Accessibility at Sarah Lawrence

Charlotte Shao, ‘26

Disabled students represent a large and potentially underserved group within our community. According to the Sarah Lawrence Office of Disability and Access, more than 300 students identify as disabled on campus, making up about 20% of the student body. In comparison, about 25% of students on campus are students of color (including Hispanic or Latinx, Black or African American, Asian, and Native American people). While students of color are supported by numerous organizations and offices, Daniel Chan, Dean of Disability and Access, is currently the only administrator supporting the Office of Disability and Access. Historically, there has been between one to three office staff members servicing the disabled student population each year at SLC in the past 6 years according to data from the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

Sarah Lawrence offers a number of accommodations to disabled students such as specialized housing, extended time on testing, alternatives to reading materials and note taking assistance for those with “mobility and orthopedic impairments, sensory impairments, psychological disorders, chronic health impairments, and learning disabilities,” according to the MySLC website. However, despite these efforts, the individual experience of disabled students on campus has not always been positive.

Housing has been a flashpoint for students for many years, exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. For example last year, housing was assigned by lottery, and students were encouraged to find friends to live with. However, many disabled students had to self-advocate to get necessary accommodations. An anonymous senior said that even though they had been put in the highest need category, they would not officially be guaranteed a private room, bathroom or other requested accommodations. Other disabled students encountered difficulties submitting documentation or requesting accommodations.

Fran Kenney ‘24 said that many disabled students that did get accommodations were accused by abled students of faking disabilities or illnesses to get a single dorm or room with their friends. An SLC senior who wished to remain anonymous corroborated this, saying that some students who were afraid of not getting housing were taking advantage of disabled students who did have guaranteed housing.

For the 2022-2023 school year, students were prioritized based on the date they submitted the housing application on. Disabled students needed to be registered with the Office of Disability and Access and have documentation on file to be eligible for accommodations. However, it was not all smooth sailing. Hayley Hartfelder ‘25 said she was very worried about receiving housing accommodations, since if she could not get one of her options, she would not have accommodations at all. Luckily, she was able to get a dorm that fit some of her needs, but she was frustrated by the lack of guaranteed accommodations. The anonymous senior also reported having only two options, one of which required them to find a roommate, while the other did not fit all of their required accommodations.

In response to a request for comment, the Office of Residential Life said via email, “In the housing process, we prioritize aligning specialized housing accommodation requests with rooms that satisfy them. We have greater flexibility and ability to meet those requests when the process is followed during the designated time frame. I encourage any and all students looking for specialized housing accommodations to be in touch with the Office of Access and Disability Services to ensure they have registered and submitted the necessary documentation. We are committed to offering all students housing that allows them to thrive in all aspects of their lives here on campus.”

In addition to housing, the campus topography and layout presents unique challenges to students with disabilities. All students are familiar with the steep hill adjacent to the Bates Center for Student Life. Buildings at the bottom of the hill or on the north side of Bates, like the post office and the Science Center can be difficult for those with physical disabilities to access. Alternative routes behind Dudley Lawrence, Titsworth and OSilas are still problematic, intercut with stairs and variable lighting at night.

“When I get big packages I normally have to try to carry it one handed or not use my cane… which means that the hill is harder,” one anonymous freshman said.

The terrain is not the only difficulty in navigating the campus.

“The hardest thing is how little direction is given for most classrooms,” Niko Crowder ‘26 said. “As somebody who has autism, it’s inaccessible when signs fail to give proper directions for different buildings, such as on my first day, having to hunt around for classes… means a lot of walking around, … the fact that most buildings don’t have consistently working, accessible entrances is also a major issue.”

Crowder, who is also a cane user, and the anonymous freshman both also pointed out a lack of elevators as well as a lack of ramps. According to Mo Gallagher, the AVP of Facilities, there are nine elevators in Science Center, Bates, Rothschild, Heimbold, Campbell Sports Center, Hill House, the Barbara Walters Campus Center and 45 Wrexham. There are also three lifts in Titsworth, Bates and the Performing Arts Center.

Despite these issues, students have expressed hope with the new Dean of Disability and Access. Mr. Chan has an MS in Disability Services in Higher Education and an MA in Disability Studies from the CUNY School for Professional Studies. He also has experience in disability services, such as his time as the Assistant Director of the Office of Access/ABILITY at Hunter College, and 12 years working at non-profit disability services.

“In my role as Director of Access and Disability Services… I want to meet with as many students as I can to discuss their needs and concerns related to access and disability. Together, we can determine what reasonable accommodations are needed to help students succeed and I can also point them to additional resources on campus.” Mr. Chan said. “...some issues are not easily addressed like the steepness of Bates Hill but enhancing the infrastructure of the campus for all students is a priority and we currently accommodate students with physical disabilities in a variety of ways, depending on the documented accommodation of the student.”

Some potential suggestions for improvement by disabled students included adding or adjusting signage for buildings, adding more ramps and eventually more elevators. Stronger communication about campus transportation and more accessible housing would also be welcomed.

“I feel like a lot of able bodied people tend to overlook… not only how deep inaccessibility on campus goes, but that it’s not something that isn’t fixable,” Crowder said. “And it’s not just us disabled students it would benefit either; accessibility benefits all in the end.”

Mr. Chan has stated that students with questions or concerns about the accessibility of campus should reach out to him at dchan@sarahlawrence.edu.

SLC PhoenixNovember 5, 2022