The Dartmouth 11/06/2019

MIRROR 11.06.19

KEEPING KOSHER 3

ACCESSIBILITY STIGMA 4-5

NAVIGATING CAMPUS 7 BELLA JACOBY/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

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Editors’ Note

A Quest for Counseling STORY

DIVYA KOPALLE/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Accessibility is often a topic that is not talked about until it is questioned. For many of us, accessibility is taken for granteed; we don’t think twice about opening a door, walking up a flight of stairs or reading a whiteboard. But for some, these seemingly mundane tasks pose obstacles that must be carefully and thoughtfully addressed. For those with disabilities, going to college can provide a whole host of new challenges and struggles, beyond just being in a new place.

In this week’s Mirror, we shed light on many issues related to accessibility. We look at Dartmouth’s architecture and whether it is conducive for those with physical disabilities or injuries. We examine the College’s ability to address the needs of Kosher students and students seeking mental health services. We also consider the efficacy of Dartmouth’s Student Accessibility Services and how groups on campus provide students with opportunities to access less mainstream careers.

The term “All Access” carries meaning beyond just being a popular CBS special. Equal opportunity rests on the need for equal access. We, at Dartmouth and beyond, should consider our impact on improving accessibility for all and be mindful of the difficulties others may face. As businesswoman and advocate Debra Ruh so pointedly said, “Accessibility allows us to tap into everyone’s potential.”

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11.06.19 VOL. CLXXVI NO. 97 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DEBORA HYEMIN HAN PUBLISHER AIDAN SHEINBERG MIRROR EDITORS KYLEE SIBILIA NOVI ZHUKOVSKY COPY EDITOR JULIAN NATHAN ISSUE LAYOUT GRANT PINKSTON

By Allison Falco

It was the first event of O-Week, and the stress of making friends mixed with my social anxiety formed a poisonous cocktail I could not keep down. The sounds of new voices began to stack on top of each other, causing the walls to slowly close in. My fingernails dug into my palms as I desperately tried to isolate my ears from the voices. Then, a new voice spoke into a microphone, silencing the cacophonous herd, and delivered a saving grace: “If you need to take care of your physical or mental well-being at any point during this presentation, there is a break room available for you to do that.”

With those words, I was relieved. I became hopeful in Dartmouth’s ability to help me handle my mental health, something I was worried about going into my freshman year. After that presentation, I embarked on more research into Dartmouth’s mental health resources. The website for Dick’s House counseling services further fueled my optimism with its detailed descriptions of crisis resources, counselors, how to make counseling appointments and suicide prevention on campus.

I didn’t understand why Dartmouth’s mental health resources had such shaky reputations. On my First-Year Trip, I asked my trip leaders if there were any mental health clubs or resources on campus. The only club that came to mind was the Dartmouth Mental Health Student Union, and they mentioned the Counseling Center but said that it was really difficult to get timely appointments.

After Trips, I found numerous organizations on campus that deal with mental health. The fact that two upperclassmen weren’t aware of these organizations was a sign that these services may not be actively talked about by some students at Dartmouth.

As I began settling into my classes, my stress and anxiety took hold again.

After breaking down in a particularly challenging class, I went to Dick’s House for counseling. I tearfully asked to speak to a counselor, and I was offered an appointment, but nothing immediate.

Confused, I returned to my dorm.

I expected to meet with a counselor in the midst of my panic attack. This experience caused me to question my expectations of Dartmouth’s mental health services. Was the Counseling Center’s negative reputation a reality?

I quickly learned that this experience was not exclusive to me. Anna Politi ’23 told me about the experience of her upperclassman friend, who called Dick’s House to make a counseling appointment. She was offered an appointment in two weeks’ time, when the issue she wanted to talk about would no longer matter.

Upon beginning this article, I made efforts to talk to the Counseling Center about its reputation and the stigma around seeking help that may prevent students from reaching out. I went to office hours, which I later learned are reserved for people in crisis, and I called and emailed. When I went to the counseling office and asked to speak with a counselor for an interview, I was told that the earliest a counselor would be available was winter break.

