Transcript: We have discussed the inaccessibility of the DRC in terms of registration, awareness and accommodations. This building stands out to many members of the campus community as it is directly associated with certain attempts at equity and accessibility for campus members.
Transcript: This is so roundabout and inconvenient, it's almost comical and really stood out to me today as I was going to the game. It is only one of many examples of inaccessible infrastructure on campus and moreover, it's completely inequitable. At the start of the game, the announcer read the Athletics Department's statement of diversity and inclusion. But after noticing how difficult the building was to navigate inside as well, it felt hollow.
Transcript: Accessibility for this building is obviously an afterthought and conforms to the bare minimum standards for accessibility. Students who require accessible housing are relegated to four specific apartments. Furthermore, wheelchair users and people with other physical disabilities that inhibit them from climbing stairs are unable to visit with friends and family living in the rest of the building, effectively cutting off socialization in what should be inclusive and safe spaces.
Transcript: Each time we've had class in this building, I have had difficulties opening this door. The lock is incredibly difficult to press down on, even for someone without any physical disabilities.
Transcript: A naive assumption that many students at UofSC may have about my feelings as a blind person walking towards this fountain is that this water feature with the possibility of falling into would make me nervous. This assumption would be incorrect. I'm a white cane user and spent many years developing the skills and trust in my cane. I have no fear that if I get too close to the edge that some well-meaning stranger will run up to me to save me from the fountain.
This problem of ableism spawning from people's low expectations for the independent mobility of blind people is not just a campus problem, but a societal problem.
Transcript: The Bridge Program at UofSC, Palmetto Pathway and Gamecock Gateway, allow students to get a relatively traditional first-year experience at UofSC, and Bates House is especially reserved for students in said programs. For those with disabilities, alternate housing can be provided. However, this results in a Catch-22, where prospective residents must choose between living with their fellow Bridge Program cohorts or living in a space that provides more supports for those disabilities.
Transcript: “For individuals that don’t identify with having a physical disability, it is easy to walk around this portion of the sidewalk that is uneven and broken. But for those who do have a physical disability, this would pose a real challenge…
I do understand that sidewalk repairs are expensive, but it says something about UofSC that these expenses aren’t worth making navigating campus easier.”