written word.

what law aren't they following? Is there some area you actually cannot get to because of the wheelchair?



and btw: Just so you don't think I have sympathy my chauffeur is blind. You have't had fun until you've been on the Dan Ryan expressway with a blind chauffeur. Thank God his hearing is great. I don't know what I'm going to do once he can't here me tell him which way and when to turn.

 

[truthisone]

Well then I misinterpreted your complaint as to the blind students in the stairs too, which still leaves us with your dissatisfaction with the speed of the elevators. So, that begs the question, exactly how fast must the elevators be to meet with your approval?

That was just my whining and jealously on my be half of those whose can still run up those stairs and not be late class like I used to. I apologize. I am still coping psychologically with my new paralysis. Again sorry. Sometimes I get off the topic of my good intentions, but I refuse to let pity take over. (I'll just get to the point from now on)


Now, if I can help, I'm ready.

 

[truthisone]

For one who claims to be disabled you seem to have a low tolerance for others with disabilities. Anyway, reasonable accommodation doesn't mean to whatever standards a student wishes to invent. Slow elevators are complaint. Get a backpack if you can't walk with crutches while carrying your books.

Who are you talking too? I'm the most patient to a person that even has a cold. I don't like the ancient, poorly maintained excuse of an elevator at this school. I have no problem with slow, however sometimes you'd pray for eve that much. BTW I'm not on crutches I'm in a chair, but best of luck to a student who is.

 

[You Are Guilty]

That was just my whining and jealously on my be half of those whose can still run up those stairs and not be late class like I used to. I apologize. I am still coping psychologically with my new paralysis. Again sorry. Sometimes I get off the topic of my good intentions, but I refuse to let pity take over. (I'll just get to the point from now on)

I still can't figure out exactly what it is you think the school is not doing to accommodate your (or even another student's) disability? Their Accessibility Office apparently even has a written form for you to make the request. So, what did you request that was not provided? (Keep in mind, a legally compliant "reasonable accommodation" is not always equivalent to the "accommodation asked for").

To be explicitly clear, just because it takes longer to get places in the chair does not automatically mean the school is violating the law. On the other hand, say if the school does not provide elevator service to the top floor, and that's where all your classes are, that is problematic.

 

[sandyclaus]

I still can't figure out exactly what it is you think the school is not doing to accommodate your (or even another student's) disability? Their Accessibility Office apparently even has a written form for you to make the request. So, what did you request that was not provided? (Keep in mind, a legally compliant "reasonable accommodation" is not always equivalent to the "accommodation asked for").

To be explicitly clear, just because it takes longer to get places in the chair does not automatically mean the school is violating the law. On the other hand, say if the school does not provide elevator service to the top floor, and that's where all your classes are, that is problematic.

And to add, for those blind students who OP feels HAVE TO use the stairways, perhaps they CHOOSE to because it is the fastest way to get upstairs (given the slowness of the elevators).

Are you expecting there to be a special staircase intended just for use by the blind and disabled students who choose to climb them? Because I think that would be silly. That wouldn't be an accommodation, that would require whole new construction or would result in REVERSE discrimination by not allowing the able-bodied students to use those same stairways. Where's the sense in that?

I am curious exactly what you feel the school should be doing to accommodate these disabled students over and above what they are already doing to comply with the legal requirements?

 

[justalayman]

Now, if I can help, I'm ready.

then answer, very specifically, what I asked in my last post:

what law aren't they following? Is there some area you actually cannot get to because of the wheelchair?

 

[LdiJ]

I actually understand where the OP is coming from.

If you go into a high rise office building they generally have a fairly large bank of elevators, they are usually fairly high speed, and they often designate certain elevators to go to certain floors only, in order to avoid the congestion of every elevator stopping at every floor. Colleges and universities generally do NOT have that same type of elevators, they are usually slower, and there are no designations for certain floors. Its not at all uncommon to have an elevator stop at the floor you are on and not be able to get on it because its full. When the elevator is your only choice, its can be a matter of extreme frustration.

Nevertheless, there is really nothing that can be done. A building has to be designed for a certain number of elevators, its not possible to add more. Buildings also have to be designed for a certain type of elevator, and its rarely possible to change that type. I also doubt that the building has sufficient elevators that they could designate one for the use of disabled students only.

What the OP CAN do is request accomodation for being unable to control when he can get on an elevator and get to class...in other words, get permission to be late for class, including for exams etc. He can certainly plan to arrive at school early enough to guarantee that he will get to his first class on time, its getting to class on time between classes that is his problem.

I was in his shoes...when I was working on my masters I was on crutches for part of the time (sprained ankle). It was an exercise in fairly extreme frustration.

 

[cbg]

And of course, since the OP's condition is temporary, the ADA does not apply at all.

 

[LdiJ]

And of course, since the OP's condition is temporary, the ADA does not apply at all.

Huh? Since when does a temporary disability...particularly one that effects someone's mobility, make someone ineligible for accomodation under the ADA?

 

[cbg]

Ever since the law was written to exclude temporary disabilities. The ADA was never intended to cover temporary conditions. Although the recent updating gave further clarification and acknowledges that a condition does not have to be permanent to be covered, there is still evidence in the thread that the OP's condition will not be longer than a few weeks, or months at most.

What's more, his primary concern appears to be the speed of the elevators. The elevators are not moving any slower because he is in a wheelchair. The non-wheelchair bound students have the same limits that he has, as far as the elevators go. So why is he entitled to more time than they are?

 

[justalayman]

Nevertheless, there is really nothing that can be done. A building has to be designed for a certain number of elevators, its not possible to add more. Buildings also have to be designed for a certain type of elevator, and its rarely possible to change that type. I also doubt that the building has sufficient elevators that they could designate one for the use of disabled students only.

W.

actually it is possible to add more elevators. It would be a huge undertaking but it can generally be done. Along with that, existing elevators can be replaced. That means the fasted elevator in the world can be installed but...


unless there is a legal requirement they move at some certain speed or there is a requirement of capacity beyond what is there, it simply is't going to happen. That's life.