MHU’s programming director, Miranda Matthews ’21, recounted her experience with the Counseling Center. Each student begins with a triage appointment, which allows a counselor to asses the student’s needs and refer them to the resource they believe will benefit them most. In Matthews’ case, the Counseling Center sent her to a therapist in the Hanover community.

Politi said she believes that administrators are making an effort to improve Dartmouth’s mental health services. Politi also mentioned that the Student Wellness Center is a good resource for people seeking an immediate space to talk about mental health.

Caitlin Barthelmes, director of the Student Wellness Center, echoed Politi’s thoughts. She mentioned skill-building workshops, personal reflection and mental health check-ins offered by the Student Wellness Center.

Barthelmes also commented on the Counseling Center’s reputation for being inaccessible.

“The loudest voices are not always representative of the full student

experience,” Barthelmes said.

Barthelmes noted that other mental health resources in addition to the Student Wellness Center exist on campus, such as the Center for Social Impact, the Undergraduate Deans office, the Student Involvement Center, the Tucker Center and the Academic Skills Center. She also said that the gym works as a stress reliever for many students.

Students can also seek out ways to help other students with their mental health. MHU offers peer support training for students. Peer supporters are available for students to talk to through the MHU’s bi-weekly LateNight Solace.

Through another resource, the Dartmouth Bystander Initiative, students receive training to intervene in potentially harmful situations. Matthews is trained in bystander intervention through the counseling center.

“My bystander training is meant to be for mental health situations, like suicide intervention,” Matthews said.

“That training was with the Counseling Center, so I got a lot more information about what the center offers through that.”

According to Barthelmes, the most important factor in treating mental health is awareness. From that point, Barthelmes said, students can find what works best for them in terms of handling their stress and anxiety.

“There are so many different ways to flourish,” Barthelmes said. “It’s about knowing yourself.”

The way mental health is talked about on campus more casually, however, is a cause for concern for Politi.

She recounted instances where mental illness was jokingly thrown around in conversation.

“People like to joke about mental health on campus,” Politi said. “It’s so dangerous to talk about anxiety and depression offhandedly.”

The treatment of and stigma around mental health is ultimately a world issue. One in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. At Dartmouth — a place that is inherently stressful — this issue deserves our attention.

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Keeping Kosher at Dartmouth STORY

By Anne Johnakin

Keeping Kosher is a varied process, depending on how strictly one follows Kosher laws and why one follows them. The laws of Kashrut deal with the preparation and consumption of food and outline certain practices that are not allowed. There are three main laws: avoid types of non-kosher animals, avoid having meat and dairy products together and only eat meat that was slaughtered in accordance with Jewish law.

A substantial improvement to Dartmouth’s Kosher options came in fall 2016, with the addition of prepackaged Kosher meals to be sold in the Courtyard Cafe and Novack Cafe. The push for these meals resulted because of a student petition for the addition of Orthodoxcertified food that garnered over 700 signatures.

Before these changes, the options for Kosher students were the Pavilion and vegetarian station at the Class of ’53 Commons, as well as meals through the Roth Center for Jewish Life. However, the Pavilion only serves dinner Sunday through Thursday and lunch Monday through Friday.

Institute for Writing and Rhetoric professor Ellen Rockmore served on the committee the College convened in response to the 2016 petition. According to her, students at the time were not completely comfortable with the certification of Pavilion. The certification is done by Tablet K, a catering service based in New York, but this certification is not recognized by Conservative or Orthodox Judaism.

The prepackaged meals introduced in 2016, however, are made by Vermont Kosher, which is more strictly certified by the Chabad of Vermont.

Providing Kosher food in such a rural area is a challenge, especially in Hanover, which has no Kosher restaurant or butcher, according to Rockmore. But she said that Dartmouth Dining Services are dedicated to improving this aspect of campus life. “ M y c o n c l u s i o n w a s t h at

