Access to Your Ability
Wednesday September 22nd 2010, 10:15 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

As a student at Bowling Green State University I was walking through MacDonald residence hall and noticed how non-handicap accessible the building really is.   September 14, 2010 I gotten out of class early and, due to the fact, I went to visit a friend in MacDonald hall just to notice it’s lack of ramps, handicap restrooms,  and mobility in general.  One of the resident advisers were hosting a program displaying Mac’s lack of accessibility and I noticed how if a person was handicapped it would be hard for them to be mobile if they were living anywhere except for the ground floor.  With Mac’s narrow hallways and nonexistence of ramps there are only two doors in which students in wheelchairs can leave as compared to the ten exits that those who are not in wheelchairs can use.  I also noticed that if a fire drill or fire was to ever occur in Mac than it would just be bad news for those who have limited mobility.  Given that elevators are shutdown during fire drills/fire alarms, students who can’t accessibly take the steps are expected to wait on their floor for a fire person to help them for assistance.   I was surprised that the best assistance the building could give someone who has the inability to leave a burning building is assurance that a fireman will be to their assistance as they await in the burning building.

Along with it’s constant use of steps, MacDonald also isn’t conscience of guest who visit the building.  Hypothetically speaking, let’s say that Mac kept a record of all those who are handicapped and that their records indicate that all of its residents are not apart of the handicap portion.  Given that it host two dining facilities and most incoming freshmans, who will have their friends visit, you would think the building would be more living sustainable for those who are in the building.  In general, Mac lack braille postings to help blind students maneuver through the  building.  The building also lacks space for people in wheelchairs coming from opposite sides of the hallway to pass one another. All in all I noticed how mac had way more inaccessibility than accessibility and that while its undergoing renovations they need to its accessibility.