UNB improving disabled access to campus

Randy Dickinson at UNB

By STEPHEN LLEWELLYN
llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com
Published Tuesday December 4th, 2007

The University of New Brunswick says its working as quickly as possible to make all it’s buildings accessible for persons with physical disabilities.

“We have made progress, but we still have barriers that need to be overcome,” said Shirley Cleave, associate vice-president academic (living environment), Monday.

Cleave said the university is adding ramps and elevators to buildings, investing in technology, improving parking lots and providing academic support personnel for students with special learning needs.

“Despite the current tight fiscal reality, the university is committed to continuing our efforts to make the university more accessible to our students, faculty and staff with disabilities,” she said.

The university made the comment after Randy Dickinson, executive director for the Premier’s Council on the Status of Disabled Persons, said he went to the university last week to talk about disability awareness and found the classroom wasn’t accessible.

He said he gave the same talk last year and the classroom wasn’t accessible then either.

Cleave said UNB’s accessibility advisory committee is in the process of prioritizing items to be included in the budget process and identify funding sources for major capital projects.

Patricia Kirby, co-ordinator of the student accessibility centre at UNB, acknowledged there is a need for increased collaboration on campus on the principles of barrier-free design.

“Although not all improvements can be made as quickly as we would like, we are diligently working toward improving access to our buildings and classrooms,” she said.