KYLE SPENCER/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

Dartmouth does an amazing job to observe different tenets of being provide Kosher options, given the Kosher, and there is a spectrum of lack of Jewish infrastructure in this what people practice and how they part of the country,” Rockmore said. interpret Jewish texts, according to In addition to DDS options, Small. For example, for Small, keeping ChabadandHillel Kosher is more on offer resources the dietary side for J e w i s h “It doesn’t feel like in rather than the students. Both order to keep Kosher preparation side. organizations “Forme, o f f e r m e a l s I’m sacrificing anything it’s a mindfulness during holidays in terms of quality practice; it has and Friday night to do with the relative to what else is less Shabbat dinners. scripture and text “Definitely if in Foco.” and more for me you are someone as a way for me to who is religiously understand what i n v o l v e d i n -ALEX SMALL ’23 I’m putting in my Judaism or kind body and what of curious, or not even Jewish but that means,” Small said. “I find I focus want to understand more about the a lot more on what I eat holistically dietary and observed practices, then whenever I put certain restrictions both Chabad and Hillel are really in.” nice resources and really welcoming Small tends to eat at ’53 Commons communities,” said Alex Small ’23, a often, finding the vegetarian and the member of Hillel.

Pavilion stations to be good resources Many students at Dartmouth that allow him to keep Kosher at

Dartmouth.

“It doesn’t feel like in order to keep Kosher I’m sacrificing anything in terms of quality relative to what else is in Foco,” Small said. “I would say it’s even better because in a dining hall they have to serve so many people, but since Pavilion is a smaller kitchen, they can focus more on what they’re making.”

On the other hand, Jonathan Gliboff ’20 considers himself more of an Orthodox Jew and keeps to the tenets of being Kosher more strictly.

Because of this, he said the Pavilion does not meet his standards, and he eats most of his meals at the Courtyard Cafe or cooks them himself.

One of the challenges for Gliboff and other students is the cost of Kosher meals. Generally, Kosher food tends to be more expensive, according to Gliboff.

“The prices are definitely higher, and it’s annoying to be sure. That said, it’s understandable,” Gliboff said, “What the College charges is

the minimum they could charge while still making it worth their while. They try to keep it as low as is reasonable for them, so it’s annoying, but I understand it entirely.”

Another issue is the question over whether the certification at the Pavilion should be made more strict so that it can accommodate all Kosher students. However, according to Gliboff, this process may be difficult because of how expensive it would be compared to the relatively small current population of Orthodox Jewish students.

“I think the conversation hasn’t stopped about [the Pavillion] becoming more Kosher in the future,” Gliboff said. “I’d love to see it become a Kosher kitchen that everyone can eat at, but at the same time, I understand why things are the way they are. I think it’s just about consistently looking for options and making sure that we’re on this progressive path where eventually the Kosher food will be Kosher for everyone.”

The Stigma around Accomodations 4// MIRR OR

STORY

By Cristian Cano

Normally, when I work as a campus tour guide, everything goes smoothly.

Worst-case scenario, I run a little over time or get asked a question about a “controversial” topic like student alcohol consumption, but nothing I’m not equipped to handle.

One time, though, something a little unusual happened during a tour. I was passing through Berry Library, where I usually speak briefly about the Undergraduate Deans’ Office, Student Center for Research, Writing, and Information Technology, and Student Accessibility Services. When I got to the part about SAS, I explained how students with disabilities or other conditions that warrant the use of accommodations can submit documentation in order to get the services they need.

Then, before I could even ask if anyone had any questions, I was interrupted by someone who had walked over to my tour group. He must have been around my age, possibly a current Dartmouth student, but I had never seen him before. I hadn’t seen him approach, but he clearly had something to say.

He asked me, a tinge of frustration in his voice: “What happens when someone submits fake documents?”

I was taken aback a bit, not only by the question, but also because I had to keep my cool in front of my tour group, who could clearly tell that I was caught off guard. I panicked internally for a second before taking a deep breath, and then responded: “I’m not incredibly familiar with SAS, but I’m sure they have some kind of protocol for verifying documents.”

He didn’t seem very satisfied, even pushing the question a little further, and I didn’t blame him — in retrospect, I couldn’t have sounded any more scripted if I tried. But the reality was, it wasn’t a question I had ever considered before. Sure, I’d heard stories about how some people “didn’t really need” their Adderall prescription but just convinced their doctors to sign off on the forms, but I’d never thought that was any of my business. I considered myself lucky

to not need any kind of academic really that easy to fake something so accommodations, and I never had serious? anything against those who did. I As it tur ns out, requesting wasn’t naïve enough to think that accommodations through SAS submitting fake documents never isn’t always a simple — or quick happens, but — process. Alicia even if it did randon, SAS "What happens when Bassociate every now and director, then, I didn’t someone submits fake and Hillary think it could documents?"

