JOSHUA TIME 314

EDITED VERSION
JOSHUA TIME TRUTH BUT THEY CAN HANDLE IT

MY TAKE ON THE EKU HANDICAP SITUATION

By; Joshua M. Robinson

JOSHUA TIME

My name is Joshua Robinson and I am 25 years old. I have cerebral palsy, which affects my walking and my speech. I’m a to-the-point writer and can sometimes be too blunt.

With that said, the no-spin facts are tuition at Eastern is $2,300. That does not include books or parking permits. Charging that much for tuition is something Eastern can handle. I was told the other day that I could handle using my wheelchair on my own. That is good to know since my classes are all over campus. I know we are adults and are responsible for getting to class. However, Eastern and other schools are responsible for making learning accessible and accommodating.

I know several people who are handicapped including my brother. I just came from Somerset Community College where the accessibility was a little better. Eastern has more students than Somerset and its tuition is higher than Somerset. Eastern requires students to have a school e-mail account and it charges students a technology fee, but for what? So it can make more money? Eastern could be using the money to make the university more handicapped accessible, but that would be too much to ask wouldn’t it?


Eastern’s disabilities coordinator said I could handle pushing myself in a wheelchair. I’m aware the university has had to move several classes because of accessibility issues, but Eastern has had 100 years to make accommodations for students with disabilities.

I went to my newspaper practicum class on Jan. 24. I went from Alumni Coliseum to Donovan Annex. However, to get to Donovan I had to go through Model Laboratory School. The doors are locked on the Model building and I had to go through the grass and mud with my wheelchair, which is not fair to myself or any other student.

It was asked to a professor what if a student sues the school for the non-accessibility of some buildings for students with disabilities. The professor said the student would probably win. Maybe some one should sue. It might wake Eastern and other universities up. I’m not talking about a hand out. All I’m saying is Eastern should make things accessible.

Some of the buildings do not have automatic door opener buttons, other buildings do not have elevators, and lets not forget about ramps. How can students learn when they are worn out from struggling to get from one class to the other? It is impossible. It took me thirteen minutes to get from one building to the other and that was with someone pushing my wheelchair.

For anyone who says I can handle it, I’d like you to get in a wheelchair and push yourself and make it from one building to the next in 15minutes. I just had back surgery. I’m too dumb to take a break yet, too smart to give up and I never say die because then I will die.

We have got people who cannot see. However, the university acts like they can. Have you ever had to go from watching a big television to reading a book? Your eyes hurt so bad you get headaches and you’re expected to use a computer because you have one but you cannot see to use it.

We have people who cannot hear yet they have to read lips to have a little normalcy to their lives.

We have people like me who cannot talk well. I have to write things down on my laptop for teachers to understand me. I am also using a wheelchair and that is why I can relate to people who are confined to wheelchairs.

Some one needs to rise up and let the university know there is something wrong with a $2,300 tuition, books that cost $100 a piece, no handicap-accessible parking and no accessible accommodations for students with disabilities.

If you want to e-mail me feel free to do so at slicric147@yahoo.com

JOSHUA ROBINSON
Staff writer

NO GAMES