accessibility_fail | Inaccessibility meme, the residential college student remix

Inaccessibility meme, the residential college student remix

jesse_the_k, this one's inspired by

lightgetsin 's post.

I'm a college student at a residential liberal arts college in the middle of nowhere, Massachusetts. And while I manage to work around all of these things, they are still a pain in my ass on an almost daily basis. I've got chronic migraines and celiac, plus a possible other autoimmune issue that no one has put a label on.

1. I live on the third floor of a 80+ year old dorm. There are no elevators, and on the days when I feel like hell, I can't go out either of the main stairwells because they're steep, tax my spoons, and get heavy foot traffic that protests slow moving humans. My solution: either a) limit my trips out of the building--or even to the kitchen, which on the first floor or b) use the fire escape, which is just outside my door. The fire escape isn't as steep and it's easy to go down slowly because very few actually use it.

2. Our college has no disability office. There is a carefully hidden portion of our academic resource center that will, if you come in with all the appropriate documentation and go through a committee hearing, discuss possible accommodations. They do not consider chronic migraines or celiac to be disabilities, as per their page on the campus website. Much less the fun "we don't have a diagnosis for it, but we can guess!" stuff. (Which I would like to point out that after two years of banging my head against a wall and talking to the woman apparently in charge of this three times, I found out that the hidden section that is not a disability center, but a committee, existed about 10 minutes ago.)

This means that if you have problems, you have nowhere centrally located to go. I get around it by talking directly to professors, spending time in our deans' office, and bitching out the specific places that screwed up. Before you ask, yes, this does use up more spoons than it saves and I'm convinced that the nice folks do it on purpose.

3. Our health center is located two and a half blocks from the edge of the campus class buildings. That is, at best, three blocks from the dorms. And from my dorm, that's at least 6 or 7, if I manage a direct route. (Which I do only occasionally.) I have to be at the health center for standing appointments at least once a week, and occasionally two or three times a week, usually when I'm too out of it to get there. Security will only give you a ride there if someone intercedes for you. Most of the time, I make it as far as the deans' office, collapse, and the dean intercedes. Sometimes, it's my boss, since I've literally almost fallen in our workplace because of migraines. And let's not discuss what happens if you have to go to a specialist or the ER. (Hint: Security complains the whole way, if they can't figure out a way to wiggle out of their obligation.)

4. Our dining halls have no idea what cross contamination is. They have a tendency to mislabel ingredients. At the best of times, I can eat in two of eight dining halls. At the worst of times, I end up so ill that it takes every spoon I have to get back to my dorm, much less participate in class. Most of the time, I get around the fact that the next bite will put me out of commission by not eating in the dining halls. I take food with me so that I can still hang out with friends. At one point, I kept a chart of how many days I managed without eating something I was allergic to: the chart never got past six days without restarting.

5. My professors don't actually understand light sensitive migraines. I have to go to class or else I will fail. I started wearing sunglasses inside to avoid hurling in the middle of a discussion, and wasn't that a fun discussion to have with my professor, who had not previously realized that my chronic migraines is more, "At least two a week, and that's the good weeks when the preventatives and abortives work" and less, "Infrequent and medically controlled with like, Advil." (Oh, I wish.)

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Son of a gun, my feelings of umbrage with these people and systems at your university are so strong I can't do more to express them than this - and if I'm feeling this way when my disabilities overlap yours only in your descriptions of the migraine situation, you must be ready to punch people in the face. !!!

I get more annoyed as I get closer to graduation, given that I have one year left. But if I get too upset, my productivity slows down. So I've given up. Mostly, I just wish humans didn't suck so horribly.

if I get too upset, my productivity slows down

That is true for me, too.

So I've given up. Mostly, I just wish humans didn't suck so horribly.

Yeah, I understand that. Argh, freaking ableism! :/

It actually occurs to me that that's something else that I should have listed: dealing with ableism in the classroom.

I spent today arguing mightily for a paper I wrote critiquing a very ableist...brochure, for lack of a better word, and being told by classmates that I had no clue what I was talking about. And being told that since people were quoted as liking the A.R.T. technique, I should not assume that there serious power and autonomy issues at play. Even though it basically oozes off the paper and has been critiqued for exactly that reason.

I finished the discussion and made dinner. And that's been about it, because I cannot stop replaying my classmates' critiques, especially the ones that started, "You're too negative about it and you don't consider the side that's discussed!"

I spent today arguing mightily for a paper I wrote critiquing a very ableist...brochure, for lack of a better word, and being told by classmates that I had no clue what I was talking about. And being told that since people were quoted as liking the A.R.T. technique, I should not assume that there serious power and autonomy issues at play.