G r e g o r y, S A S be a big enough office manager, deal for me to explained in a joint care.

-A CURRENT DARTMOUTH interview that they I continued have to “do their STUDENT the tour, trying homework” when it not to show how comes to verifying frazzled I was, documents. but that moment stuck with me. If something seems amiss, they Whoever had interrupted the tour, investigate. he clearly had strong feelings about “We do call practitioners,” the topic, as if he had been personally Brandon said. “It can actually slow affected by someone’s falsified down the approval process because requests for accommodations. Did we will say, ‘We have to talk to a he know something I didn’t? Was it practitioner further.’ If the student

hasn’t signed a release of information [form] with their practitioner, the practitioner won’t talk to us because their practitioner is under a HIPAA oath.”

Gregory added that one specific reason why SAS might have to follow up on a diagnosis is when a document doesn’t list a specific duration of time for which services should be available.

Brandon said she understands that the process can feel stressful for students, particularly when they don’t understand why they have to renew their documentation. She emphasized that, in the end, everything SAS does depends on what the practitioner writes and says, and when they need more information and evidence, they have to wait for it. In some scenarios, such as when there’s a time difference between Hanover and a practitioner’s office, the delay can be significant.

Paperwork isn’t the only obstacle

standing in the way of a student receiving the accommodations they need. Finances also have to be considered, and certain tests and evaluations can be costly: According to the SAS website, the range of neuropsychological assessments cost in the Upper Valley was $1,600 to $2,400 in 2013, while a clinical education program alternative (in which training doctoral-level psycholog y students perfor m supervised assessments) stated to be around $600. Not all health insurance providers cover those fees, and others cover them via reimbursement — meaning a student would need to be able to pay the initial costs upfront.

If a student has to save up to afford upfront fees, that creates another kind of delay.

AccordingtoGregoryandBrandon, in addition to the discrepancy between the students who have the

DIVYA KOPALLE/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

“ready funds” for those evaluations and those who don’t, there are also students who feel nervous about discussing the possibility of testing with their parents. Some students even look into ways they can afford the testing without insurance so that their parents wouldn’t find out.

Even when students finally receive approval for academic accommodations, they may have to face even more challenges. Rebecca Luo ’20 first became familiar with SAS her freshman year as a student notetaker, a job for which she would email copies of her notes to another student in the class receiving academic accommodations. Starting around her sophomore spring, however, she became the recipient of academic accommodations as a result of a physical condition diagnosis.

As part of her accommodations, Luo said she was given an Echo Smartpen produced by the company Livescribe. The smartpen works both as a pen and as a recorder, allowing users to record a lecture while writing down notes. Then, after class, students can go back to their notes and tap the pen to a specific section to hear a recording of what the professor was saying in that exact moment. For Luo, the smartpen was an important the pen, she had been told by SAS resource, as she would sometimes have that not all professors felt comfortable to leave the classroom unexpectedly allowing recordings in class — for in the middle of a lecture due to her instance, when the class discussions involved students’ personal beliefs physical condition.

Luo explained that she wasn’t about controversial or sensitive issues.

This professor’s even aware objections, t h e s m a r t p e n "[The Professor] also however, were for existed before different reasons. m e e t i n g w i t h gave a lot of pushback “[The SAS to discuss when I couldn't make professor’s] her options, and it to exams or I needed concern was that from that point, I would spread m o s t o f h e r an extension on the audio files interactions with deadlines." around in my class professors about so that people accommodations wouldn’t show were positive. She -REBECCA LUO '20 up to lecture,” said that SAS also Luo said. “[The provided letters professor] also to her professors on her behalf, and a few professors gave a lot of pushback when I couldn’t wanted to meet with her privately make it to exams or I needed an just to go over exactly what the extension on deadlines.”

After that experience, Luo stopped accommodations entailed.

