TUESDAY November 29, 2011 Volume 97, Issue 50 W W W.T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M
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SDSU’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT N E W S PA P E R SINCE 1913
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Disability services limit students THINKSTOCK
Stephanie Saccente contributor In a typical week, 31,500 students walk across the San Diego State campus to attend classes at the undergraduate level. These students vary in race, gender and religious beliefs, but also in other ways often overlooked. Angela Van Ostran is in the minority of students not because of her personal views or native background, but rather because she uses a wheelchair to travel around campus. Van Ostran said the school’s campus is not designed for those with disabilities, which creates an unsafe
atmosphere for disabled students and faculty who must use wheelchairs at SDSU. This was brought to Van Ostran’s attention when she toured the campus for the first time. Because of the many hills and levels, she was forced to miss part of the tour. Now a junior, Van Ostran said she continues to face difficulties because of her disability that are not being addressed. Recently, Van Ostran says she experienced a problem that has inhibited her ability to attend a class for the second time. In order to attend a statistics class held in Storm Hall, Van Ostran must use an unreliable elevator, and although she has reported the problem, there has not been a change.
“The elevator is nearly pitch-black, dirty, disgusting and traps me inside on a regular basis. There’s usually one flickering light to guide a passenger to the buttons to go up or down,” Van Ostran said. “There isn’t even a sign stating the elevator is out of service. It shouldn’t be like this anywhere, much less here.” She said she tried to contact SDSU Physical Plant about the elevator on multiple occasions, but nothing has been done. According to Van Ostran, the Physical Plant’s attitude is that it will “fix it when it can.” She said she was even forced to drop the class during an earlier semester because she was not able to get to the room where the class was
Will the 9% CSU fee increase affect you much?
held. Unfortunately, the class is required and she is now haunted by the same predicament of having serious problems attending because of the route she must take. “This is the only building the class can be held in,” Van Ostran said. “All of the elevators need to be evaluated.” At this time, there are 938 self-identified students with disabilities, not accounting for students who have invisible disabilities. Derrick Dudley, a junior at SDSU who is among the 938 students, said he also feels strongly about a more accessible campus for students with disabilities. “There is no real representation on campus. We are a culture, we deserve a real voice,” Dudley said.
SCIENCE & T EC H N O LO GY
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No, I think I’ll be OK. (8%, 10 votes)
Martin Scorsese directs a film adaptation of Brian Selznick’s 2007 novel “The Invention of Hugo Cabret.”
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Financial aid will cover it for me. (7%, 8 votes)
YES. (71%, 87 votes)
C R I M E B E AT
Not me, but my parents. (8%, 10 votes)
Last week, there were fewer reports of cars broken into and even fewer stolen bicycles. However, several less-common reports were made in the daily reports published by the San Diego State Police Department. Several DUI charges were filed by the SDSUPD as well, however only one incident involved an SDSU student, which occurred last Saturday. On Tuesday, an officer observed a verbal argument between two subjects and conducted a field interview. One was described as having a short Afro and wearing a black jacket and the second was said to be in his 50s, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and a blue shirt. About an hour later, a disturbing the peace report was made at the nearby SDSU Office of Housing Administration on Montezuma Road with two subjects
I’m not sure yet. (6%, 7 votes)
matching the same description. In the former, the officer only conducted the interview, but the subjects reported disturbing the peace were issued citations. Shortly after noon last Wednesday, the Extended Studies Center on Hardy Avenue was vandalized, with three letters spray painted in green on the building. At about the same time, a $200 miter was reported stolen from “Music” on Campanile Drive. At 8:22 p.m. on the same day, two non-SDSU students were arrested at Betty’s HotDogger near the Arts and Letters building on campus and charged with identity theft, possession of stolen property, forgery, being under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of burglary tools and driving on a suspended license.
There were no significant reports made on Thanksgiving, however on Saturday a 24-year-old intoxicated male was transported to Alvarado Medical Center after hitting his head on a cement step during an altercation with another subject. He was bleeding, but still conscious, breathing and aggressive, according to the report. On Sunday, in the garage under the Student Services building by Aztec Circle Drive, a smell of sulfur and possibly gas was reported close to the stairwell on the opposite side of the elevator. Officers responding to the call were unable to locate the source but did confirm the odor of sulfur near the northern stairwell and notified SDSU Physical Plant.
— Compiled by News Editor Bill Crotty
Smiley would make for an intriguing character if the audience were shown some glimpse of his ... capabilities. Instead, the audience is saddled with a protagonist more nebulous than mysterious. E N T E R TA I N M E N T
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