Freshman Hill has no accessible dorm rooms. Not every bathroom on campus has Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant push buttons that automatically open the door. There is only one lift across the entirety of Bethel University’s campus.
These things all pose a challenge for sophomore Ashton Lafleur. Lafleur uses either a walker or a wheelchair to get around, and the lack of accessible doors and hallways around campus cause him difficulty. There are entrances and exits that should have automatic push buttons but don’t, and the ones that do have them often don’t work.
These issues have not gone unnoticed by Liz Burd, Director of the Office of Accessibility, Resources, and Services (OARS).
“We find that sometimes those ADA push buttons will be broken…sometimes students press them with their feet or kick them,” Burd said.
Bethel’s walkways and hallways are often inaccessible as well. Certain floorings, like carpet, provide challenges for Lafleur, as it can catch on wheels. There are some spaces that are carpet-free and more accessible, like the Brushaber Commons and the Underground.
Outside areas pose challenges as well. The outside path beneath the skyway connecting Clauson Center and Hagstrom Center is covered in rough and uneven brick. It is difficult to walk on but especially easy for wheels or crutches to catch in the gaps. This issue has been noticed by both Lafleur and Burd, but no changes have taken place yet.
“That path is so beat up,” Lafleur said. “And it’s been like that even last year… I’m at the point I’m taking an elevator up to just go to the other building because I’m not dealing with [that].”
While there are still problems with Bethel’s accessibility for students, strides have been taken to improve it.
14 years ago, a prospective student came to tour Bethel. The student used a wheelchair to get around and, at the time, the only bathroom on campus that had an ADA push button was on the fourth floor of Brushaber Commons.
“I remember it just hurt my heart that… this young man, if he came to Bethel, this is the only bathroom that he’d be able to go into without having someone help hold the door for him,” Burd said.
Having only one bathroom on campus with an ADA push button is no longer the case. Nearly every year, Bethel works to install more push buttons across campus. The progress in installations is slowed by the price of the buttons, which are thousands of dollars each.
One of the newer installations was done after Lafleur came forward with his concerns. OARS and Facilities Management partnered with Lafleur and installed a new ADA button on the side entrance to the Wellness Center. The addition of this button not only provides easy access to the Wellness Center, but also to the locker rooms.
“I felt awesome because it helps people that [couldn’t] get in, now [get in],” LaFleur said.
OARS is continuously working to have open eyes when it comes to accessibility.
“You might not realize [a lack of accessibility] until you’re temporarily using crutches and all of a sudden you’re like, ‘oh wow, this a challenge,’” Burd said.
Noticing when something is inaccessible and speaking up about it can not only help those who need more accessibility but can also end up benefiting everyone. The reason a new ADA push button was installed for the Wellness Center was because Lafleur brought up his concern. Lafleur encourages the Bethel community to do the same.
“If you see an accessibility problem, I would say bring it up,” Lafleur said.