People are quoted as liking it -> it can't be effed up. Ableism fail!

I finished the discussion and made dinner. And that's been about it, because I cannot stop replaying my classmates' critiques, especially the ones that started, "You're too negative about it and you don't consider the side that's discussed!"

Classic derails: "You're too negative" and "You're not being objective." Playing derailment!bingo in class is so easy, I've found, and a discussion like that is not just an academic exercise but people who refuse to interrogate their own ableism on their own make it really hard. I hope at least the dinner went okay.

And you know, when the brochure was made to promote the technique, of course they're going to like it.

Dinner was fantastic and I got to hang out with a friend (in a dining hall that basically said "We have nothing you can eat. But we can make you chicken!" and I just pointed to the dinner I'd brought with me.).

The one plus side was that my prof was fantastic and pointed out that I had raised good objections to the brochure.

And you know, when the brochure was made to promote the technique, of course they're going to like it.

Yeah, exactly!

Ugh, your dining hall. I'm glad your dinner went so well! And that your prof was awesome and recognized your argument as valuable and valid.

Isn't Advil for headaches, not migraines?

I would argue strongly for that fact. My professor seemed to disagree. (95% of my professors have been totally awesome, but several have just made me do double takes because they're supposed to be highly educated.)

Yeah, but they're also highly *specialized*. Not to apologize for them, but most Ph.D programs don't really teach candidates how to teach in a formal way, even though a lot of them intend to go into academia ...

And I don't know how it works at yr school, but at the college I just graduated from (after only five years!) extensions and grade changes are, in the end, up to the prof - deans can make suggestions, that's all. ANd mostly that worked out fine when I needed an extension - sometimes I got a paper taken down a grade or two, but whatever, let it go. There were one or two exceptions - like the (queer, male, cisgendered) prof who had to be told that really, it's a good idea to give your (mostly queer, all FAAB* a heads-up if the movie you're showing htem for class has a graphic rape scene of a FAAB transgendered character. But I told him after several months (chronic spoon shortage) that he decided that I didn't get a grade change. Two out of three deans I dealt with were awesome; one was ok, but once told me "but other students who are depressed turn their work in on time" (but not all depressed students are triggered by their friggin schoolwork!) and I'd have ~~fired her ass~~ switched deans immediately but: spoon shortage. So it took me a few months.

Aaaaanyway. Your school's access policies (lack thereof) suxx0rs. I hope it makes up for it somehow. As a negative example of what not to do, maybe?

Hmm, I'm curious: from your POV, how easy should/could it be to set up a college dining hall so that people with celiac disease can eat there? I know someone who's very allergic to most food additives so, and based on what I know about food costs, and how dining halls work, it would be expensive (more expensive food, fewer options, more frequent deliveries) to have food without preservatives and additives. Would a better solution be to provide a (properly accessible) kitchen for celiac-only cooking?

*female assigned at birth - includes cisgendered women, transgendered men, and genderqueer or third gender people who are female (raises hand)

That's very true.

It depends upon the incident precisely how much power the dean has. *wince* Oh dear gods. I would have actually lost it in the room and probably not been able to function so obviously that it wouldn't have been several months before the professor knew. What type of idiot professor...That is ridiculous, as is your one dean. And I am so sorry you had to put up with that to get your degree.

From my point of view, I don't think that they should even try to accommodate celiac/other food allergies in the dining halls. (Though I will admit that it was often the other food allergies that they screwed up on. And then there'd be nights like last night when I was informed that the Yorkshire pudding didn't have soy in it.) I do think it would behoove them to and learn more about keeping certain areas of the kitchen specifically set aside to be free of certain allergens. Because here's the thing: they try. They buy gluten-free food, have it on offer, keep a stash of quinoa for anyone who wants it, etc. They mean well and attempt to make things work--one dining hall, if I ask for something, will run to the store to get it for the next meal, for crying out loud! They just don't have the training, and I don't have the spoons to attempt to remind them all the time.

Where they fall down is making certain that there are specific pans set aside for that food or that the person making it has changed their gloves since they last set out the bread. (I had to explain that one once. And then watch them carefully from then on.) They also forget to mark ingredients or know what's in the food too often to count. And given that next year's first year students will roughly correspond to one of the first generations where nut allergies (and others) are severe enough that places have to be completely free of that allergen?

They need to work on not only not trying to kill me, but not trying to kill others. For instance, there was an incident last semester where they sent someone to the hospital because they were highly allergic to tuna fish and dining services hadn't bothered to list tuna as an ingredient in the dish. What are they going to do when they have to keep things nut free? (Because hey, they don't mark that as an allergen right now.)

