Sept. 29, 2021 | The Reflector

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THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS • FOUNDED 1922 • INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA VOL.

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SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

UIndy celebrates life of Koebe Clopton By Giselle Valentin SPORTS EDITOR

More than a hundred members of the University of Indianapolis community gathered in Key Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 9, to honor the life of junior communication major Koebe Clopton. The bleachers were a sea of red, Clopton’s favorite color, as attendees were asked to wear the color to honor him. Speeches by Clopton’s friends and teammates about their favorite memories of him moved those in attendance to tears. This event concluded with attendants releasing red and white balloons at the stadium’s center field. According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, 20-year-old Clopton was shot and killed in Indianapolis on Thursday, Sept. 2. Kory Vitangeli, vice president for student and campus affairs and dean of students, said the Celebration of Life event came about when some of Clopton’s friends approached her and asked to plan an event to commemorate his life. According to Vitangeli, it was important for the campus to recognize Clopton’s life and the impact he had on the university. “ We really took the direction from the students and talked about ideas and things that we could assist with in terms of helping with printing and buying the balloons, and making sure that we help[ed] with logistics,” Vitangeli said. “But in terms of who should speak and how the ser vice should go, that really was what the students wanted.” Clopton was a member of the UIndy football team for two years. Head Football Coach Chris Keevers said Clopton had an upbeat personality that brought people together. In his speech, an emotional Keevers said he admired Clopton’s positivity and determination. “I’ve coached for 33 years and rarely [do] you see a guy that walks in[to] the

facility smiling, goes and practices for two and a half hours, smiles the whole practice, and walks out of the facility with a big smile,” Keevers said. “That’s Koebe.” Junior computer science major Aaron Barnett was Clopton’s best friend and roommate for the past three years. In his speech, Barnett said that he believes God brought the two of them together and that they were like brothers. “We didn't always see eye-to-eye and that was honestly one of the best parts of our relationship because it allowed us to grow from each other,” Barnett said. “And we shared each other's thought processes. We shared each other's memories, each other's stories and what we wanted to do in the future. And it was really two people from different places coming together and working as one.” Barnett said that one of his favorite things about Clopton was his love for other people. According to Barnett, Clopton was at his happiest when saw others succeed. “Not only did Koebe love himself, but he loved others,” Barnett said. “Not only did Koebe want himself to succeed and be the best, but he wanted others to do the same. He wanted to see everybody win.” Junior sports management major Joshua Benson said he too, was friends with Clopton for three years. In his speech, Benson remembered Clopton as a loving and outgoing person. He said Clopton inspired him to be a better person. Keevers said he was touched by the number of people who came to show their love for Clopton. He said the university did an unbelievable job of planning the event. “I think the celebration of life was unbelievable,” Keevers said. “The university did such a fantastic job, and the students came out, and it was such a good showing. And I just can't say enough about what the university did. This was . . . this was really nice.”

Photo by Jacob Walton

The attendees of the Celebration of Life in honor of Koebe Clopton release UIndy colored balloons at the end of the event. This was done after a prayer held by those in the UIndy community which consisted of Clopton's family, friends and UIndy Football teammates.

Photo by Jacob Walton

Associate Chaplain Ecumenical & Interfaith Programs Arionne Williams consoles one of the speakers during the Celebration of Life event. There were several differrent speakers at the event, all of whom spoke to Koebe Clopton's affect on them and those around him.

Accessibility issues on campus How the university adapts to student issues, student concerns with accessability around UIndy By Jacob Walton

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CO-BUSINESS MANAGER For students with special needs, accommodations such as ramps, disability parking spots and specially designed dorm rooms are not only quality of life improvements, they are vital to securing an education. However, these accommodations may not always be available. At the University of Indianapolis, Executive Director for Student Development Debbie Spinney is in charge of ensuring that students who have special needs are able to study and experience campus life as any other student would. According to Spinney, the largest challenge is knowing what students need. She said that the majority of the time, issues of accessibility are handled on a case-by-case basis. Spinney said there were deaf students on campus over the summer who required the university hire interpreters for them. She said doorways and other entrances are something she has to ensure are up to the standards for those who need larger entryways to accommodate

disabilities or other issues and has attempted putting in more accessible doorways. “Over the years, we have tried to put in automatic doors. Those are not required by law,” Spinney said. “So what's accessible is that the door opening is wide enough for a wheelchair. An automatic door, believe it or not, is not by law required. So we've tried to put an automatic door in every building that has a ramp to get to it.” However, according to sophomore social work major Naiza Limon, much more can be done on campus for those with disabilities. Limon said that she suffers from fibromyalgia, which causes constant pain in her body. She said that because of this, she drives everywhere on campus, because of how tiring it can be to walk to her classes. Limon said she uses the disability parking spots on campus as a result, but recently a dumpster, trucks and cones were blocking all the disability parking spots but one in lot 14, near the Schwitzer Student Center. She said this forced her to park farther away in the parking lot, which potentially puts her at risk from her fibromyalgia. Limon said she

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saw other cars with disability placards parked far away from the blocked spots. “It wasn't just a me thing. It just angers me because you could have put that anywhere else, but yet they chose to take up those spots that I need and the other students need and other people need in general,” Limon said. “But they don't think about that, because when people think about

I don't have a roommate. This is my health and safety at risk." college, they don't think about disabled students. They don't think about disabled people. They think that everybody is fine and healthy and can do the walk and whatever, and it doesn't matter, but it's not like that.” According to Spinney, issues such as the dumpsters blocking parking spots are going to happen at the university, and they have to be able to provide a disability spot somewhere else on campus.

“That happens when you go to the grocery store; it happens everywhere. The important part, and what we have to be able to provide, is [a] handicap spot somewhere,” Spinney said. “And so I know that there was a truck parked out behind here in Schwitzer. And they were there unloading for half a day. And unfortunately there's not much we can do, except tell them you can park elsewhere in that lot or around the corner.” Another aspect of campus life that is harder for students with disabilities is living in the residence halls, according to Limon. She said she has struggled in the past with accommodations for living on campus. Limon said she has an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant room in East Hall this semester, but in past semesters she did not, which put her at risk of injury. ADA rooms are those with accommodations for students with disabilities, such as button-operated doors and showers specially designed for those who cannot stand. “I didn't last semester, which was very difficult, and I risked falling in the shower every time I took a shower, which

was not fun,” Limon said. “And I had to talk to my RD [Residence Director] about what would I do if that happens? I don't have a suitemate. I don't have a roommate. This is my health and safety at risk.” Limon said another issue on campus is that some buildings do not have ramps, which causes too much added stress on her body and can exacerbate her fibromyalgia, making the trip to her classes excruciatingly painful. “So if I have a class in a building, and I use all of the strength and energy that I have to go up the stairs, because another method is not available, like an elevator, that means that in class, I'm in pain. All I can think about is the fact that I'm in pain. I can't concentrate, and it could wipe me out for the rest of the day,” Limon said. “If I do one wrong thing to my body, I could like just not be able to use my arm for the rest of the day, or a week or however long.” Spinney said that students with disabilities, or students concerned about accessibility on campus, should reach out to her and the university at ssd@uindy.edu or call Facilities Management.

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