The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990 by President H.W. Bush. Since then, public buildings and infrastructures have shifted to ensure people with disabilities are able to utilize public spaces. One place these accommodations were implemented was universities, and Willamette is no different. It’s not uncommon to see automatic door buttons, ramps or elevators on a college campus. But what does Willamette do well? And where is Willamette falling short?
Sophie Gelfand (’27) identifies as disabled. Gefland recalled her first year at WU “tragically” living in Kaneko, explaining that she was originally put into Kaneko because they had an elevator and air conditioning, two things that were medically necessary for her, and yet, Kaneko still didn’t fully accommodate her. “The problem with accessibility specifically surrounding housing is that the problems are infrastructural,” Gelfand said. “Over half of the dorms here aren’t ADA accessible and the excuse is that they’re old.”
Though Gelfand expressed understanding that adding elevators would prove to be a difficult task, she still argued that the juice would be worth the squeeze. She argued that “accommodations would benefit everybody,” using the example of moving into dorms, having injuries and simply having your hands full. The idea that only people who identify as disabled would benefit or use the ADA accommodations is not true.
Max Machmen (’25) is a senior at WU and the president of the Disability Advocacy Club (DAC). Machmen explained that he had a similar experience to Gelfand with resident halls, having lived on the second floor of Belknap, an elevator-less building, as a first year. As a second-year student, he lived on the first floor of Doney Hall conveniently close to the exit, which was a significantly better fit.
Residence halls are not the only areas on campus where students need ADA accommodations. Some academic buildings lack comfortable and convenient ways for students with disabilities to navigate. For example, Machmen explained that the Art Building has a ramp entry, but the door the ramp leads to doesn't have an automatic button to press. Therefore, students utilizing wheelchairs need to rely on others to open the door. So close, Willamette … almost there!
Gelfand has also had some unfortunate luck with utilizing ADA accommodations in older buildings. For example, Gelfand attends many of her classes in Eaton, a building that seems as old as time. “[The] Eaton elevator is so slow, everyone knows it. It's always running down. Sometimes it skips the third floor,” said Gelfand. She proposed that renovating these aspects of the older buildings would be beneficial. “I just feel like maybe some elevator repair is a good idea. A lot of the elevators here are so old, and it's frustrating.”
Machmen shared the same complaint about the elevator in the University Center. He recalled a time earlier this semester when the elevator was broken and took days to get fixed. Machmen stressed that this was detrimental to students who are unable to use the stairs and wished it was addressed with more urgency.
Despite some needed renovations in Willamette buildings to make them more accessible to students with disabilities, one major thing that Willamette has gotten right is the narrative professors and other faculty have around students with disabilities. “I was so surprised by how kind everybody was,” Gelfand said. “I feel very lucky to be surrounded by good people, peers and professors alike, and the campus security team. Daniel is the best, and he used to drive me around all the time. Alex, James, Richard, all of them!”
Machmen agreed, adding a similar experience when it comes to the narrative that people have at Willamette. He explained how impactful it has been in his life to be a member of the DAC club, reflecting on the importance of finding community with other disabled students and allies. He stressed that the club is open to anyone and is always welcoming new members.
There is no doubt that Willamette is a uniquely inclusive campus, with the narrative surrounding disabilities kind and understanding. However, that does not mean there are no steps Willamette can take to keep moving its campus toward a more accommodating campus. Whether students identify as disabled, want to be an advocate or simply want to benefit from the convenience that comes with proper ADA accommodations, it can be mutually agreed that better accessibility is beneficial and needs to always be high on Willamette’s list of priorities.
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