A common solution for those with celiac at other colleges is making certain the person lives in a dorm with a small kitchen that few others use. Unfortunately, the only way that I can do that here is to live in a co-op as a senior, and I didn't have a high enough lottery pick for it. So I cook a big batch of food at the beginning and end of the week, and just live off of that.

The dean and the prof were definitely exceptions - I definitely didn't deal with the level of bullshit you do. I'm more pissed off at how difficult it's been for me to get access to therapy which works for me and professional advice for alternative meds. I mean, I've found a therapeutic method which plays to my strengths (writing, taking care of myself) instead of my weaknesses (asking other people for help, telling a stranger I don't trust about the bad shit in my life in realtime) but no way will insurance cover that. lawl

Do you at least not have tons of student workers in the dining halls? at my college first-years who wanted to work had to work in the dining halls. And don't get me wrong, there are good things about that. BUT you get a bunch of eighteen-year-olds with varying levels of competency and giving a shit ...

Did the college not give you priority choice in picking a room? Asshats. I know folks at my college who did that - for mental health issues, for mobility issues (I think there's, like, one wing which is both wheelchair accessible *and* has a bathroom that's more than nominally wheelchair accessible - most of the dorms are pretty old and the ones that aren't ... just weren't designed to be wheelchair accessible, wtf). There's a wing for deaf/hard of hearing students where the fire alarms are flashing lights instead of just the buzzer.

Oy vey.

If your college is near my college, we should get together to commiserate. I'll pray that this committee you speak of actually exists, and thats the committee members know that they are on it. In my experience these 'committees' are only truly formed after a college has decided they won't help you out, and you've helped them to a good dosage of federal law.

I wish I had advice but I barely keep my head above water with the folks at my own college. Only be patient for so long, don't let them throw you around while they get their act together. 'Nice' folks are the worst and by far the most energy consuming. Don't take any tricked out chatter from those folks!

I'm at the point these days that I got some concessions on food, and my meds are functioning as well as they do, and I have one more year. And I'm not certain that I have enough spoons to bother further most days.

I'm up in the Berkshires, so not that close to you.

I don't know if the committee exists and at this point, I just don't give a damn. If things get worse again, I'll fight. But for now, my head's above water and fighting's going to lead to me not being able to tread water.

(I will definitely look into the Restoration Act and keep it in reserve if shit hits the fan again.)

Thanks.

"They do not consider chronic migraines or celiac to be disabilities, as per their page on the campus website."

Have you reminded them about the Restoration Act? I feel certain Celiac would be covered under bodily function.

the school does not get to decide what is or is not a disability.

this is basic stuff, 2+2=4 basic. This is from wikipedia:

"major life activities in § 4(4)(a) includes caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating and working. The act also lists major bodily functions including, but not limited to, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine and reproductive functions"

celiac disease substantially limits the function of the digestive and bowel systems. migraines substantially limit the function of the neurologic system.

...instead of "spending time in our deans' office, and bitching out the specific places that screwed up" have you considered just calling the local US Dept of Education office for civil rights?

Honestly? No. I haven't considered it because I'm out of here in a year. I haven't consider it because I'm on an even keel at this moment with the administration, my deans, my professors, and my health. These are all workarounds that I employ, yes, but I don't have to employ them every. single. day. because my issues are invisible and ebb and flow--I don't have to identify as disabled, and it's hard for me to do so in meatspace.

I haven't considered it because half the time I don't talk about what's going on in my life and my health outside of "This is no longer okay" moments.

Moreover, I haven't considered it because I have no idea where the local office might be. Sounds like a cop out, but the extra time spent googling and calling makes me cringe just thinking about it.

And honestly, I haven't considered it because while I can do confrontation with people who I know well--I go to school in what amounts to a goldfish bowl--the idea of discussing these issues with an outside party? I don't think I have the sanity, the spoons, or wherewithal to pick up the phone, much less go through with it.

Even when I make posts like this, it's because I'm so frustrated that I have to say something, and yet don't always have the spine or the sanity to say something in meatspace. Or it's a systemic issue, and I'm already involved in four other systemic fights, committees, and helping reshape policies for minority groups on my campus. I'm spread thin as it is, and adding one more thing to my plate may actually be enough to make me withdraw from college right now.

And I have no doubt that you think that my explanation's a cop out. Maybe it is. Maybe we all have our limits, and for right now, this is mine.

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Inaccessibility meme, the residential college student remix

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(frozen comment) so i'm a little confused.

(frozen comment) Re: so i'm a little confused.