Accessibility— a word that you have most likely heard in conversations or in passing but never genuinely taken the time to think about on a deeper level or how it might affect others. It manifests in a variety of capacities, be it physically or virtually. It is a major issue, especially at our very own “exceptional and unconventional” university. It is an important human rights issue that merits attention and something that we all play a role in.

Truthfully, as an able-bodied person, accessibility is a topic that although I was aware of, I was unaware of the privilege that comes with it.

I do not have to worry about using the poorly and somewhat aesthetically designed wheelchair accessible ramp to get to the main floor of the ATAC to study with friends nor do I have to worry about the elevator being out of service in the UC because I can just take the stairs. The point I am trying to make here is that these are everyday life functions that able-bodied people can bypass without thinking twice, whereas for an individual with a physical disability that requires them to use these services, it requires meticulous planning to get where they need to go.

I’m sure as many of you read this article you already have some area on campus that comes to mind that is in dire need of attention.

For instance, if you drive to school or walk to the entrance from Balmoral you have to stop at Lakehead University Drive North and South or what is best known as following a rainstorm, “puddle intersection”. You know the one, you either have to walk around it or drive through it. However for someone with a disability this is not easily do-able, you don’t get to easily maneuver around this area. Or maybe you recall a time when the bathroom was out of order across from security services and while some could just use the other stall, those who required a larger stall had to go all the way to the Centennial Building.

*Image provided by Dr. Gerald Walton*
*“Puddle Intersection”*

*Image provided by Dr. Gerald Walton*
*“Closed for Repairs”*

At this point, you may be asking yourself: why has the university not done anything? We have an entire OFFICE dedicated to EDI (Office of Human Rights and Equity) and an action plan for 2019 - 2024 that specifically states that an objective for the university is to ‘create an accessible and inclusive environment’. This is an issue that needs to be addressed on a wide-scale institutional level and yet, until we the students put pressure on senior administration, nothing will be done. Money talks, plain and simple, and as students we have ‘bargaining’ power so to speak because we are paying the university to be there. This is our money and as such we are entitled to advocate how it should be spent to support our students and create a positive learning environment for all. This is an issue that can no longer be ignored: it tangibly and unfairly impacts people who use this school on a daily basis.

The thing is, this is not a new issue and the university has been aware of accessibility barriers that people who are not able-bodied face for quite some time. In fact, during a Distinguished Instructor Award presentation in October 2021, the recipient of the award, Dr. Gerald Walton highlighted a wealth of problems on campus in regards to accessibility to senior administrators and fellow faculty members. Specifically, he detailed an instance when the one and only accessible stall in the men’s bathroom in the education building was declared closed for repairs. He had sent an email at the time stating that it needed to be fixed immediately as it was a human rights complaint waiting to happen and nothing happened. Quite honestly, saying the bathroom was being repaired was extremely misleading on the behalf of the university because nothing was repaired for 2 YEARS. Finally, just as Dr. Walton had predicted two years later, there was a male student who used a wheelchair and had nowhere to go to the bathroom. The issue was finally resolved after the student had moved on from his program and all it required was a very simple solution, removing the portable barricade and stability bars and filling in the old hole where the toilet used to be. He also brought to the attention of administration a crumbling, speed bump that is a hazard for pedestrians and cyclists and during his talk, a faculty member herself commented that she had tripped and fallen because of it.

*Image provided by Dr. Gerald Walton*
*“Stability Bars”*

*Image provided by Dr. Gerald Walton*
*“Hazardous Bump”*

The response of upper administration following his refreshing and eye opening talk was disappointing, which is not a surprise. Generally speaking, administrators get paid a lot of money to pay lip service to those that they serve. In fact, Lakehead University’s Provost & Academic Vice President admitted that he was aware of the issues that Dr. Walton had highlighted and then quickly proceeded to thank Dr. Walton for his talk and changed the subject.

If the so-called ‘leaders’ of our educational institution won’t acknowledge or rather, proactively work to remedy existing problems on campus, then who on earth is supposed to be held accountable? It’s ironic because as students we are constantly receiving emails asking for feedback, or input, including professor evaluations at the of every semester and yet, at this point many of us don’t bother giving our opinions because we know that nothing will change. It’s a façade and an attempt to claim that students' voices matter but nothing real ever materializes and instead we are left with the same problems that we had in the first place. If Lakehead was wise, they would heed the advice of their ‘distinguished instructors’ and ‘valued students’ because, in the court of public opinion, these people will shape the future of the school. We are at this very institution to further our knowledge so that we as a society can rectify the blatant inequities that stare us in the face every single day.

In conversation with members of the newly formed Lakehead University Disability Advocacy Club, it became apparent to me that not only are physical barriers for accessibility on campus but as well, neurodivergent students face a variety of constraints. Their goal as a club is to promote awareness of issues that face the disabled community and to advocate for accessibility on campus.

Speaking with Ti Hiuser, they explained that as a new student at Lakehead, “I [Ti] was just so happy to see that this club exists. In high school, I really missed out on being involved with an organization for students with disabilities. Disability is something that I haven’t really embraced about myself until now.” They also noticed key areas of concerns in regards to accessibility during their brief time thus far on campus: “only half of the handicapped buttons work to open doors, the one at the UC hasn’t worked the entire time I’ve been on campus, since September 2021 and the ramps are in awkward locations in comparison to the entrances and stairs so if you are waiting inside to stay warm for the bus, it is not possible to quickly get outside once the bus arrives so the driver knows that someone is waiting”, states Hiuser.

Though initially hesitant to join the club due to the time commitment, Alicia Sandham is pleased that she decided to get involved:

“As a club, we’ve already been in contact with people on the executive board of the university, we were contacted by one of the folks from the top radio station in Thunder Bay and some contact with SAS, as they are quite busy which is understandable as they do a very good job at supporting students''

Sandham also echoed Hiuser’s concern about the location of the ramp near the bus stop and suggested that a system be put in place to notify the bus driver that someone is coming but they are taking a moment to get outside. Furthermore, Sandham herself has dealt with barriers in terms of accessible education in the classroom when a professor refused to follow her accommodation which is extremely disappointing to hear. When asked about what she wants students to know about disabilities, she mentioned that “just because you cannot see someone’s disability does not mean that it doesn’t exist, there are many invisible disabilities that affect people on a daily basis. Just because I look ‘healthy’ doesn’t mean that that’s the case”.

Overall, as we gradually return to campus in both Thunder Bay and Orillia, we must speak up and create a dialogue surrounding barriers on campus. It is imperative that this is pushed to the forefront so that our school truly becomes an inclusive environment for everyone. If you are passionate about this issue and are looking for a way to get involved, the Lakehead University Disability Advocacy Club is open to everyone and they are always looking for new members. You can find them on social media on Facebook and Instagram @LakeheadDisabilityAdvocacyClub or on the LUSU clubs page.

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