Victoria Silman | News Editor
Featured Image: The critical disabilities studies program is moving from HNES to Stong. | Fatema Ali
With the topic of York’s accessibility at the forefront of many students’ minds, a move has been made to transition the Critical Disabilities Studies Program from the Health, Nursing, and Environmental Sciences (HNES) building, to Stong College.
The move, which was scheduled to happen this summer, has brought concerns to staff and students within the program.
Russell Rozinskis, a third-year PhD candidate in critical disabilities studies, says Stong is less accessible than HNES, due to the size of the hallways and the lack of elevators.
“Stong wasn’t constructed with accessibility in mind. It’s an older building; many of the door frames are narrow, and some of the offices are not big enough for wheelchairs to fit inside. Also, there is only one elevator which was built after that fact, and the washrooms are smaller,” he says.
Rozinskis adds: “As far as we can tell, there is no gender neutral-washroom. We have also found out there is a mold problem.”
Professor Geoffrey Raume says the fire doors also cause major accessibility issues. “The fire doors do not have accessibility buttons, which is absolutely essential,” he says.
Rozinskis also points out that this change could create accessibility issues for those who take Wheeltrans. According to him, Wheeltrans drops students off near Vari Hall, where the program has an accessible classroom. Should the program move, he says, WheelTrans could move to dropping students off near the Aviva Centre.
“Wheelchair users can only use the front door of Stong. If WheelTrans is dropping people off close to Stong, they might be dropping them off close to Aviva Centre,” Rozinskis says.
“To get to campus walk, you have to find the elevator in Calumet to take up to campus walk, but it’s not very well marked,” he adds.
Referencing the issue of accessibility during snowstorms, specifically that of Ali Imrie, the Osgoode student who posted a video of herself struggling to get her wheelchair across campus following a storm, Rozinskis also points out that the slope going down to Stong College could pose some safety issues, especially with ice.
“That slope is slippery if it’s not properly maintained,” he says.
In a response from the university, Chief Spokesperson of Media Relations Barbara Joy says the Dean of the Faculty of Health has taken steps to organize a meeting with students and staff after receiving an open letter regarding the issue.
“York is committed to principles of respect, inclusion, and equality of all persons with disabilities across campus. The university is committed to preventing, minimizing and removing the barriers to participation by persons with disabilities in the activities of the university, including employment, study or social activity,” she says.
Faculty of Health Dean Paul McDonald could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.
