Disclaimer: This article is being written as a follow up for an editorial published in the March 3 edition of The Oswegonian titled “The Editor-In-Chief’s Column: Oswego Is Not Safe Or Accessible.” 

Accessibility resources at SUNY Oswego are not just for those with permanent disabilities, according to Dr. Starr Wheeler, the coordinator of Accessibility Resources. 

Wheeler and Patrick Devendorf, the assistant coordinator for Accessibility Resources, work with students and faculty across campus on a number of issues, including housing accommodations, snow removal and temporary disability resources. Wheeler said that as coordinator, she meets with facilities and the fire marshal every few weeks to keep track of projects and make sure everything is updated and accessible to the campus community but also needs “eyes and ears out there so I can address things and get them taken care of.”

Wheeler said there is a lot that accessibility resources can offer students that she does not think many know about, including accommodations for temporary disabilities like concussions or broken bones. These include temporary disability parking passes and a change of housing to a different area of campus. 

“Our goal is for you to be successful and if you can’t get to class you can’t be successful,” Wheeler said. 

According to Christy Huynh, Dean of Students and co-chair of the Campus Safety Advisory Committee, SUNY Oswego has tripled the number of students registered with accessibility resources in the past few years. Along with this, students using accessibility resources reported having a stronger sense of belonging on campus compared to those who do not, as found in a survey sent out at the end of the previous semester. 

“It was higher even for students who did not have a disability and were not using the resources,” Huynh said. “[And] it was much higher than those feeling like they would be eligible, but they were not using [the resources].”

Huynh said they have plenty of resources available to students and they want to ensure everyone is getting the care they need to be successful. 

“We really understand and know some of the benefits of belonging and just feeling supported,” Huynh said. 

Resources for students struggling with any type of disability, details about accessibility resources and general information about certain campus issues are listed below. 

Snow removal: According to Huynh, there is a prioritization of certain routes and sidewalks on campus for snow removal. If certain walkways are not clear or accessible, contact Residence Life and Housing, the building’s resident assistants or the hall director for immediate assistance. For general questions, contact Facilities Services at facilities.services@oswego.edu.

Work orders: Any student can submit a work order for any building on campus, including academic buildings and recreational facilities. This includes broken or unusable materials like water fountains or out of order automatic doors. Work orders, or ReADY requests, can be placed through the portal linked on the Facilities Services website. For immediate assistance, call 315.312.3200. 

ADA compliance: According to Wheeler, buildings on campus are constructed under the current ADA codes at the time and are brought up to the newer standards as they are renovated. For example, Lee Hall does not have an elevator, but that was not a requirement when it was being built and when it is updated those changes will be added. For questions about ADA compliance, contact Wheeler at starr.wheeler@oswego.edu. 

Campus Safety and Advisory Committee: This committee is a group of faculty, staff and students who are primarily focused on reviewing safety and security policies and procedures on campus and make recommendations to improve them, according to their website. Huynh said students are encouraged to submit any concerns they have about campus safety to the committee, “especially if someone feels like [their] one voice is not going to be heard.” The committee can be reached through Huynh via her email christy.huynh@oswego.edu. 

Elevator outages: Issues with elevators and other facility outages are often reported right away, according to Huynh, but addressing the problem takes more time due to supply chain delays for parts and labor. Any student who needs accommodations due to elevator outages can contact Accessibility Resources and employees may contact Human Resources. Assistance for this issue may include changing a classroom or meeting location for students or faculty. 

Accessibility Fellows: Accessibility fellows are faculty members who serve as advocates for accessibility at SUNY Oswego, offer advice and information to others about accessibility, are liaisons for their departments and more, according to their website. Fellows are available to answer questions and help members of the campus community with accessibility issues. For more information about accessibility fellows, contact Faculty Accessibility Fellowship coordinator Casey Raymond at casey.raymond@oswego.edu.