However, Luo said she did have asking professors for accommodations, one particularly negative experience and mentioned that this term, she just with a professor who objected to the never picked up her smartpen. Despite use of the smartpen in class. Luo her previous positive experiences with acknowledged that prior to receiving other professors, she said that she

MIRR OR //5

DIVYA KOPALLE/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

didn’t want to deal with the potential for that kind of judgment again.

“I think [the professor] was kind of telling me that I wasn’t trying hard enough or I just wasn’t studying effectively enough,” Luo said. “I feel like [the professor] didn’t really understand that I had medical issues that stood in the way of me performing as well as I normally would.”

That viewpoint is, unfortunately, a common one, both on and off campus. Luo mentioned that those accusations can be even more strongly targeted toward people with mental disabilities or conditions, as opposed to her physical one.

Brandon and Gregory, for their part, said that they tell students and professors to contact SAS if they have any concerns and are happy to reach out to professors individually to learn where their concerns are coming from.

It doesn’t help that some students do try to abuse the system and find ways to receive accommodations they don’t need, however. Luo explained how, after mentioning her experience

receiving accommodations on the form to a new set of professors each Dental Admission Test in a pre-dental term to coming out every single term.

Facebook group, she received multiple She said she believes that the stigma messages from strangers about how around accommodations is something to fake a doctor’s letter. One person everyone should be upset about, even asked how the American Dental and that people should be able to be Association open — and even would check if "I see disability have disability pride, the letter was if that’s something as an aspect of from a real they want. She is diversity. Disability is especially excited doctor or not.

B r a n d o n intersectional, it can to see two different said she feels s t u d e n t g ro u p s, strongly about happen to anyone at Access Dartmouth how those kinds any time of their life." and the Autoimmune of attitudes can Campus Alliance, be damaging to focusing on students who -ALICIA BRANDON, accessibility-related r e a l l y h av e ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF issues. functional “I see disability l i m i t a t i o n s . STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY as an aspect of She said that SERVICES diversity,” Brandon there’s already said. “Disability is a strong stigma intersectional, it can associated with having those happen to anyone at any time of their limitations, not to mention the life … You just don’t know when and extra steps those students have to go who it’s going to strike, and it affects through just for equitable access. all sectors of populations. The lack Brandon recalled one student who of understanding perpetuates the compared giving their accommodation stigmatization.”

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The Common Link: Communities of Shared Passion STORY

By Sophie Bailey

The room was filled with hushed chatter and anticipation as the newly recognized Dartmouth Design Collective held the organization’s first gathering earlier this week. The kickoff event featured a panel of four professional designers, two of whom were recent Dartmouth graduates. The panelists provided answers to questions from students and shared their own unique paths to careers in design.

Panelist Ben Szuhaj ’19 explained how his own interest in design thinking began with the introductory course ENGS 12, “Design Thinking” — a comment greeted with a chorus of knowing laughs. The panel was attended by students of various classes and even professors, many of whom seemed to already know each other.

Anca Balaceanu ’20, the founder of the Dartmouth Design Collective, shared why she felt like it would be helpful to have more opportunities on campus for students looking to pursue careers in design.

“From my personal experience, I was swayed into the corporate recruiting path because there were no options for me on campus … to access design opportunities,” Balaceanu said.

Balaceanu also said she felt like there were not many connections between current students and recent alumni involved in design. Without these kinds of connections, Balaceanu emphasized, it is more difficult to break into companies like Spotify, Google or Microsoft. Thus, another goal of the collective is to foster relationships with professionals in the industry, especially Dartmouth alumni, so that students can start building that network, according to Balaceanu.

Balaceanu has worked at the DALI lab and as a teaching assistant for various design thinking classes, including COSC 25.01, “Intro to UI/UX Design I.” She expressed that the Dartmouth Design Collective hopes to unite designers in different groups across campus under a kind of umbrella organization.

However, Balaceanu also stressed that the group is about far more than just professional support.

“It’s not just about the members

getting jobs in design,” Balaceanu said.

“The ultimate goal is that, if you have a passion for design, to support you at every level, to practice your skills and for you to be ready for opportunities when they come along.”

