By SHAWN DRAPER
Staff Writer
 

Now imagine what your Bates experience would be like if this interaction with your peers was severely stifled somehow. The interaction still went on, you just couldn't get to most of it. For the sake of argument (especially my argument), let's say you were denied access form any place which had stairs and no ramp. (Elevators are important too; however they are much more expensive than ramps and I'm trying to keep this as modest as possible.) So if your friends live in an inaccessible dorm or house, you cannot just stop by, unless you want to be subjected to the hassle (and danger) of them trying to get you in there. If there's a party on Frye Street, be ready to be carried by friends who might not be in the best shape to help you back down at the end of the night. Want to go to Frye Street Union? Well, hope there's someone there to help. Want to look for a job at OCS, or get help from the Writing Workshop? Maybe they can bring the resources out to you. If you dare to try to see a movie in the Filene Room, bring a helmet.

Now I get to how I chose my title. A person is only disabled within context. I'm in a wheelchair, and there's no way around that, but if every place was wheelchair accessible I'd be much less disabled. Since Bates is inaccessible, I am more disabled. It's not anyone's fault that I'm in a wheelchair, and it's definitely not Bates', but being in the chair is not necessarily the problem. (At least not the only one, and not a problem anyone can change.) The problem is that buildings have been made, and not changed, that don't allow people in chairs. Bates is very proud of its egalitarian history, and refuses to even have fraternities, sororities, or any other group that isn't open to everyone because that would be too exclusive. But there are several places I can't get into. If it was for any reason besides my chair that I couldn't get into all these buildings, the school would do everything in its power to get me access. But since my barriers are considered physically, and not socially, created Bates feels it doesn't have as much of a responsibility to deal with them. However, my alienation has the same consequences: I am cut off from this social interaction/learning, and made to feel like a second-class citizen. I would also argue that these barriers are not just physical, but also social. These buildings don't just appear; they are built by a society that doesn't value or even respect the interests of those who can't climb stairs. I', not saying any of this to sound bitter or angry; I really like Bates. I'm only saying this to show how society can choose to enable or disable people. The people who are now at Bates didn't build these inaccessible buildings, but they could do something to change it.

Bates says it's progressive, but state schools are far ahead of us. (If I went to Keene State in New Hampshire I could pay one third of the price, and have access to most of the campus buildings.) Of course, there have been ramps put up in the past year, but that happened only after I had several meetings over the past two years with the president, treasurer and head of maintenance (as well as doing the "Where's the Ramp?" Question on the Quad.) FurtherConmore, there was a ramp that was promised but not made. Last year, after "Where's the Ramp?" three ramps were promised, but only two were put up -- the one between both Milliken and Whittier, and the one at Wilson. But the school did not make a ramp to OCS (which would be nice since I'm a senior) like they promised. If Bates wanted to be progressive, it would have made accessibility a priority before I got here (or at least without me having to bug them once I did arrive.) So what has Bates done to make buildings accessible? Here is the lost of ramps (first floor access): 227 College (which they had to do legally since it was renovated), Hacker, Milliken/Whittier, Wilson, the Student Employment Office, the Health Center (to a door that is always locked), the PolSc House (which is my major), Admissions, Service Learning/Chaplain's Office, the Multicultural House, the Alumni Gym, and the Alumni House (which has a really expensive cement and brick one that could have made several wooden ramps, but it impresses alumni I guess.) However, twenty (of 25) house dorms are still completely inaccessible, as well as two conventional dorms (another two dorms only basement access), three academic buildings, four (of five) faculty houses, OCS and the Writing Workshop -- still inaccessible.

Bates says it doesn't have the money to put up more ramps. I should point out that I've only ever asked for ramps and first floor access to dorms and houses. This is cheaper than dealing with elevators, and there is a lounge on most first floors to hang out in anyway (especially important since there's no student center.) I've also always said that I want the most ramps for the money, because some houses are easier than others. So for example, when they said that they could either put up one ramp to both Milliken and Whittier or one ramp elsewhere, I said put up the Milliken/Whittier one (even though I personally never go there. These ramps aren't just for me; its the principle.) I've been more that reasonable when told that there isn't enough money over the past three years. But where's my $29,000 going? Or how about the extra $9.3 million from the $50 million campaign? I've even listened as they told me that a ramp couldn't be put up a certain way because of aesthetics. I think that a ramp can be put on all these houses that wouldn't be considered "obtrusive," but even if one were, I think all ramps add to the attractiveness of a house.

Legally bates only has to make "reasonable accommodations" so that a student has access to all of its services (e.g. to take classes, live and eat. The law sound a lot like "separate, but equal," but of course that' another entire article). Bates has done this, but how well it has done it is another story. Even though I've lived right next to the porch on Parker (one of the few places I can) for three years, I still have to go around back and up the elevator. When I go to eat, I have to take the slow and heavy chair lifts down to the mail room, the elevator up. Pettigrew, Libbey, the second floor of Coram and all of the Department Houses (except PolSc) are inaccessible. My classes are moved, but meetings with professors becomes more difficult because an appointment to meet elsewhere needs to be made ahead of time. Now I'm not asking for a ramp on the front of Parker or Chase Hall; they're already accessible. And I don't mind moving classes or making appointments, the point is Bates hasn't done that much anywhere! They didn't even have a handicapped-accessible van (almost every other school does) until last year when CSA got a new one. A lot of colleges (public and private alike) have an Office of Disabilities, or at least a person (specially trained) to help the vast numbers of those with learning difference (as well as physical). Bates doesn't!

If Bates wants to call itself progressive, it should at least try to catch up with most of the state schools (as well as a significant number of private college) around the country. In my experience, when the administration wants to get something done, it gets done, and done fast. I'm not asking for everything to be full-accessible -- not even close. I just want to be able to get into the first floor lounges. I simply want wooden ramps. Obviously this can't all be done overnight, or even in my remaining time here, but I'd just like to see a significant effort. Even though the people at Bates today didn't create those barriers that discriminate against the disabled, Bates has taught me that inaction in the face of what is clearly wrong is complicity, and that what we take for granted as universal usually is not. People think that the reason I can't get into the buildings is because society built them a certain way, (which is not the only way). I would be less disabled be my Cerebral Palsy if Bates (choosing to recognize and respect my condition, not as something "less than" some ethereal "norm," but as a diverse body type in the wide spectrum of body types whose interests were not respected when the buildings were made) took the effort to put up some ramps. The ADA is considered the civil rights act for those with disabilities, and I think that rights (of access) should apply all the time, not just when it's cheap or convenient for those in charge (though that thought may unfortunately conflict with the Act itself). I opened this article with a quote from "Goals 2005," so I'll close by pointing out that even though the school has said it would work harder on accessibility, there is no mention of it in the thirteen points of "major physical projects to accomplish" for 2005 (and even simple "quad improvements" and restoration of the Puddle made the list).