2008 Woodie Awards
Disabled students upset at relocation
Planned move of High Tech Center results in petition protest.
Victor Garcia
Issue date: 4/16/04 Section: News
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Disabled students use the center to do their homework on computers and to study.
As of Tuesday, 49 students had signed a petition for the center to stay where it is now, on the second floor of the Student Services Building. But officials said they plan to move the center to the computer commons in the library as soon as they get the new furniture.
During an interview, Dr. Greg Chamberlain, dean of learning resources and information technology, said the High Tech Center is being moved to the north wall of the computer commons for a "variety of reasons."
"One is to make it more accessible. The other is part of a trend to be more inclusive of students with disabilities instead of putting them away someplace in a room. We can better support them bringing them in as part of the group here," said Chamberlain.
He said part of the consideration to move the center to the library commons was Assistant Technology Specialist Adie Geiser's complaint about the restroom in the Student Services Building not being handicapped-accessible. Geiser uses a wheelchair.
"Adie Geiser will be moving his office down here so he can be there to support the students," said Chamberlain.
Geiser declined to be interviewed.
Denise Conklin, a disabled student, said the center should stay where it is because it is conveniently located near the BC Learning Center.
"Everything is all right in one centrally located place. It's an inconvenience that they would have it all the way down in the computer commons," said Conklin.
Privacy for disabled students is another issue that she is concerned about.
"People who have disabilities could be embarrassed about it. A majority of disabled students don't want their disabilities known to the mainstream student body," Conklin said.
But interim Supportive Services Director Orlene Bowers reiterated Chamberlain's comments, explaining that the current educational philosophy is to mainstream disabled students, not to isolate them.