Student initiatives to provide professional support and foster community within shared interests can be found in other under-represented fields as well. Women in Media is a community of self-identifying women with an interest in any aspect of entertainment, according to Jenna Thompson ’20, president and cofounder of the group.

Thompson described the impetus for her and her two co-founders to create this organization.

“We couldn’t really find any production groups on campus, and we wanted to allow people the opportunity to broaden their writing in all genres,” Thompson said.

The three women solidified plans for the proposed group over their their path, because it’s an industry sophomore summer, and now, with where there’s no laid-out progression more than a year under their belt as of how to succeed,” Thompson said. a recognized student organization, “So I think it’s really important to hear Thompson said their purpose has that it’s possible from someone who crystallized into supporting and shares a similar background.” encouraging women interested in a field Building confidence in their work that has traditionally been perceived as and their goals is also an essential part of what Women in Media tries to do male-dominated. for its members, T h o m p s o n a c c o r d i n g t o said that one of “The ultimate goal T h o m p s o n . her hopes for the O n e o f t h e future of Women is that, if you have a in Media would be passion for design, to o r g a n i z a t i o n’s most inspiring to have women in and rewarding the entertainment support you at every a c t i v i t i e s , i n industry come speak level, to practice Thompson’s view, to the group and your skills and for is producing a even all of campus. capstone project D a r t m o u t h ’ s you to be ready for each term. For the own rich history opportunities when capstone project, of women going members of the into entertainment they come along.” group produce a has served as an script someone additional source -ANCA BALACEANU ’20 in the group has of inspiration with written, assigning alumni like Connie Britton ’89, Rachel Dratch ’88. Mindy each other roles in directing, filming, acting and editing. Thompson noted Kaling ’01 and Shonda Rhimes ’91.

“I think it would be really inspiring the impact of seeing members of the for the women at Dartmouth, for some group come together to support each of those alums to come back and share other’s work.

CLARA PAKMAN/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

“It’s really inspiring just to see everyone to take a piece of writing that’s not even their own,” Thomson said. “They’re so encouraged by the determination of that one woman that they want to see it succeed and want to see her succeed, and I think that’s why people come back to the organization, and I hope that’s why people keeping applying in the future.”

But guaranteeing sustained interest and effort, especially in such young organizations, isn’t always easy.

Although the College is willing to award new student groups official recognition, the members themselves are responsible for keeping up the spirit and efforts of the organizations they join and inherit from exiting upperclassmen.

Indeed, the Dartmouth Design Collective has not been the first effort to create a group of its kind. According to Balaceanu, a former group called Design @ Dartmouth began around 2016 but has not endured. However, Balaceanu also said that the Collective’s efforts have been informed by the less successful past of other organizations and supplemented with the help of fellow student designers and faculty.

Engineering professor Eugene

Korsunskiy, the faculty advisor for the group, described the actions being taken by the group to preserve longevity. “[They are] making sure that leadership isn’t just seniors, but including ’21s, ’22s and ’23s as not only participants, but drivers of the organization,” Korsunskiy said.

Korsunskiy, who teaches ENGS 12, “Design Thinking” as well as ENGS 15, “Senior Design Challenge,” also remarked on the unique curricular and co-curricular relationship of the collective.

“All my students who come through Design Thinking every term, I let them know they are invited into the organization,” Korsunskiy said. “In that way, the group responds to a desire for more beyond the classroom, using the interest these courses spark and building on it.”

Whether students interested in career paths in design and entertainment choose to join these organizations or not, they represent a new opportunity to connect through shared passions, something that Balaceanu emphasized.

“It’s about linking people together, and making people feel closer, because they have this passion in common,” Balaceanu said.

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Navigating Campus with a Physical Disability STORY

By Ale Geisel-Zamora

Dartmouth is known for its This is largely due to the age of the picturesque campus and historical buildings. A few are not handicap buildings. Yet, some of its beautiful accessible at all, while more are architecture cannot be universally accessible to the first floor but nothing admired: for students with physical further,” she said. disabilities or injuries, navigating Henault also addressed Dartmouth’s campus can be a Dartmouth’s future plans to increase struggle. the accessibility of residential halls.

