With the recent record-breaking extreme weather came challenges for Baldwin Wallace University students, especially those with disabilities.  

The loads of ice and snow made going to classes difficult or even dangerous, especially for students who use wheelchairs. Many have been getting stuck in the snow on their way to classes. Many times,the friends of wheelchair users had to assist them because they were afraid of going around campus for fear of not returning safely. 

Carly Webster is a senior at BW who has been advocating for adequate accessibility on campus. Though she has been working with Erin Kelly, the director of accessible education and resident life, and spreading awareness through Instagram posts, Webster said the Office of Student Affairs hasn’t always been responsive.  

Webster mentioned that she and other wheelchair users have been getting stuck and having medical issues with equipment due to the heavy snow. She said BW used to have wheelchair accessible vans for students to use, but they have been in maintenance and haven’t been available. To fix this, Webster created a petition for the university to be more accessible by educating staff about accessibility.  

“The response [to the petition] was very reactionary,” said Webster. “There have been many situations where both disabled and non-disabled students have needed medical attention because of the sidewalks, without acknowledgment or an apology so I’m like ‘hey, we need more options.’” 

Webster said after many communications with the Office of Accessibility, she finally received an email saying that remote accommodations were available, but she felt that they should have been made available a long time ago. 

Webster said that whenever the issue was brought up with the university, they would take months to respond and described accommodations such as wheelchair accessible vans as a “courtesy”.  

“It’s frustrating,” says Webster. “When I first visited, I was told that this was an accessible campus and that I would have all my accomodations. But you can’t advertise it as an accessible campus and not take responsibility, even if it is uncomfortable or inconvenient for them. There are going to be no more black, disabled or LGBTQ+ students if this is how they are going to treat their dollars.” 

However, despite the challenges she’s faced, Webster noted that there has been a lot of community support, and that she hopes for the creation of an accessibility council in the future so that disabled students can be included in the conversation. 

“It has made me stronger as a person,” Webster said. “[The university] just needs to put in the effort.”  

In response to accessibility concerns on campus, the university stated, “BW is committed to keeping our campus accessible for everyone. Grounds crews prioritize clearing ADA-accessible pathways first. If you notice an area that needs attention, please contact Building & Grounds so they can address it quickly.”