February 12, 2020
Volume 146, Issue 17
washburnreview.org
Mobility barriers persist, spurs discourse Wesley Tabor Washburn Review
A Washburn Review staff member and two other students were on board the Henderson elevator last week when it suddenly stalled on the second floor. One of the students was Deb Lamere, a sophomore anthropology major, who uses a manual wheelchair to get around campus. “When we learned that she [Deb Lamere] had been stranded in Henderson, some people over here [in the military-student success center] told her that they would carry her and the wheelchair out of the building if she so wished,” said Washburn’s Military Transition Coordinator, Chris Bowers. The success center’s receptionist immediately sent over VA members Ryan Murphy, Thomas Davis and Austin Jasper. “They were planning on carrying me down the stairs,” said Lamere. Luckily, the elevator was reset by facilities services allowing the students to reach the first floor and exit the building. Lamere’s friends met her when the elevator doors opened – causing a sense of relief among the group. Director of Facilities Services, Eric Just, provided an explanation for the elevator’s malfunction. “We replaced a door operator in the Henderson elevator last week,” said Just in an email Tuesday. “This was initiated when the door did not shut properly with the individuals on board.” Lamere shared that this isn’t the first time
she’s struggled to get around campus. “I’ve lost control and spilled out of my wheelchair – twice in one day actually,” said Lamere. Uneven sidewalks, steep ramps, slick conditions, inadequate salt treatment, entryways and doorways all cause varying levels of difficulty for those who are disabled. Some of these mobility barriers have been proven culprits for Lamere on Washburn’s campus. Austin Jasper, a nontraditional student and friend of Lamere’s, understands how limiting certain environments can be on disabled individuals. “My father is quadriplegic, and it can be restricting at times,” said Jasper. “I lived in San Diego, and there were times when my father couldn’t access a restroom at a restaurant. He would have to go around the block to the Marriott hotel, use the restroom and come back.” The conversation spurs discourse around campus and public accommodations. “Washburn is a prestigious school, and it should be held to a high standard,” said Jasper. “Washburn does an excellent job, but it’s the small details that get overlooked.” Another concern of Lamere’s is that of who controls the conversation when considering the basis of accommodations. “This impacts a generally quieter community. It’s important to me to make sure everyone is accounted and accommodated for – not just myself,” said Lamere. Students can submit barrier report forms. The forms are sent to Equal Opportunity Director,
Pam Foster. “I receive and review the barrier report forms and determine the appropriate person they should go to in order to address the concern,” said Foster in an email Tuesday. “The form goes to several people [i.e. someone from IT, facilities, HR, Diversity and Inclusion, Tech] so if I’m unavailable, someone will be able to act in my absence.” Foster stated later in the email that facilities services also plays a role. “If there is a barrier to program/activity access, facilities services will determine whether we are out of compliance with the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design.” Just confirmed that facilities services personnel are responsible for checking and verifying areas of concern on campus. Individuals can request that they reevaluate specific areas, room numbers, entrances and program/event spaces when they fill out a barrier report. The Stoffer Science Hall ramp has been added to the list for slope verification, per ADA regulations, as a result of this article. This article can be accessed online at www. washburnreview.org for those interested in filling out a barrier report. In the near future, The Washburn Review team will cover, in detail, emergency evacuation procedures for the Henderson Learning Resources Center and other campus facilities.
WASHBURN REVIEW - Wesley Tabor
WASHBURN REVIEW - Wesley Tabor
Inaccessible ramp?: Students have reportedly struggled to access Stoffer science hall via the front entrance ramp. They said the ramp does not receive adequate salt treatment in icy conditions.
Henderson’s history: The Henderson Learning Resources Center is notorious for its elevator issues. The building’s first floor restrooms were recently renovated to comply with ADA regulations.
Understanding the process of becoming a US citizen Alyssa Storm Washburn Review
Jason Miller, assistant professor of sociology/anthropology, gave a lecture about the steps it takes to become an American citizen Feb. 7 in Henderson 103. Going along with the WUmester theme this semester, this is one of many lectures about citizenship that Washburn University will hold. Miller explained that an immigrant visa, student visa, seasonal worker visa, professional athlete visa and some others are offered. The only way an immigrant can get their green card is through the immi-
grant visa path. There is a preconceived notion that if you marry a US citizen you automatically become a citizen, but that is not the case. You still have to go through the naturalization process, but marrying a citizen does have the benefit of cutting time off of the process. Another way to speed up the naturalization process is by serving in the military for a year. When it comes to receiving your visa, there are multiple types of visas one could acquire. The most popular is a family based visa, which involves a family member who already has their green card. Next is an employment visa, in
which the employer becomes a sponsor through the whole process. There is also a lottery visa, which is exactly like it sounds. If you know how the lottery works, you know the odds of winning the lottery. Another form of immigration is coming over as a refugee or an asylum seeker. Asylum seekers and refugees must prove to the Department of Homeland Security that they have a well-founded fear of persecution. Lastly, you can get a visa if you are a victim of human trafficking or domestic violence. This falls under an asylum seeker visa. Both the refugee and asylum seeker visas are free.
SRWC starts collaboration with Special Olympics Savannah Workman Washburn Review
Washburn has home court advantage, welcoming a new unified basketball team. Jan. 29 was the opening day of practice for Washburn’s first unified collaboration of volunteers from the Special Olympics. Games will follow every Wednesday at 6 p.m. until March 3. America is starting to see more national partnerships between colleges and high schools. In fact, according to Washburn’s Recreations Director, Whitney Slater, Washburn Rural High school was
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recognized by ESPN as one of the top 20 programs in the country. “We felt like it was a good building point for us,” said Slater. “Right now, we’re starting with unified basketball, and hopefully we’ll be able to offer some other activities. Basketball was our first starting point with this partnership.” Providing an inclusive environment was the primary motivation for starting the program. Dan Rinholt is the facilitator of the team, and he is excited to see the number of athletes that are joining the program – over 30 people.
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Gallery: Men’s basketball
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