The College attempts to address “Until we can do a full renovation, these issues through several when we do smaller renewal projects, initiatives, headed by Student our goal is to make sure the first floor is Accessibility Services. SAS provides accessible with at least one accessible specific services to address a host of bedroom and bathroom,” she said. needs including blindness, deafness, “If the social space for the building is impaired sense of touch, smell in the basement, our plan is to install or taste and motor disabilities. a lift so the basement is accessible as Additionally, the Undergraduate well. During these renewals, the plan Housing Office works with students is to update the fire alarm system to determine reasonable housing so each room is addressable with accommodations, whether that be a hearing and strobe lights.” room change for an injured student Until these renovations are or fire-alarm devices for students with made, students with physical hearing impairments. disabilities or injuries struggle with Yet, despite the College’s efforts the architecture’s shortcomings, to provide supplementary services which may mean changing their for students with physical disabilities, residence in the middle of the term there seems to be a lack of mention or being unable to access their affinity concer ning the or organizationaccessibility based housing. Yet, o f b u i l d i n g s “Unfortunately, many the recognition of t h e m s e l v e s . of the residence halls this problem and The top of the active push are not conducive for the College’s webpage to implement on accessibility people with phyiscal solutions may be reads, a step in the right disabilities.”

“A l l a c c e s s . direction.

Dartmouth works Studio art to ensure that -CATHY HENAULT, professor Zenovia programs, services, To l o u d i , a n DIRECTOR OF and activities are architect by trade, RESIDENTIAL accessible to all.” d e t a i l e d h o w, This mission is OPERATIONS having moved to reflected in SAS’s the United States support initiatives, from Greece, she but there is no is impressed by the mention of the obstacles that many of awareness and push for accessibility Dartmouth’s buildings and facilities on the College’s campus. present for physically disabled or “It’s a really complex process; injured students. architects need to take into account Cathy Henault, director of many layers of functionality, aesthetic, residential operations reflected on the and historical and cultural elements. accessibility of Dartmouth’s dorm They have to synthesize all of these buildings. things together,” Toloud said.

“Unfortunately, many of the She also addressed an architect’s residence halls are not conducive responsibility to create a functional for people with physical disabilities. space that is simultaneously accessible.

“Accessibility-wise, in the USA every day. Having broken her architects have to follow the codes, ankle at the beginning of the term, and they’ve been strict about taking Nalamachu has spent more than accessibility half the term on into account a scooter. at architecture “We need to be “The s ch o o l s, ” s h e proactive about College is not said. “Architects accessible,” accessibility rather need to think Nalamachu said. h o l i s t i c a l l y than reactive.”

“There’s quite a and from the few buildings that beginning to are difficult to get i n t e g r a t e t h e -ZENOVIA TOLUDI, STUDIO in, and if I do s o l u t i o n i n t o ART PROFESSOR want to navigate the building or those buildings, I space instead have to deal with of applying stairs.” something at the very end. We need Nalamachu further highlighted to be proactive about accessibility the severity of the inaccessibility rather than reactive.” of the College’s older buildings However, as some of Dartmouth’s by describing her struggles to find more inaccessible buildings were a bathroom. She said that she erected many years ago before such has a class on the first floor of codes were established, the College Dartmouth Hall, but if she needs to must act retroactively. use the bathroom, she has to go to a Megan Nalamachu ’22 has had to completely different building because grapple with the consequences of the she can’t carry her scooter down the inaccessibility of academic buildings stairs.

The accessibility of campus isn’t just limited to access and conductivity of residential and academic buildings. It also includes daily acts like picking up packages from Hinman Mail Center or getting dinner. Nalamachu explained that throughout this term, she has had to have a friend with her at all times to help with basic acts like getting food at Foco or carrying packages back to her dorm.

“If there was a process where Student Accessibility Services could communicate with Hinman so that for certain people that can’t carry boxes Hinman could send someone to deliver the boxes, that would be brilliant. Especially for people that are injured and can legitimately not carry anything,” Nalamachu suggested.

Her idea highlights the fact that accessibility on campus is not just about helping students in classes or renovating buildings, it’s about truly making their life on campus seamless.

NATALIE DAMERON/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

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Autumnal Traditions PHOTO

By Naina Bhalla